Foo - bike rack on new car??

I just recently bought a new Mazda rx8..

Can't decide on putting a rack on the top or fiddling with taking one on and off the trunk..?

I guess during the race season a roof rack would make more sense; i'm at races almost every weekend (road). But i don't want the roof all screwed up where the pillars touch at (previous problem when i took the Yak rack off of my Escort to sell it) ....

Ideas??Opinions??

nice car, my GF almost bought one, hate the lack of torque though, need to put the twin turbos back....Anyways, like you said, you don't want to scratch it, and I agree. We have a carrier that sits on the back door on our Escape SUV, and I find small scratches on it from where the carrier touches the car, so I'd stay away from that. Have you considered putting a hitch on the RX-8 and getting a carrier(like a Thule) that attaches it to it? That's what I'm thinking of doing to the Vette!:beer:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/Jekyll/100936xt.jpg (http://http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/Jekyll/100936xt.jpg)

Take the wheels off and throw it in the trunk/hatch. Seriously, bikes and gear for two riders easily fit in the trunk/hatch of any car/truck. Use old blankets as padding.

Then you don't have to worry about bugs and weather on the bikes, theft, and the inevitable, driving into the garage/parking garage and forgetting that the bikes are on top and trashing them.

I have the same question. I have a '93 Honda Accord SE. Prefer not to have a roof rack since I don't want to lift my bike up and down, though if I had a strong riding partner, roof would be ok. ;)

And ideas for the trunk, that would handle two or three bikes? I have a spoiler.

Take the wheels off and throw it in the trunk/hatch. Seriously, bikes and gear for two riders easily fit in the trunk/hatch of any car/truck. Use old blankets as padding.

Then you don't have to worry about bugs and weather on the bikes, theft, and the inevitable, driving into the garage/parking garage and forgetting that the bikes are on top and trashing them.


:) not on the RX8..

Rear seats don't fold down. I think i could maybe fit a set of golf clubs in the trunk... Maybe

I wish i could do it though

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/03/50/11/06/0003501106167_500X500.jpg

This one holds 2 bikes, I have used it on a car with a spoiler, you just have to set it a little differnetly if I remember.

I have more than had my $30 worth out of this rack.

Ideas??Opinions??


Get a beater.

A rack on an RX8? :eek: Aww heck no.......

I have the same question. I have a '93 Honda Accord SE. Prefer not to have a roof rack since I don't want to lift my bike up and down, though if I had a strong riding partner, roof would be ok. ;)

And ideas for the trunk, that would handle two or three bikes? I have a spoiler.


For the trunk.. def. a saris bones; Great rack. (heh I love saying that)

Where have you been riding at? I mostly ride in S. Charlotte/Fort Mill but always looking for new areas and people to ride with.

Get a beater.

A rack on an RX8? :eek: Aww heck no.......
+1!!

Get a beater.

A rack on an RX8? :eek: Aww heck no.......


beater? as in car?

hmm basically a car to haul my bikes on.. :) i like it!!

The people at my apartments would evict me I fear.. something about having 2cars and a motorcycle in the parking lot doesn't seem like it'd go over well

:) not on the RX8..

Rear seats don't fold down. I think i could maybe fit a set of golf clubs in the trunk... Maybe

I wish i could do it though

I could fit a bike in the vette, but I'm not going to, because(like SBW pointed towards) it's not a beater-I agree with you on this one Thomspins!

btw...I can fit 2 golf clubs bags easily in the back!

I bought an old pickup just for that purpose. Paid $600 to an older gal who had no use for it. She kept it in great condition and it had never been in an accident. Little Chevy. Thing never dies....Matter of fact, I ended up using it as my work commute car!

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/03/50/11/06/0003501106167_500X500.jpg

This one holds 2 bikes, I have used it on a car with a spoiler, you just have to set it a little differnetly if I remember.

I have more than had my $30 worth out of this rack.


This is the rack that similar to the one on our SUV- I got small scratches where it touches the car, and I have to keep adjusting the straps tight, so the bikes don't fly off around a corner. Ours was $30 also, but do you REALLY want a $30 rack protecting your $1000+ bikes???:eek: -1 for me!

This is the rack that similar to the one on our SUV- I got small scratches where it touches the car, and I have to keep adjusting the straps tight, so the bikes don't fly off around a corner. Ours was $30 also, but do you REALLY want a $30 rack protecting your $1000+ bikes???:eek: -1 for me!


+1 yeah i'm gonna be carrying around my $$$$ racing rigs...

saris bones are supposed to be extremely stable

ive bought one.. havent used it, though

If you go with a trunk rack, I strongly suggest the Saris Bones rack. It's one of the least likely to scratch the car (huge rubber "feet") and probably the sturdiest too.

http://www.gottaridebikes.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/bones3lg.jpg

I bought an old pickup just for that purpose. Paid $600 to an older gal who had no use for it. She kept it in great condition and it had never been in an accident. Little Chevy. Thing never dies....Matter of fact, I ended up using it as my work commute car!

