View Full Version : Best SUV type auto for bike hauling
toaster
11-12-2006, 06:24 PM
I've been looking around at races and on the highway, it seems like the Honda Element is popular for bikes.
What else is there? Requirements are:
Ability to carry two bikes inside.
No two wheel removal, front wheel only, fork mount option.
No removing seat post to fit in interior space.
No laying down or tipping of bike or angling because space is short.
saab2000
11-12-2006, 06:27 PM
Minivan
Ken Robb
11-12-2006, 06:38 PM
when I visited DBRK I rented a Ford Freestyle from Hertz and was pleasantly surprised by how like a tall car the driving was. All-wheel drive and 24mpg for the week.
We were sliding 2 bikes in on their sides separated by a quilt. No wheel removal unless we needed the back seats erect (rows 2 and 3.)
For whatever reason they don't sell well and year old low mileage examples sell for $15,000.
Please keep in mind that I'm a car nut and very picky about how cars drive.
vaxn8r
11-12-2006, 06:59 PM
The Odyssey fits a bike with front wheel off in the rear compartment with all seats up and in. With rear seat and one midrow seat down it fits 2 bikes with front wheels off and all the gear you can carry.
There is no SUV that you can do this with without lying the bike on it's side.
samcat
11-12-2006, 07:00 PM
We carry two bikes w/the front wheels removed.
I installed two fork mounts on the plastic rear decking, thru bolted to backing plates. Use light line to stabilize the bikes run from the tiedowns near the rear hatch.
We also can carry a couple of xrta tires, my tool box, a repair stand, 2 weeks worth of clothes and all sorts of other stuff without any issues. I've never totally "filled it up" inside.
Have been all over the East w/it. Get 26+ on the hiway, loaded or unloaded.
Going on our third New England winter...Snow is not an issue; nothing stops it.
Fine vehicle. Other than looking like you're driving a toaster...it's the nuts.
PH
Jack Brunk
11-12-2006, 07:07 PM
My new Xterrra is perfect for carrying two bikes plus tons of gear. Check one out you''ll be impressed.
J
the element! I have one.drove it to IA twice this summer. avg over 26.5 mpg. real-time awd, goes well in the wet and snow, no-fuss interior. It is the best car I've ever owned.
If you're actually looking for an offroad capable vehicle and are 5'10 or under, check out the Toyota 4 Runner, Landcruiser, or Nissan Xterra. I can fit two mountain bikes, two dogs, and a weeks worth of camping gear into my old Landcruiser F60 or newer 4 Runner when the rear seats are folded down. Nissan Xterra's have even more room. The 4 Runner averages over 22mpg on the highway and a friend claims she gets similar mileage from her Nissan.
paulh
11-12-2006, 07:29 PM
Do a search... "honda element". Lots of discussion from this past July and before.
A.L.Breguet
11-12-2006, 08:06 PM
:bike:
Blastinbob
11-12-2006, 08:10 PM
the element! I have one.drove it to IA twice this summer. avg over 26.5 mpg. real-time awd, goes well in the wet and snow, no-fuss interior. It is the best car I've ever owned.
I really like the Element too, don't own one though. Gone are the plastic floors, they now come with carpet.
eddief
11-12-2006, 08:17 PM
Elements may have been more durable with the plastic siding, but they almost look like a real vehicle with all paint.
manet
11-12-2006, 08:22 PM
if i recall correctly, our forum pal Shoe drives an element.
those are options. the sc and exp come with painted panels if you want them. the sc comes with carpet. the others still have the plastic floor.
neverraced
11-12-2006, 08:26 PM
The Odyssey fits a bike with front wheel off in the rear compartment with all seats up and in. With rear seat and one midrow seat down it fits 2 bikes with front wheels off and all the gear you can carry.
There is no SUV that you can do this with without lying the bike on it's side.
My Izusu Trooper, with back seat folded up and not removed, can carry at least two road bikes straight up, with both wheels on. A third would fit easily, though I've never tried.
Ahneida Ride
11-12-2006, 08:42 PM
Go with the Elephant !!!!
The Honda Elephant
If you get the stick, do not rest your hands on the shifters, it will
ruin the syncros.
It is a great vehicle !!!
Lincoln
11-12-2006, 10:42 PM
The Odyssey fits a bike with front wheel off in the rear compartment with all seats up and in. With rear seat and one midrow seat down it fits 2 bikes with front wheels off and all the gear you can carry.
There is no SUV that you can do this with without lying the bike on it's side.
Or, if you need awd, the Sienna. I would way rather drive a minivan than a SUV.
sw3759
11-13-2006, 06:13 AM
another vote for the Odyssey.or any minivan.As long as the stigma doesn't bother you as it does some.i switched from a Chevy Tahoe 10 years ago to a Minivan and never looked back.27mpg on the highway and tons of room even for a muliple tall road bikes or a Tandem and they sit about as high as an SUV with great visibility.i wouldn't trade mine for anything on the road.
