No one expects to have a motorbike accident, but sadly, they happen. The moments immediately after can feel overwhelming, and it’s difficult to know which next steps to take. To help, we’ve put together a motorcycle accident recovery guide that covers both immediate and longer-term steps, including how to contact dedicated motorcycle recovery services.
No matter how serious the accident, your safety and wellbeing must come first. If you’ve been in an accident, move yourself to a safe space out of the road if possible, and switch off the motorcycle. Call 999 or your country’s local emergency services number immediately if you’re in any way injured. Don’t remove any protective clothing unless you absolutely have to.
Even if the bike accident appears to be minor, it’s still worth getting checked out by a medical professional. Seek support from those around you if you need help getting up or contacting emergency services.

Once you and any others are safe and you’re sure you don’t have any major injuries, you can take a look at your bike. Look for obvious damage, including broken mirrors, bent handlebars, fluid leaks, and wheel or tyre damage.
Not all damage is visible - your bike might appear fine, but there could be damage under the surface that makes it unsafe to ride. This is why requesting urgent help is the smartest next step.
If you’re physically able to, the best next step is to call for immediate motorcycle recovery. By calling a motorcycle recovery specialist like SOS Motorcycle Transport, you can get recovery that arrives in as little as an hour, with fully-trained mechanics who can help get your ride back on the road.
If the crash was the result of a collision with another vehicle, it’s a good idea to gather evidence for insurance purposes once you’re physically able to.
Collect as much information as possible, including photographs of the scene and both vehicles, the damage to all vehicles, road conditions, and registration plates. You’ll likely want to exchange contact details with the other person involved and any witnesses, if they’re happy to give them.
If you’ve requested urgent help from motorcycle recovery services, an emergency team should be on its way to you. There are a couple of options here. If you work with a dedicated motorcycle recovery team in the UK, like SOS Motorcycle Transport, you’ll receive support (within an average time of 60 minutes) from expert technicians trained in getting bikes like yours back on the road.
If the technicians aren’t able to provide motorcycle recovery for your actual bike, they’ll drop you at either a local dealer or another safe location. A motorcycle recovery accident service like SOS Motorcycle Transport covers all areas in the UK with the exception of the Scottish Highlands.
You should let your insurer know about the accident as soon as possible after it occurs. Keep a note of information such as when and where the accident occurred, who else was involved (if applicable), the description of what happened, and any photographs you took at the scene.
In the immediate wake of a motorcycle recovery accident, adrenaline can mask the pain, so it’s important not to just hop up and get back on your bike. Some level of soreness will be common after an accident, but look out for these symptoms, as they spell red flags and a sign to seek medical intervention:
Head injuries and bleeding from the head can be especially dangerous, so seek medical assistance or have someone else call the emergency services on your behalf.
The best motorbike recovery company is SOS Motorcycle Transport, which is the UK’s number one dedicated motorcycle recovery service. With a team of fully trained mechanics and an average wait time of 60 minutes until recovery, SOS can fix your bike and get it back on the road or, if that’s not possible, drop you at a local dealer or other safe space.
With transport from anywhere in the UK apart from the Scottish Highlands, SOS Motorcycle Transport has your back when things go wrong.