cyccommute 

Carrying bikes inside is better for gas mileage. Rear racks are next in terms of gas mileage reduction.

There may be other reasons for carrying the bike on top but I wasn't addressing those...just gas mileage.

cachehiker

When I asked the local dealership about putting a hitch receiver on a Suzuki SX4, they told me they wouldn't honor any part of the drive train warranty because it wasn't rated for towing. Funny thing is it's rated to tow 200 kg. overseas. I guess good old American excess hasn't heard of such a thing. If it can't haul a couple of snowmobiles or a few ATV's, it ain't worth having to the "men" on my street.

LongIslandTom

After I got rid of my old Hyundai Accent (which served me well with the hitch I had installed), I bought a new Toyota. I also asked the Toyota dealer where I bought it about having a hitch installed, and he told me the same thing-- The warranty won't cover any powertrain damage resulting from towing because my new car isn't rated to tow.

I dug a little deeper and contacted Toyota Customer Care to clarify, and it turns out that installing the aftermarket hitch on my new Toyota in and of itself won't void the warranty-- If there is a problem with the powertrain and they can see it is a result of towing (such as an overheated automatic transmission torque converter) or not adhering to their maintenance recommendations, then they will not cover it.

Reassured, I went and have the hitch installed on my new Toyota. I have no intentions of using it for towing-- It's only for lugging my bikes around.

In your shoes, I'd check with Suzuki to clarify what their policy is. Personally I would have no qualms putting a hitch on your car.

cachehiker

I bought a Subaru instead and I'm much happier with it than I thought I'd be.

The Suzuki dealer always said they had one on the way but never did get a stick shift in for me to drive.

I'm kinda funny that way. After driving nothing but sticks for 30 years, automatics seem weird. You can do more hypermiling with a stick too.

I never could get past the first impression that this dealer would do anything in its power to avoid honoring a warranty either.

apclassic9

I drove a subaru outback for 10 years with a roof rack - 27 mpg with and without the bikes on it - yakima, 2 fork mounts, one wheel mount (for the lefty, of course!). After 337,000+ miles and the last kid obtaining his own car & license, I retired the subie. I think the mpg rating for that car is 26/28 without the rack, so.... no dif?

cyccommute 

Gas mileage is going to depend on a number of factors...not the least of which is speed. You might not notice much decrease in gas mileage at low speeds but increase the speed to the kinds that fuelbymetal is talking about and even an empty rack will have an effect. At 75 mph, a bike on that rack will have a significant impact.

electrik

It's fine on a sunny day, but... if it rains, a 75mph jet of water for 2hrs will ruin any bearing's grease in short-order... just think about pressure washing your bicycle headset, front-hub and etc for 2hrs straight, not cool.

Always try to keep your baby inside! Even if it means breaking it down... strangers might steal it, birds and rocks might fly into it, garage doors may try to crush it, etc...

Falchoon

Nearly everyone I know that has a roof rack has driven into their carport, garage or other low place with the bike on. Personally I transport my bike in the back of my car (small hatchback sedan similar size to Ford Focus) but if I'm going away for a few days I really struggle to fit all my gear in the car - probably because I tend to overpack, a habit I picked up from my mum!

ejbarnes

Boy now you have to be really careful!
I know of people that have used a roof rack for many years stripping the bikes off the top by pulling into the garage or a some other low point.

I work on communication towers as a second job and every now and then I need to slip with a wrench, just to remind me where I am.

Familiarity can build inattentiveness. That is why factories have inspection, news papers have proof readers, and computers have spell checkers. Still complacency lets that error get past.

Carry around a couple of $3000 or whatever price bikes and keeping them out of the elements, away from thieves and low enough to get into the garage becomes a good idea.

cb400bill

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