Bike Racks Safe for Use in Hitch on Motorhome

Question:

Why does it say not for use with motor homes? Looking at the pictures I dont understand why it would not work on the back of my motor home.

asked by: Mike F

Expert Reply:

The Softride Hang2 2-Bike Rack # SR27041 and many other quality hitch bike carriers cannot be used in the hitch on a motorhome. Similarly, some racks CAN be used on motorhome but not on a trailer. The reason is the nature of the motion at the rear of such vehicles.

On a passenger vehicle (car, van, truck and SUV) the hitch is fairly close to the rear axle, no more than a few feet away. But on a motorhome or trailer the hitch-to-rear-axle distance is much greater, and this greater distance puts more leverage and more swaying force on the item in the hitch. Some racks just won't handle it.

We do have bike racks that are designed to handle the extra stresses found on motorhomes and our wide range of 2-bike motorhome carriers can be seen on the linked page. You have many options, including hitch racks like the Hang2, as well as racks to give you other mounting options including ladder-mount and bumper-mount types.

For a hitch rack click on that type at the top of the page and you'll see platform type carriers like the Swagman Chinook # S64683 and the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE # HLY84FR which is able to handle heavy electric bikes up to 80-lbs each. We also have hanging racks like the Thule Camber 2 part # TH9058 and the Swagman Titan # S63400 which includes locks.

You can check out the linked articles for more on selecting the right motorhome bike rack type for your specific bikes and how to ensure a good fit at the back of the motorhome.