Scott
Kevan
11-13-2006, 06:40 AM
I was able to install my 60cm bike, front wheel off, folding up one back seat. Cozy for 2 bikes is my guess
I would bring your bike along for the shopping experience.
Elefantino
11-13-2006, 06:50 AM
Ditto what Kevan said. Bring the bike. That's how I found I could put my bike in the back, with the seats down and the front wheel on.
I drive a BMW X3 but don't recommend it because then everyone will have one. :D
I can get a 58 and a 60cm bike back there at the same time, seats fold up or go in an out in about 30 seconds, the plastic floors are the best for easy cleanup: I stuffed the back with the remains of an enormous tree stump that fell on my yard from the neighbors (think a 15' tall 4' diameter poplar that decayed for about ten years) and it took maybe ten minutes to clean out all the debris to where there was spotless. You can carry a ton of stuff around and there's still plenty of room.
I get about 25mpg in 75mph heavy traffic.
H.Frank Beshear
11-13-2006, 08:40 AM
We had a toyota Rav 4 that was fine for hauling two bikes and gear inside. When we decided to get something a bit larger Deb liked the Highlander. I never check bike clearance just assumed and well you know what happens when you assume something. Lesson learned tape measure goes with me on the next one.
Mikej
11-13-2006, 08:45 AM
The Element is almost unusable with smaller children due to the door configuaration - especially in a parking lot in winter. I got the Pilot with a trailer mounted rack. Very easy and pretty safe, plus my interior doesnt get a chainwheel grease ring. 23 mpg AWD.
TriJim
11-13-2006, 10:32 AM
The Element is almost unusable with smaller children due to the door configuaration - WD.
Our Saints love the Element. Just pop the suicide doors and they jump right in. :rolleyes:
The Element is almost unusable with smaller children due to the door configuaration - especially in a parking lot in winter..
I don't have kids but our friends do and apparently it's fine for two but their third came along so they say they need to replace the car. I believe the roof rack will hold 75 pounds so I don't know what their issue is with it.
jbrainin
11-13-2006, 12:31 PM
I've been looking around at races and on the highway, it seems like the Honda Element is popular for bikes.
What else is there? Requirements are:
Ability to carry two bikes inside.
No two wheel removal, front wheel only, fork mount option.
No removing seat post to fit in interior space.
No laying down or tipping of bike or angling because space is short.
I am able to fit two bikes, with front wheels removed, in the back of my Toyota Matrix with the back seat folded down.
Jonathan
norcalbiker
11-13-2006, 01:20 PM
I bought a 2006 Element and this is one of the reason why. I am able to 2 roadbike or 2 mountain bike inside without taking any front wheel off. You just need 2 small bunjee cord and you are done. I live in the Bay Area and going to Lake Tahoe with roadbike inside is awesome. Never have to worry about the bike getting stolen when we stop to eat. The will also stay dry when the rain comes.
Go for the Element.
billrick
11-13-2006, 03:55 PM
My Izusu Trooper, with back seat folded up and not removed, can carry at least two road bikes straight up, with both wheels on. A third would fit easily, though I've never tried.
Cool! Another Trooper Bro! I have carried three riders and three bikes in my Isuzu Trooper, front wheels off and standing up, with 2/3 of the rear seat folded down. MPG is terrible, but it is paid for and reliable. I am shooting for 250k miles before I retire it and buy a bio-diesel minivan hover craft, or whatever they are selling in 3-5 years.
Best part is this . . .
Bikes replacement value: $9,000
Trooper replacement value: $1,200
:beer:
Jeff N.
11-13-2006, 05:05 PM
Ford F-150 with optional 8 foot longbed and Snugtop. Jeff N.
Frustration
11-13-2006, 06:09 PM
It's a Benz Yo...
And only 85 Grand... But running water, a bed, carbon goodies, monitors, weatherproofed everything in the cargo area and plenty of room...
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/interbike06/ib062van1.jpg
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/interbike06/ib062van2.jpg
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/interbike06/ib062van3.jpg
Milage is a bit less than an element.
.
William
11-13-2006, 06:44 PM
Go with the Element.....or, really buck the trend and put a roof rack on a 76 Grand Torino. :cool:
http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/images/tvcartorino.jpg
William :cool:
Frustration
11-13-2006, 08:46 PM
Baso and Ulrich in...
Starsky and Hutch II
William
11-14-2006, 05:52 AM
Baso and Ulrich in...
Starsky and Hutch II
;)
Elefantino
11-14-2006, 06:40 AM
Chrysler T&C...
