How to transport a nice bike?

Have you experienced any challenges opening the tailgate with a bike on the Kuat hitch rack?

 

Are you able to open the tailgate up completely with this rack? Either by tilting it down or by swinging it out of the way?

 

Get a camper shell, if you carry a bike often there's not a better setup in my opinion. You can secure the bike, lock the shell and lock the tailgate. Keeps it out of the weather and protected. When I used to travel a lot for work I would even keep a black sheet over it just so it would be even harder to see.

I used a treated 2x8 and attached fork mounts to it. Then used eye hooks with carabiners at each end to attach it to the D-rings in the bed of the truck for east install/removal. Just my .02

 

The Yakima Bedrock is what I use. Not sure if it works with a cover, but it keeps the bed free for hauling whatever and can carry just about anything.
I don't have any of my own photos with me, but found these on TW.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ystem-with-bike-trays-and-loadwarrior.384159/

 

I use a Yakima rack that attaches to the trailer hitch. It is easy to load/unload the bikes and will carry two bikes and is simple enough to take off or switch to a different vehicle.


I’ve been considering getting a tailgate pad so I can leave that rack on my wife’s car. Does anyone have one they would recommend? I was thinking the downsides to a tailgate pad are that it would cover the backup cam and the potential to scratch the tailgate.

 

My rack has three positions... up, level and dropped. If in level position, the gate will hit the rack. I simply just drop the rack and have no problem

 

I did that with my 4Runner lol. Worked fine.

 

Good to know. Been eyeing a few racks lately but haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet.

 

Built a rack today with 80/20 no drilling needed and it fits perfect under my softopper

 

Why don’t you just ride it?

JK


I have a rear Yakima receiver hitch bike mount, the tailgate clears it nicely :

 

Why do you drive when you have feet to walk your ass around?

 

Better to have one than be... oh never mind. It was just a dumb joke anyways. What type of rack or setup do you use? The one thing I hate about mine is it drags sometimes when I drive off-road.

 

How did you build this? Looks great!