Recommendation for Transporting Street Bikes with a Jeep Patriot and a Class I Trailer Hitch

Question:

Similar to others, I have a Class 1 hitch on my Jeep Patriot w/2000lb towing capacity. I need to transport my 400-500# street bikes. Is there any product and guidance out there for me? Thank you.

asked by: C. D

Expert Reply:

If your Jeep Patriot has a trailer towing capacity of 2,000 lbs then it will most likely have a tongue weight (TW) rating of 200 lbs as most vehicle manufacturers recommend a 10% max trailer tongue weight. I recommend verifying this with your owner's manual as the vehicle weight ratings can differ from that of your trailer hitch. You will be limited to the lower of the 2 ratings.

Even if your max TW is higher than 200 lbs it won't be much more than that so to transport your heavier street bikes you will want to use a trailer. You should be able to find a lightweight trailer that can hold your bikes and stay within the weight capacity of your Jeep Patriot.

If you don't already have a ball mount then I recommend a kit like part # 3593 which has a 2-1/8" Rise, a 2-3/4" Drop, and is rated for up to 2,000 lbs. You will also need a hitch ball like the 1-7/8" part # 19256 or the 2" part # 19258.

I have attached our selection of ball mounts and a few helpful articles for you to reference. If you don't already have wiring for trailer lights on your Patriot just let me know what year you have and I can let you know what wiring will fit.

expert reply by: Jon G