Does anyone carry bikes on a sports car?
05-04-21, 11:57 AM
#26
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They make receiver hitches for pretty much every car made.
https://www.etrailer.com/fitguide.ht...gaAqb-EALw_wcB
super easy to install, inexpensive to get installed at a local muffler shop. Bought a hitch and rack for my Mazda 3 for $250 total. Never had an issue carrying up to 3 bikes.
https://www.etrailer.com/fitguide.ht...gaAqb-EALw_wcB
super easy to install, inexpensive to get installed at a local muffler shop. Bought a hitch and rack for my Mazda 3 for $250 total. Never had an issue carrying up to 3 bikes.
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05-04-21, 12:06 PM
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We take the wheels off and break the Ritchey tandem into two pieces, The tandem goes in the back seat and the wheels go in the trunk of a Jaguar XE, which if a BMW 3xx is a sports car, then the Jaguar is a sports car. Also have a Jaguar branded roof rack (Thule I think) that can carry two solo bikes.
For me, I get the car I want and figure out how to carry the bikes. There is always a way.
For me, I get the car I want and figure out how to carry the bikes. There is always a way.
05-04-21, 12:20 PM
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I have a BMW Z3 Roadster and would love to find a rack solution for weekend trips. With a lowered suspension the clearance for a hitch rack is frightfully small. Some people have fitted them with a stock suspension and have been OK. The convertible top ruins most other solutions.
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05-04-21, 04:42 PM
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05-04-21, 04:53 PM
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Back in the day, i carried my bikes on a bumper/glass mount rack on the back of my '91 Z28
Where there's a will, there's a way
Where there's a will, there's a way
05-04-21, 05:35 PM
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Maybe a folding bike with 2.25" tires is the solution. Has anyone used a folding bike such as Zizzo Urbano as a cross country bike or even as a "light" trail bike?
05-04-21, 10:15 PM
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I have a BMW Z3 Roadster and would love to find a rack solution for weekend trips. With a lowered suspension the clearance for a hitch rack is frightfully small. Some people have fitted them with a stock suspension and have been OK. The convertible top ruins most other solutions.
Russ Roth Do you have any pictures of the hitch fitment and clearance on the Mazda that you could share?
Russ Roth Do you have any pictures of the hitch fitment and clearance on the Mazda that you could share?
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05-05-21, 05:07 AM
#34
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I use a Saris Bones rack on the back of my BMW convertible.
05-05-21, 06:42 AM
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Sure, I'm on several excellent Z3 sites. As I said, I haven't seen anyone that has successfully installed a hitch rack that worked well without scraping, particularly with a lowered suspension.
The Curt and OEM BMW hidden hitch installed under the bumper with the receiver pointed straight down-- requiring a L-shaped ball mound that installed into the receiver, then went under the bumper to mount the towing ball, Worked OK from some trailers (although still clearance issues) but not to mount up a bike hitch rack. You could weld a new receiver box onto the ball mount but the clearance issues remain.
Sadly, there is not a good solution that I have found. I'm not willing to hang bikes using a trunk/bumper rack.. .Have used those in the past, and way too much potential to damage the vehicle and/or the bikes.
The Curt and OEM BMW hidden hitch installed under the bumper with the receiver pointed straight down-- requiring a L-shaped ball mound that installed into the receiver, then went under the bumper to mount the towing ball, Worked OK from some trailers (although still clearance issues) but not to mount up a bike hitch rack. You could weld a new receiver box onto the ball mount but the clearance issues remain.
Sadly, there is not a good solution that I have found. I'm not willing to hang bikes using a trunk/bumper rack.. .Have used those in the past, and way too much potential to damage the vehicle and/or the bikes.
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05-05-21, 07:02 AM
#36
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20+ years ago, a friend of mine had a Miata.
It was pretty cool rolling up to the parking lot, top down, my Zaskar LE and his Manitou HT sparkling in the sun.
It was pretty cool rolling up to the parking lot, top down, my Zaskar LE and his Manitou HT sparkling in the sun.
05-05-21, 07:07 AM
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I think my Forester is pretty sporty, AND is came with a CD player. Bike fits in the back, so it never gets wet when I drive.
05-05-21, 08:31 AM
#38
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You just have to learn how to pack like its a game of tetris, and nothing will shift when I blow past a durango around the corners without slowing down. 
I'm loving my Mazda MX5, it is a true Roadster, doesn't have huge HP, the newest does have 180hp, after my tax refund I'll be dropping 2k into getting it to about 200hp which is plenty in a 2300lb car. So not the fastest in a straight line but designed around the idea that there aren't a lot of straight roads and curves are meant to be fun. It is a driving experience. As for bikes, my youngest approves.
Buzz Lightyear hit up Cunningham park in Queens with me and is advancing past the local beginner trails. Yup, in the costume the whole time. A nice hitch rack will do the job, now I just need more performance springs to keep it flatter and get the back to where it should be, my wife's optimism that the hitch rack would come off regularly was highly misplaced.
Should point out the Club edition starts at around 28k which includes big brakes, a limited slip and seat warmers. So also not too expensive.
I'm loving my Mazda MX5, it is a true Roadster, doesn't have huge HP, the newest does have 180hp, after my tax refund I'll be dropping 2k into getting it to about 200hp which is plenty in a 2300lb car. So not the fastest in a straight line but designed around the idea that there aren't a lot of straight roads and curves are meant to be fun. It is a driving experience. As for bikes, my youngest approves.
Buzz Lightyear hit up Cunningham park in Queens with me and is advancing past the local beginner trails. Yup, in the costume the whole time. A nice hitch rack will do the job, now I just need more performance springs to keep it flatter and get the back to where it should be, my wife's optimism that the hitch rack would come off regularly was highly misplaced.
