What counts as a standard tow truck on Steveston roads?
When most people picture a tow truck, they picture a wheel-lift: a light duty truck with an arm that slides under the front or back tires of a car and lifts that end off the road. It is quick, and it is what we use for a front-wheel-drive sedan going a short way to a Richmond shop, as our car towing page explains.
There is also the dolly, which puts two wheels up and leaves two rolling. Both are built around four wheels and a car's weight spread across them.
Why can a wheel-lift not carry a motorcycle safely?
Because a bike only stands up while it is moving or on its side stand. Lift the front wheel with an arm and the whole bike leans, the rear tire scrubs along the road, and the forks take a load they were never built for. Nothing holds it upright.
Any truck carrying a load also has to keep that load secured. BC's commercial vehicle rules on cargo securement are about exactly that, and a bike hanging off a lift arm is the opposite of a secured load.
Which kind of tow truck does a motorcycle need in Steveston?
A flatbed. The whole deck tilts down to make a ramp, we roll the bike up, lock the front wheel in a chock and run soft loops around the frame, never the bars. It is the same deck our flatbed towing calls use for AWD cars and EVs, set up for two wheels.
How each truck lines up for a bike:
| Truck | Built for | Right for a motorcycle? |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel-lift (light duty) | Front-wheel-drive cars on short trips | No, nothing to hold the bike upright |
| Dolly | Cars with two wheels up for short, simple trips | No, made for four wheels |
| Flatbed | AWD cars, EVs, damaged cars and bikes | Yes, with a wheel chock and soft straps |
| Heavy duty wrecker | Buses, box trucks and work trucks | No, far more truck than a bike needs |
The full step by step is in how motorcycle towing works, and how to secure your bike on a tow truck shows the straps up close.
Does a flatbed motorcycle tow cost more than a standard tow?
A little. The light duty rate for a car on a wheel-lift starts at $85, and the flatbed rate starts at $125. Both include the hook-up and the first 10 km, and the flatbed is $4 a km after that. Your bike goes on the flatbed rate, plus a published extra only if one is true, like no key or a bike that won't roll.
We tell you that total before we load anything. If the bike just needs a charge, our roadside assistance truck may be the cheaper answer.
What should you say on the phone so the right truck comes to Steveston?
Start with the word motorcycle, then the make and model and where it is. A cruiser with a low exhaust, a sport bike with a full fairing, a scooter or a dirt bike all ride the same flatbed, but knowing which helps us pick the strap points before we arrive.
Our five checks before you call for a bike tow cover the rest, and can a motorcycle be towed without the key helps if the key is gone.
Standard tow truck or flatbed for your bike: the answer
A wheel-lift or a dolly is built for cars, and neither can keep a motorcycle upright. Your bike belongs on a flatbed, front wheel chocked and the frame strapped, which is how every Steveston bike tow we do is carried. Say motorcycle first when you call, and you hear the flatbed price before anything moves. Not sure it needs a tow at all? Our 5 signs your motorcycle needs a tow helps you decide, and how to prepare your motorcycle for a tow covers the minutes before we arrive.
Tow Trucks for Motorcycles in Steveston FAQ
Does an electric motorcycle need a different tow truck?
No. An electric bike rides the same flatbed, upright in the chock, with both wheels off the road the whole way.
Is a scooter towed the same way as a big touring bike?
Yes. Scooters, dirt bikes and touring bikes all ride upright on the flatbed with a front wheel chock and soft straps on the frame.
Will the straps scratch my motorcycle?
We use soft loops on the frame or the lower triple clamp, never the bars, levers or fairing, and you can check them with us before we drive.
What if my bike has already been dropped?
It still goes on the flatbed. A bike after an accident carries a published $50 extra for the extra care loading it, and we tell you first.