A gal in a pickup truck? Is there anything else cuter than that?:p I too, SBW have a beater (92 Chevy S-10) that I use to haul and dump stuff(like bodies:eek: ) and will be probably using it to carry my bike until I get the Thule I mentioned above on the C5(Fith-Gen Corvette)-what method do you use to secure your bike back? Just lay it down or clamp it?:)

I usuallly put 2 bikes in, each one leaning the opposite way, on the side of the bed walls, tires touching. They fit perfectly in my little S10. This is just to get to the nearby trails. If I am travelling further, I use the Thlule T2 on the SUV. I could never put a rack on the Trans Am. Please say you won't do it on the Vette..

What about Pete's Porsche? I think it looks good with a roof rack. :rolleyes: Sorry, this is the only little pic I could find of it...

http://www.petefagerlin.com/images/fftf04/thumbs/DSC_0002.jpg

hmm. i like that... porshha

what about the urban camo colored tray for the roof rack that rocky mountain racks has.. http://www.rockymounts.com/colors.html

going on the silver rx??

I usuallly put 2 bikes in, each one leaning the opposite way, on the side of the bed walls, tires touching. They fit perfectly in my little S10. This is just to get to the nearby trails. If I am travelling further, I use the Thlule T2 on the SUV. I could never put a rack on the Trans Am. Please say you won't do it on the Vette..

"I won't do it on the vette"...there I said it:p i was thinking of buying a 2X 6" piece of wood the width of the bed and screwing two of these on (one for each front wheel for a two bike carrier), remove my wheel and secure them to truck that way....opinions?

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/BPC102181.jpg (http://http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/BPC102181.jpg)

"I won't do it on the vette"...there I said it:p i was thinking of buying a 2X 6" piece of wood the width of the bed and screwing two of these on , then remove my wheel and secure them to truck that way....opinions?

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/BPC102181.jpg


My friend did that with his truck and it worked out fine. But then there is the issue of tire on, tire off, disc brake locking, can't pry them apart, oh crap they're stuck, what do I do, aw man this sucks.

I just put them in the back. :D

hmm. i like that... porshha

what about the urban camo colored tray for the roof rack that rocky mountain racks has.. http://www.rockymounts.com/colors.html

going on the silver rx??


nice, but way overpriced for a bike hauler, you could buy a 100 "beaters" for that price:D

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/BPC102181.jpg (http://http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/mystikmax6969/BPC102181.jpg)

I use one of these I have a tool box on the front of the bed so I just bolted 1 directly on either side of the bed. Works out great. My truck is a beater though, but I like the low maintenance I change the oil more frequently than I wash it.

I'd just slap a hitch on the rx8 and use one of those racks. Roof would be the 2nd choice sure it'll scratch it a little, but the trunk thing will too and you have to remove those and fool with them way to much.

I'd just slap a hitch on the rx8 and use one of those racks.

1. Car might be too low for clearence if going up a steep driveway or angle of some sort.
2. Watch out for the exaust. Tires can get too close and can cause damage to the tire/rim.
3. Frame would have to be welded for the hitch, and to be honest, I don't that would be the best for it.
4. For the price of the hitch and the rack plus labor, you could have bought a $600 beater truck.
5. NOT ON THE RX8!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

1. Car might be too low for clearence if going up a steep driveway or angle of some sort.
2. Watch out for the exaust. Tires can get too close and can cause damage to the tire/rim.
3. Frame would have to be welded for the hitch, and to be honest, I don't that would be the best for it.
4. For the price of the hitch and the rack plus labor, you could have bought a $600 beater truck.
5. NOT ON THE RX8!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

I doubt you have to weld the frame to put a receiver on there usually you can U bolt them around the bumper.. The exhaust probably hangs lower than the receiver. Labor??? You can install that.. Your $600 beater has to have insurance ,tag, gas(probably lots of it) and may not last long..

as for #5 hitches are sexy admit it. maybe add a cb antenna to that RX8 to match it.

I doubt you have to weld the frame to put a receiver on there usually you can U bolt them around the bumper.. The exhaust probably hangs lower than the receiver. Labor??? You can install that.. Your $600 beater has to have insurance ,tag, gas(probably lots of it) and may not last long..

as for #5 hitches are sexy admit it. maybe add a cb antenna to that RX8 to match it.

Okay maybe I'm just going on what my friend had to do. She had to have the receiver welded on. Maybe the weight capacity of it was for more than just bikes, though. Anyway, she spent about $800 to have one put on her car, including the inexpensive rack she chose.

As for the exaust, I think it was someone here on BF that heard a loud "POP!" and it was their tire! Got too hot from the exaust. :eek: I think they had a Honda Civic or Accord or something like that.

As for the $600 beater........obviously I forgot about the insurance and tags and stuff. (Maybe because I ended up using it as my everyday car! :p ) I do have to agree with you there!

http://www.hitch-web.com/vhitch.asp?CLID=1&DRID=6&MD=RX8&C=Passenger+Car+or+Station+Wagon&MK=Mazda&Y=2005&MDID=1344&YID=87&CID=3&MKID=37&OID=8&SMID=1&BBID=37&BPID=6&VID=29583#DALAN

this one is for an 05 RX8 265 bucks plus a rack... you may be right on the hanging down part though. and the aesthetics may not be pleasing. I thought the RX8 had like a weird looking thing on the center of the rear bumper anyway. But on the upside no scratching and you could probably take it off with any problems.

Ahhhhhhhh good link DPB! ;) Way better than a trunk or roof rack! :) And it says the crossmember goes BEHIND the fascia so it might not be that bad on aesthetics.

hmm