Trailer Hitch Recommendation for Transporting a Motorcycle with a 2013 Kia Sportage LX AWD

Question:

I have a 2013 Kia Sportage LX AWD. Interested in getting a tow hitch and motorcycle rack to tow my bike. Wondering if I can even do this or if it will exceed car tongue weight capability. My bike is just under 400 pounds.

asked by: JAIME R

Expert Reply:

Even though we do have trailer hitches that can support over 400 lbs of tongue weight (TW), I took a look at the online version of the owner's manual for your 2013 Kia Sportage and the max TW you can carry is 200 lbs.

Because your Sportage is the limiting factor you will need to use a trailer to tow your motorcycle. You can tow up to 1,000 lbs without a braking system or up to 2,000 lbs if you do have a braking system. I recommend checking your version of the owner's manual or with a local dealer to confirm the weight ratings.

For your application I recommend using the Draw-Tite Max-E-Loader Trailer Hitch Receiver # 75717. This has a TW rating and a trailer weight rating that exceeds your Sportage so you can get the max out of your towing. It also includes a mounting bracket to make mounting your trailer wiring much easier.

Then for wiring I recommend the Tekonsha T-One # 118526 which gives you a 4-Way for basic trailer wiring. If you do not want to utilize brakes then this is where you will stop. Otherwise you also need to install the Universal Wiring Kit # ETBC7 so that you can install a brake controller like the popular Prodigy P3 # 90195. I have attached some installation videos and helpful articles that you can reference.

To wrap up your towing setup you also need a ball mount, hitch ball, and a hitch pin & clip. I recommend going with a kit like part # C45036 but you do need to check out the linked ball mount article to ensure that the 2" drop is correct for your towing application.