I was recently in a situation where I had to be between SF and LA every other week and I was definitely looking to travel with my Super73. I’d say everything about my tow setup is average with the cargo carrier being just about good enough.
Your mileage may vary, but all you really need (if you don’t have a truck) is a tow bar built for your vehicle (nowadays there’s a bolt in solution for every car), and of course the rack and maybe some ratchet straps.
(Optional items are a pre-built trailer wiring harness and tow lights)
Something you will notice is that there aren’t a lot of Class 1/2 (1.25″ hitch) bike racks that are rated to carry heavy eBikes; what you’ll find are a lot of Class 3/4 (2″ hitch) racks. Because time was short I had to get something that worked so I ended getting a 1.25″ to 2″ hitch adapter (and riser). I plan to get bike rack that doesn’t require and adapter just for a bit more peace of mind and so that I can minimize scraping.
I ran into a few challenges when putting together and using my setup, but to make a long story short: get a bike rack that is rated to carry your heavy eBike.
I have a 2011 Toyota Corolla S and this is my setup:
Curt Class Tow Hitch (Vehicle Specific)
For my car I needed to purchase CURT PART# 11265. This tow hitch is specifically designed for my car and only required 4 bolts and a bit of thread locker to install. I don’t really have a preference between Curt or Draw Tite; I just went with whatever was cheaper and could get to me fastest.
Before ordering something always make sure it will work with your vehicle. I’ll be making a blog post all about trailer hitches eventually, but generally cars are only engineered for Class 1/2 hitches (1.25″). Class 3/4 hitches (2″) are available for crossover vehicles, vans, and SUVs and trucks. You need not worry about a larger hitch; there are hitches that are 2.25″ but that’s for super-heavy duty trucks and very heavy loads.
If there is a class 3/4 trailer available for your car you will have many more options as far as bike racks that can accommodate 2 or more eBikes.
KAC Hitch Mounted Bike Rack
I ended up going to the local Harbor Freight because I found a really sweet coupon for a 60″ x 19″ cargo carrier. This is the same cargo carrier used to carry things like luggage and utility boxes (when your trunk is full of other stuff).
I did look into getting a carrier specific for motocross bikes, but ended up going with this since it was cheaper. I also didn’t like the idea of my tires dropping below the carrier since the trailer hitch is already low to the ground with my car. I made sure the cargo carrier I picked had holes/provisions where I could hook ratchet straps that would secure the bike to the carrier.
This was the most economical option available at the time so I went ahead and made the purchase. IMPORTANT!!! The cargo carrier has to be at least 60″ long to accommodate the length of a Super73 Bicycle. Every eBike company is different so make sure you measure the length of your bike from the front of the front tire the the back of the back tire (kinda silly to say it like that but you get it).
Erickson Self-Ratcheting Straps
I used to used normal ratcheting straps but got tired of dealing with the excess strap. I was turned on to this style of ratcheting strap by a squad member and can never go back 🙂
Erickson straps are more expensive, but no longer do I have excess strap blowing in the wind and no longer am I wrapping the extra strap around the bike 100 times!