I ordered a hitch from outmotoring.com so that I could put a solid bike rack on the back end of my non-s 2013 R59 roadster. Anyone have any experience with a hitch on a roadster?

 

I like MiniFini's hitch.

 

You guys need to post some pictures of your setup. I'm still looking into doing something to take the spare tire on long trip.
Are any or all these solution push the bumper back an create miss alignment of the bumper? or does it just fit in an existing space?

Detail shots would be great!

 

The MINI FINI link system only drills two holes through the bumper, but it actually looks cool. No deformation, though. On a Justa, it looks like a dual exhaust.

Go to MINIFini.com

 

Mine is due to arrive via ups on Monday. I will have it installed by the end of the week and post pix.

 

Does any of these solution have the trailer hitch receiver tubing sticking out of the bumper when nothing is attached to it?

I really want to keep the car free of trailer hitch hardware when not in use... I'd be willing the cut the bumper out if I can make a plug out of it so to minimize modification when not in use but if the trailer hitch receiver section permanently sticks out that would be a problem for me. This is for an MCS.

 

The Mini FINI link system leaves no hitch. You can have the two connectors uncovered so it looks like two exhaust pipes, or put the black plastic caps on. They are flush with the bumper surface, so it looks nice!

 

Any chance you could get a close shot?

 

This is from the website:

 

It's very hard to find any decent pictures of any of these trailer hitch. I think it's amazing . . . one would think they want to sale their merchandise.
I want more detail because I'm trying do do thing a little different but I'm considering buying one of those as a base attachement to the car chassi.

Thanks anyway

This is probably the best image I've seen:


I guess the attachement points always stick out...

 

Mackiepie, any news on this?

I'm considering Outmotoring as well simply because of the wiring and most importantly its ability to be hidden with a plug (though I would more than likely make my own plug out of the bumper material so it seems as seamless as possible).

Greg

 

We installed it yesterday. We ended up leaving the backup/fog light unit out for easy access to the inch and a quarter hitch receptor. We did it in under three hours, thanks to my friend Darrell who is more automotive/mechanically inclined than yours truly. On my R59 model, the hole in the hitch is about 7 1/2 inches from the face of the bumper, horizontally. I plan on an inch and a quarter extension and the Thule 990 XT bike rack. We will add a cover for when the bike carrier is removed.

 

Sounds all positive
Do you mind taking a picture at some point?

I'll probably end-up looking for a bike rack at some point so I'll check that one out...

 

I took a picture but cannot figure out how to create the link that this forum requires. I will give it a four star review, only subtracting points for the fact that there were some things that we had to figure out ourselves. A YouTube video of a different manufacturer's hitch proved helpful, and we wished for one that featured the outmotoring hitch. TG, if you reveal your email address I will send you a photo. I am now searching for a plastic snap-in cover to use on the opening when the bike rack is not connected.

 

Mackiepie, I'll PM you my email address. I'm trying to keep this sort of information under control :p
thx! Greg

btw: I use photobucket for images.
I'm not sure how to do it directly through the site myself...

 

I forgot I wanted to mentioned something but it's probably too late and I'm sorry about that but what I'm planning on doing for the hole is cut the bumper as clean as possible and attached that piece to a square aluminum tube or else support that would fit directly into the hitch receiver doing two things: 1. making it an easy removable cap that looks completely hidden from the outside and 2. keep the hitch receiver opening from getting dirty inside. I which I had mentioned this before as I'm guessing you probably destroyed the left over bumper piece when cutting the hole...

 

I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the out motoring trailer hitch...
I still find it a little expensive for what it is but it will save me some precious time manufacturing something myself...

Now as funny and silly as it sounds I feel kind of funny about carrying 21lbs of weight all the time for nothing most of the time. I'm okay with occasional load that is towed once in a while but since the trailer hitch receiver is permanently mounted it is extra weight...

21 lbs is a little less than a mini spare wheel, it's about the weight of a rim, or it's about 3 gallons of gas... so if the justa has a spare wheel already, it's probably nothing in terms of gas consumption and car handling right?

 

I just went ahead and ordered it

 

On my 2013, the hitch "assembly" actually takes the place of a plate between the bumper and the frame. At least, according to the instructions, on the roadster and convertible. So the net gain in weight is less. It is too early for me to see any change in gas mileage. I believe this amount is minimal, sorta like depending on whether or not you ate before you drove your car…. :-)
I got a 7 inch hitch extension yesterday for 32 bucks. I will need to use this so my Thule bike rack will clear the car when it is four in the folded up position. FYI.

 

Well that's interesting . . . I guess I'll confirm that or not when it gets here

Ha ha! well if the manual is wrong, 21lbs is a lot of food for lunch


I'll be looking in bike racks soon. Now for some reason I noticed that all the racks sits pretty high on the hitch! I want to find something lower to the ground. I don't really want to drive the roadster with bikes hung high... an other impossible search beginnings Maybe I'll be lucky and find a rack that is adjustable...

 

By the way, I still have the foam piece and the plate I removed as well as the bank of lights all in stock condition. I did not have to cut anything in the case of the roadster. I may yet modify the clips on the light bank in order to fit it in from the outside as a cover when the hitch extender and bike rack are not deployed. Outmotoring.com includes a plug for the hitch, which was not in the packaging I got. They are sending it along. While backup lights are not required by law, I don't know if I want to always get a reminder that says "reverse lamps malfunction"whenever I start up the car. So that is a another reason to re-hook up the light bank.

 

So Mackie, do you have a set of light to mount to the bike rack.
I ordered the wiring harness from them in plan to out some light but I have not look into the lights yet. I'd like to have lights behind the bike rack, law or no law I think it's a smart thing to do...

I've started to look at some bike racks. Some are interesting like this for example:
http://www.swagman.net/products/plat...2-bike-2-only/

or this:
http://www.swagman.net/products/platform-racks/g2/

I like those simple ones too because they stay compact but I'll have to see what our bike ways:
http://hollywoodracks.com/bike-racks...hitch-rack.htm

I've got to learn about all the prose and cons. i'm not familiar with hitch mounted racks. I've usually been a big fan of roof top mounted bike rack but for obvious reason that is not going to happen on the roadster or it would be pretty wild

 

I did not order the light/wiring kit. I am confident my brake lights will be visible enough and not obstructed by the bikes as they are held on the rack.

 

Hardly no one does . . .

 

I like the Mini Fini and I do worry about tailgaters but no longer. When there is no bike rack I add the Super Bumper to my car.

S Coupe