Should point out the Club edition starts at around 28k which includes big brakes, a limited slip and seat warmers. So also not too expensive.
05-05-21, 08:52 AM
#39
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The Miata reminds me of a friend of mine years ago. He had a ‘60s Alfa Romeo Spider and it handled really well but had only so-so power. In a run on back roads against a domestic muscle car the other guy would leave him in the dust on every straight but he caught and passed him in the corners. There were enough of each so the ‘race’ was close. The Alfa was not reliable though.
I'd much rather be the Alfa driver. Much more interested in curvy roads. I have to give up my big sportbike but I still want the open air / twisty road experience.
Even cycling, I don't enjoy long roads but love trails. Short attention span...
I'd much rather be the Alfa driver. Much more interested in curvy roads. I have to give up my big sportbike but I still want the open air / twisty road experience.
Even cycling, I don't enjoy long roads but love trails. Short attention span...
05-05-21, 08:50 PM
#40
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Sure, I'm on several excellent Z3 sites. As I said, I haven't seen anyone that has successfully installed a hitch rack that worked well without scraping, particularly with a lowered suspension.
The Curt and OEM BMW hidden hitch installed under the bumper with the receiver pointed straight down-- requiring a L-shaped ball mound that installed into the receiver, then went under the bumper to mount the towing ball, Worked OK from some trailers (although still clearance issues) but not to mount up a bike hitch rack. You could weld a new receiver box onto the ball mount but the clearance issues remain.
Sadly, there is not a good solution that I have found. I'm not willing to hang bikes using a trunk/bumper rack.. .Have used those in the past, and way too much potential to damage the vehicle and/or the bikes.
The Curt and OEM BMW hidden hitch installed under the bumper with the receiver pointed straight down-- requiring a L-shaped ball mound that installed into the receiver, then went under the bumper to mount the towing ball, Worked OK from some trailers (although still clearance issues) but not to mount up a bike hitch rack. You could weld a new receiver box onto the ball mount but the clearance issues remain.
Sadly, there is not a good solution that I have found. I'm not willing to hang bikes using a trunk/bumper rack.. .Have used those in the past, and way too much potential to damage the vehicle and/or the bikes.
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05-05-21, 10:38 PM
#41
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The Miata reminds me of a friend of mine years ago. He had a ‘60s Alfa Romeo Spider and it handled really well but had only so-so power. In a run on back roads against a domestic muscle car the other guy would leave him in the dust on every straight but he caught and passed him in the corners. There were enough of each so the ‘race’ was close. The Alfa was not reliable though.
I'd much rather be the Alfa driver. Much more interested in curvy roads. I have to give up my big sportbike but I still want the open air / twisty road experience.
Even cycling, I don't enjoy long roads but love trails. Short attention span...
I'd much rather be the Alfa driver. Much more interested in curvy roads. I have to give up my big sportbike but I still want the open air / twisty road experience.
Even cycling, I don't enjoy long roads but love trails. Short attention span...
05-05-21, 11:30 PM
#42
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The answer is spelled WRX. Subaru WRX. From track days to highways, Rallycross offroad events to bike hauler, this one does it all.
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05-07-21, 05:23 PM
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A lot people have recommend https://www.seasucker.com for my 240z on a another car forum I am on.
I just bought a pos 2006 v6 rav4 for the bikes. works great with kuat hitch on the back. if I have to go in the store I can lock up the bike inside the truck.
I just bought a pos 2006 v6 rav4 for the bikes. works great with kuat hitch on the back. if I have to go in the store I can lock up the bike inside the truck.
05-07-21, 10:05 PM
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If you have a car with two tow hook provisions on the back (they look like little squares in the bumper that can be removed to allow for a tow truck to screw in a tow hook), you can easily get some rods dabbed up to screw in and then mount a roof style rack to the rods. In the pics below you can see the two thin rods at the bottom of the rack. Those screw into the bumper. I then just used a regular roof mount rack from 1UPUSA, but you can use any rack that mounts to a crossbar on a roof rack. This sounds complicated but really isn’t. Not all cars come with two hooks, so it won’t work on a lot of cars. When not in use, you just snap the little square covers back on the bumper and the car looks normal. No tools are required to install the rods to the car, they just screw in by hand.
07-14-21, 08:17 PM
#46
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For a convertible with a bit of trunk look for a 30 year old Rhode Gear Euro Shuttle . It holds two bikes facing fore and aft like a roof rack. Looks less ridiculous and is more aerodynamic.
07-14-21, 08:49 PM
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Yep, used to carry it on my BMW M3 all the time in San Diego. Used one of those trunk carriers.
07-14-21, 10:26 PM
#48
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Its the "I'd rather go fast in a slow car then slow in a fast car" syndrome. One of the car magazines did a test of ND1 (2016-2018) Miata vs a Charger which had around 3x the HP, the result was a barely squeaked out win for the Miata, the Charger could blast past on every straight run but had to hit the brakes early and couldn't be too hard out of the turns. The newer ones starting in 2019 get an extra 30hp and a torque increase.
BTW - I made the door and dashboard, which weigh 7 lbs and 4 lbs respectively. It's been a while since I weighed the car but it's probably around 1800 lbs now.
07-15-21, 10:46 AM
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I carried bikes, camping, hunting gear, kayaks, and lumber on my M3 over the time I had it. Got some strange looks during hunting season in Wyoming. I drive in as far as I dared with the car, then biked in the rest of the way and packed out the quarters.
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07-15-21, 10:56 AM
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All you have to do is be determined and think outside the box. I wouldn't call any Harley "sports" oriented but here's my bagger with a road bike on it.
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