How to Carry 4 Bikes on a 1992 Honda Civic Hatchback
Question:
Im looking to install a hitch on my vehicle for the purpose of hauling 4 bicycles. Are any modifications required to my vehicles rear bumper or body to install this hitch? Thanks.
asked by: Keith
Expert Reply:
Curt does state that some bumper fascia trimming may be necessary to install their Class I Trailer Hitch, # C11209, on your 1992 Honda Civic Hatchback. There will be a small piece on the underside of the bumper fascia that may need to be notched to clear the vertical plate on this hitch, however, the trimming will not be readily noticeable.
It is possible to carry 4 bikes on your Civic, but, the only trailer hitches available for your car are Class I trailer hitches. It is not recommended to carry more than 2 bikes on a Class I hitch. Bike rack and trailer hitch manufactures state that a Class I hitch can handle a maximum of 2 bikes. This is because the tongue weight capacity of a Class I hitch is low and adding a third or fourth bike will add more weight further away from the vehicle creating additional stress on the trailer hitch and vehicle frame. Similar to adding a pipe extension to a wrench to break a rusty bolt.
What I recommend is carrying two bikes on a hitch mounted bike rack and carry the other two bikes on the roof of your vehicle. To do this, you will need to add a roof rack like the SportRack Frontier Roof Rack, # SR1003, but you will also need the Short-Roof Adapter, # SR1116, to support bike racks.
To mount your bikes to the roof rack, you will need roof mounted bike racks. An economical option would be the SportRack Bike Rack, # SR4882, but I recommend looking at the higher quality Rhino-Rack MountainTrail Bike Rack, # RBC035. The MountainTrail includes locks and it will fit many different crossbar styles.
If you were interested in a hitch mounted bike rack that is compatible with a Class I trailer hitch, then I would recommend looking at either the Swagman Trailhead 2 Bike Rack, # S63360, or, for a more economical option, the Swagman Titan 2 Bike Rack, # S63400.
I have attached video reviews of these bike racks for you to check out.
Products Referenced in This Question
Rhino-Rack MountainTrail Rooftop Bike Carrier - Fork Mount
- Roof Bike Racks
- Fork Mount
- 9mm Fork
- Bike and Rack Lock
- Aero Bars
- Factory Bars
- Round Bars
- Square Bars
- Disc Brake Compatible
- Clamp On - Quick
- Black
- Rhino Rack
more information >
Swagman Trailhead Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
- Hitch Bike Racks
- Hanging Rack
- Folding Rack
- Tilt-Away Rack
- Frame Mount
- Locks Not Included
- 2 Bikes
- Class 1
- Class 2
- Class 3
- Fits 1-1/4 and 2 Inch Hitch
- Fits 1-1/4 Inch Hitch
- Fits 2 Inch Hitch
- Swagman
more information >
Swagman Titan Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Tilting
- Hitch Bike Racks
- Hanging Rack
- Folding Rack
- Tilt-Away Rack
- Frame Mount
- Bike Lock
- 2 Bikes
- Class 1
- Class 2
- Class 3
- Fits 1-1/4 and 2 Inch Hitch
- Fits 1-1/4 Inch Hitch
- Fits 2 Inch Hitch
- Swagman
more information >
SportRack Semi-Custom Roof Rack for Naked Roofs - Square Crossbars - Steel - 45-1/2" Long
- Roof Rack
- Complete Roof Systems
- Square Bars
- 45 Inch Bar Space
- 2 Bars
- Overhang
- Black
- SportRack
more information >
Short-Roof Adapter for SportRack Semi-Custom Roof Racks
- Accessories and Parts
- Roof Rack
- Adapters
- Short Roof Extension
- SportRack
more information >
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