Break down
What to do if you break down on your motorcycle
Stay visible, stay alert and get off the live lane - know what to do if your motorcycle breaks down.
Your motorcycle’s compact, narrow size and lighter weight may enable you to manoeuvre your vehicle into a safer place that would not be available to drivers of larger vehicles. Your protective and high-visibility clothing helps to make you safer and more visible to other road users.
If your motorcycle develops a problem, or if you see a red or amber warning light on your instrument panel, leave the carriageway at the next exit or pull into a service area if possible.
Do not stop in a live lane unless absolutely necessary.
You should never intentionally stop in a live lane. If you’re unable to leave the carriageway, please follow our three-step advice to help keep you and other road users safe:
QUICK TIPS
Go left
Your motorcycle’s compact, narrow size and lighter weight may enable you to manoeuvre your vehicle into a safer place that would not be available to drivers of larger vehicles.
If your motorcycle has hazard warning lights, switch them on
If it’s dark or visibility is poor, use your parking lights
Get safe
If it’s safe and possible to do so:
Park your motorcycle on the side stand and dismount to the left, away from moving traffic.
Keep your helmet and protective clothing on.
Do not stand next to your motorcycle in a live lane or in a place where your motorcycle could be forced into you if moving traffic collides with it.
Get help
If you can’t get to the left lane, or a place of relative safety you should dismount your motorcycle and decide if it’s safer to:
Stay with your motorcycle in a live lane, (only do this if it is absolutely necessary and there is no safer alternative).
Remove yourself, with or without your motorcycle, to the nearest place of relative safety .
You should consider:
The type of road, road layout and lane you have stopped in.
Traffic volume, traffic speed.
Weather and lighting conditions .
If you cannot get yourself, with or without your motorcycle, to the left lane or a place of relative safety, or if your motorcycle is still in a live lane, you should:
Call 999 immediately and ask for the police. Alternatively, press your SOS button if your motorcycle has one and ask for the police.
The emergency services can alert us, so we can close motorway lanes and send other help as required, such as a Traffic Officer.
You should never return to a motorcycle in a live lane.
More guidance for motorcyclists is available on the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency's website.