Breaking down on a motorbike feels very different from breaking down in a car. You're more exposed, you've got no shelter, and a heavy bike isn't easy to push. Here's what to do if your bike lets you down in Stockport, Manchester or on the motorway.

Get yourself safe first

• Pull over as far from traffic as you can, ideally into a lay-by, side road or car park
• Put your hazard lights on if your bike has them
• Keep your helmet and high-vis kit on until you're well away from the road
• On a motorway, use the hard shoulder or an emergency area, get behind the barrier and call for help from there

Don't try to fix the bike at the side of a busy road. Your safety matters more than getting going a few minutes sooner.

Common reasons motorbikes break down

• Flat battery: very common if the bike has been standing for a while, especially in winter.
• Puncture: don't ride on a flat tyre. It can damage the wheel and makes the bike very unstable.
• Chain problems: a loose, dry or snapped chain will stop you. Don't ride with a chain that's jumping or hanging low.
• Running out of fuel: easily done if the fuel gauge or reserve warning isn't reliable.
• Clutch or throttle cables: a snapped cable means the bike can't be ridden safely.
• Electrical faults: blown fuses or loose connections, often after wet weather.

What not to do

• Don't tow a motorbike with a rope behind a car or another bike. It's dangerous and very easy to drop the bike.
• Don't push a heavy bike a long way along a busy road.
• Don't lay the bike on its side to load it into a van. It can leak fuel and oil and damage fairings, levers and mirrors.

Getting your bike recovered properly

A motorbike needs to be carried upright and strapped securely so it can't move in transit. That's how we handle every bike at WM Recovery. Our motorcycle recovery service covers Stockport, Manchester, Cheadle, Bramhall, Hazel Grove, Marple and the M60, M62, M56 and M67, 24 hours a day.

We can take your bike home, to your dealer or to a garage you trust. We can also help with a jump start if it's just a flat battery. See our jump start service.

Broken down now?

Call WM Recovery on +44 7426 242 025. Tell us where you are and what's happened, and we'll get to you as quickly as we can.

Even a minor bump is stressful. Your heart is racing, other drivers are waiting, and you're not sure what to do first. This checklist covers the first 30 minutes after an accident in Stockport, Manchester or on the M60, including getting your car moved safely.

1. Stop and make the area safe

If you're involved in an accident, the law says you must stop. Switch off the engine, put your hazard lights on and, if it's safe, get everyone out of the car and away from traffic. On a motorway or dual carriageway such as the M60 or M56, get behind the barrier if you can. Don't stand between your car and oncoming traffic.

2. Check for injuries and call 999 if needed

Call 999 straight away if anyone is hurt, if the road is blocked, or if you think another driver has left the scene or is under the influence. Your safety and everyone else's comes before the car.

3. Swap details with the other driver

You need to give your name, address and vehicle registration to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask for them. Also take down:

• The other driver's name, address and phone number
• Their registration number, make, model and colour
• Their insurance company, if they know it
• Names and numbers of any witnesses

If you can't exchange details at the scene, you must report the accident to the police as soon as possible, and within 24 hours at the latest.

4. Take photos

Photograph both cars, the damage, number plates, the road layout, and any skid marks or debris. Note the time, weather and road conditions. It only takes a couple of minutes and can make an insurance claim much smoother.

5. Decide whether the car can be driven

Don't drive the car if:

• Any warning lights are on, especially brake, steering or oil lights
• Fluid is leaking or you can smell fuel
• A wheel, tyre or suspension part is damaged
• Lights, mirrors or the windscreen are broken so you can't see or be seen properly
• The airbags have gone off

If in doubt, don't drive it. A damaged car can be dangerous, and you could make the repair bill bigger.

6. Call for recovery

Our accident recovery service covers Stockport, Manchester, Cheadle, Bramhall, Hazel Grove and the surrounding motorways, 24 hours a day. We'll load your car safely and take it wherever you need, whether that's home, a garage you trust or a bodyshop.

Your insurer may offer to arrange recovery. You're usually free to use your own recovery company instead, and many people do to avoid long waits. Check your policy if you're not sure.

7. Tell your insurer

Let your insurance company know about the accident as soon as you can, even if you don't plan to claim. Most policies require it. Give them the details and photos you collected at the scene.

Need help now?

If you've had an accident and your car needs moving, call WM Recovery on +44 7426 242 025. We're local to Stockport, available 24/7, and we'll get you and your car somewhere safe.

You turn the key or press the start button and nothing happens. Or the engine turns over slowly and gives up. It's one of the most common calls we get in Stockport, especially on cold mornings. The good news is that most of the time it's a flat battery, and a jump start gets you going in minutes.

Signs it's a flat battery

• A rapid clicking noise when you try to start
• The engine turns over slowly, then stops
• Dashboard lights are dim or flicker
• The central locking or key fob doesn't work
• You left the lights or an interior light on overnight
• The car hasn't been driven for a week or more

If you see these signs, a jump start will usually fix it.

Signs it's something else

• The engine turns over normally but won't fire: could be fuel, ignition or a sensor problem.
• A single loud click and nothing else: may be the starter motor.
• Warning lights stay on after it starts: the alternator may not be charging the battery.
• A burning smell or smoke: don't try again. Call for help.
• The car starts after a jump but dies again soon after: the battery or alternator probably needs replacing.

In these cases the car may need to go to a garage, and our recovery service can take it there for you.

Should I buy a jump starter pack?

A portable jump starter is handy to keep in the boot, and many drivers get one after a flat battery. But it only helps if it's charged, and it won't fix a battery that has failed completely. If your pack doesn't work, or you don't have one, a professional jump start is quick and safe.