Nice ... Open Pros!
Fat Robert
11-14-2006, 07:33 AM
easy solution:
my '88 Chevy S-10
I have this nifty two-by-four in the back, with a couple of front wheel quick releases bolted down but good. unless your saddle height is over 82cm, there's no problem with veritical clearance.
sure, there are some rust issues, and the radio doesn't work. but for the cost of a Zank frame, you can have this road-trip-and-race-proven, 155,000 mile creampuff.
PM me.
nick0137
11-14-2006, 07:51 AM
Guy at a race at the beginning if this season. C50 on the roofrack, roofrack on the Ferrari 456GTA. Would have been cool if it had been a manual....
easy solution:
my '88 Chevy S-10
I have this nifty two-by-four in the back, with a couple of front wheel quick releases bolted down but good. unless your saddle height is over 82cm, there's no problem with veritical clearance.
sure, there are some rust issues, and the radio doesn't work. but for the cost of a Zank frame, you can have this road-trip-and-race-proven, 155,000 mile creampuff.
PM me.
How come you try to sell it every time one of these threads comes up?
Now, if you were talking a 1975 S-10 I might be interested but I'm not too sure about these 80s models. My Dad had one and the damn thing just plain wore out last year. I think the motor was original but every other piece on it came from a junkyard. I mean, if you have to replace all the parts just cause they have a couple hundred thousand miles on them and you plowed snow every winter with it what good is the thing?
Serotta PETE
11-14-2006, 11:28 AM
THe Minivan is the all time hauler - especially the Odyssey. Problem is that my wife would not drive it and I was not going to give up the M3. Additionally she would not drive the element - which I like a lot. Result is that we have a PILOT that meets the 2 bike requirement (at least up to 58cm.). Have over 70K miles between the two I have and would get another.
djcwardog
11-14-2006, 01:48 PM
Your present car with a trunk rack is another way to go. I can haul my bike and see it in the rearview mirror - and yes it is exposed to the elements (Mother Nature and not Honda). I know you asked about inside storage, but this approach lets you use what you have... Plus, it sure is fun to drive on paved roads when the rack is in the garage...
gt6267a
11-14-2006, 01:56 PM
Guy at a race at the beginning if this season. C50 on the roofrack, roofrack on the Ferrari 456GTA. Would have been cool if it had been a manual....
i am going to need a picture of this crazyness. please tell me you caught this on film?
and yes it is exposed to the elements (Mother Nature and not Honda).
Unless you get rear ended by one. ;)
Climb01742
11-14-2006, 02:11 PM
are people really getting mid-20s mpg with the element? i had heard the mileage was lower than that. was i misinformed?
Dan Le foot
11-14-2006, 02:16 PM
Honda CRV if you want a small SUV. It's actually a Civic with a SUV shell.
We carry 2 on top and 2 inside.
Dan
Nice ... Open Pros!
Tx....they've been good to me for the past five years. :)
yes mid 20s on the element. check out http://elementownersclub.com/
bcm119
11-14-2006, 10:35 PM
Cool! Another Trooper Bro! I have carried three riders and three bikes in my Isuzu Trooper, front wheels off and standing up, with 2/3 of the rear seat folded down. MPG is terrible, but it is paid for and reliable. I am shooting for 250k miles before I retire it and buy a bio-diesel minivan hover craft, or whatever they are selling in 3-5 years.
Best part is this . . .
Bikes replacement value: $9,000
Trooper replacement value: $1,200
:beer:
Troopers are the ****. My s.o. has a '90 Trooper with 200k on it, still fine. Its our camping trip car. We've also towed all our belongings across the country twice and up the west coast once with it. Her Mom has one that had 270k on it when the odometer broke... that was last year and shes still driving it. If you ever go down to central america you'll see lots of old troopers, they just don't quit.
sevencyclist
11-18-2006, 02:27 AM
Here is my Element set up to carry two kids while carrying two bikes without taking off the rear wheels.
I can also fit the two bikes in without taking the front wheels off, but the wheels will pop in slightly in between the driver and the front passenger. It does not affect driving at all.
I love my e. I have a yak rack on it but rarely use it. I thought about drilling through the spare tire cover but I have the table legs kit and use it as a table when tailgating at the local ski hill. I still get a smile on my face every morning when I get in the japanese ice cream truck. assuming the next generation element is along the line of this one, I will be getting another one.
on a side note, when my wife and I went SUV/minivan shopping I brought along a road bike and after asking the sales person if I could 'test-fit' my bike in the vehicle, I was able to visualize the possible combinations; e.g. seating four & x bike(s), seat 3, seat 2 etc. I was also able to verify baseline situations such as hauling the bike as is (w/ both wheels) and what minimum changes I had to make inside.
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