Jump starting safely

If you're using jump leads with another car, follow your handbook. Modern cars have sensitive electronics, and connecting the leads the wrong way round can cause expensive damage. Hybrids and electric vehicles need extra care. If you're not sure, call us.

What happens when you call us

1. Call 07426 242025 and tell us where you are and what the car is doing.
2. We aim to be with you within 30 to 45 minutes.
3. We test the battery and jump start the car with professional equipment.
4. If it won't start, we can recover the car to your garage or home.

Flat battery in Stockport or Manchester?

WM Recovery has helped drivers across Stockport, Manchester, Cheadle, Bramhall, Hazel Grove, Wythenshawe, Wilmslow and Glossop for 27 years. We work 24/7, including early mornings when batteries fail most. Call 07426 242025.

A breakdown never happens at a good time. It might be the school run on the A6, rush hour on the M60, or late at night on a quiet road in Edgeley. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes keeps you safe and gets you moving again faster. Here is a simple step-by-step guide from a local recovery team that has been doing this for 27 years.

1. Get your car somewhere safe

If the car is still moving, signal and pull over as far left as you can. Aim for a lay-by, a side road or a car park rather than a bend or the brow of a hill. Turn on your hazard lights straight away. At night or in fog, keep your sidelights on too.

2. If you are on the M60 or another motorway

Motorways need extra care, and parts of the M60 and M62 are smart motorways with no permanent hard shoulder.

• Try to reach the hard shoulder, an emergency area or the next exit.
• Leave the car by the left-hand (passenger) door and keep well away from traffic.
• Wait behind the safety barrier if there is one. Never stand between your car and the traffic.
• If you are stuck in a live lane and cannot get out safely, keep your seatbelt on, put your hazards on and call 999.
• Do not try to fix the car yourself on the motorway.

3. On a normal road: stay visible

If it is safe to get out, stand on the pavement or verge, away from the car. Wear something bright if you have it. Place a warning triangle about 45 metres behind the car, but never on a motorway.

4. Work out what has gone wrong

It helps us to know a little about the problem when you call. Common signs include:

• Clicking or nothing when you turn the key: usually a flat battery. We can often jump start the car at the roadside.
• A warning light and loss of power: could be engine, gearbox or cooling trouble. Do not keep driving.
• Steam from the bonnet: the engine is overheating. Do not open the radiator cap while it is hot.
• A flat or burst tyre: if there is no safe place to change it, we can change it or take the car away.
• After a collision: make sure everyone is safe first, then see our accident recovery service.

5. Call a local recovery service

A local firm usually reaches you much faster than a national breakdown company, because the truck is already nearby. When you call WM Recovery on 07426 242025, have this ready:

• Where you are: road name, junction number or a nearby landmark. A what3words location or a dropped pin on WhatsApp also works.
• Your vehicle make, model and colour.
• What happened and whether the car rolls, steers and brakes.
• Where you want it taken: home, your garage or our yard.

6. What happens next

We aim to reach you within 30 to 45 minutes across Stockport, Manchester, Cheadle, Bramhall, Hazel Grove, Wythenshawe, Wilmslow and Glossop. We check whether the car can be fixed at the roadside. If not, we load it safely onto our recovery truck and take it wherever you need it. You will know the price before we start.

Broken down right now?

Our 24/7 emergency breakdown recovery covers Stockport and Greater Manchester day and night, weekends and bank holidays included. Call 07426 242025 and a real person will answer.

Lots of drivers think breakdown cover and car recovery are the same thing. They overlap, but they work in different ways. Knowing the difference can save you a long wait at the roadside, especially when you need help fast in Stockport or Manchester.

What is breakdown cover?

Breakdown cover is a membership or add-on to your insurance. You pay every year, and the provider sends someone out when you break down. What you get depends on your level of cover:

• Roadside only: they try to fix the car where it is. If they can't, they may only tow you a short distance.
• Recovery: they take you and the car to a destination, often with a mileage limit.
• Home start: needed if you break down on your own driveway. Basic cover often excludes this.

National providers cover the whole country, so the nearest patrol can be some distance away at busy times.

What is a local car recovery service?

A local recovery firm like WM Recovery has no membership. You call when you need us and pay for that job only. Because our truck is based in Stockport, we are usually close by. We aim to reach you within 30 to 45 minutes across Stockport and Greater Manchester.

We handle:

• Emergency breakdown recovery, 24 hours a day
• Accident recovery and non-runners
• Jump starts and flat batteries
• Motorcycle recovery
• Moving a car to a garage, MOT centre or new home

Side by side

	Breakdown cover	Local recovery (WM Recovery)
How you pay	Yearly fee, whether you break down or not	Per job, only when you need it
Who comes out	Nearest available patrol	A local driver who knows the area
Accident damage	Often not included	Yes
Non-runners and garage moves	Usually not included	Yes
Home start	Only on higher levels of cover	Yes

When local recovery makes more sense

• You don't have cover, or it has lapsed.
• Your provider has a long wait time and you need to move now.
• You've had an accident and your cover doesn't include accident recovery.
• The car isn't broken down but won't drive, for example it has failed its MOT or needs moving to a garage.
• You're a trader or dealer who needs cars moved regularly.

Can I use both?

Yes. Plenty of drivers have breakdown cover but call a local firm when they need help faster, or for jobs their cover doesn't include.

Need a recovery now?

WM Recovery has been recovering vehicles around Stockport for 27 years. We cover Stockport, Manchester, Cheadle, Bramhall, Hazel Grove, Wythenshawe, Wilmslow and Glossop, 24/7. Call 07426 242025 and you'll get a clear price before we set off.