Bike Racks for RV’s and Travel Trailers

RV’s and travel trailers put unique forces on their hitch receivers, and not all bike racks are built to withstand this abuse. Each manufacturer defines RV’s differently, so here we’ll take a look at available options and requirements from Yakima, Thule, Kuat, RockyMounts, and Swagman.

Yakima

Yakima's RV help page says "A motorized vehicle with a hitch receiver is considered an RV if the horizontal distance from the rear axle to the hitch pin is 72" (183cm) or greater. A motorized vehicle without a hitch receiver is considered an RV if the horizontal distance from the rear axle to back of the rear bumper is 72" (183cm) or greater. Any Travel Trailer is considered an RV." 

Add-ons, hitch extensions, and swing-away adapters are not to be used with RV's. If the distance from the rear axle to the hitch pin is less than 72", any compatible rack may be used. Yakima classifies an RV based on a slightly shorter axle to hitch pin distance than Thule, but they also offer a couple advantages including: they approve their RV racks for use with travel trailers and typically do not reduce the weight capacity per bike when used on an RV, which is rare. Yakima does not explicitly mention 5th wheels or say anything further about bumper mounted hitch receivers. 

There are a handful of racks that Yakima permits for use with RV's:

Yakima LongHaul 8002476 - 4 bikes, RV-specific hanging style rack, 37.5 lbs per bike 
Yakima OnRamp LX 2” 8002756 - 2 bikes, ebike friendly platform rack, 80 lbs per bike
Yakima StageTwo 2” 8002758 - 2 bikes, premium platform rack, 70 lbs per bike
Yakima StageTwo 2” (discontinued) 8002725, 8002740 - 2 bikes, reduced weight capacity of 60 lbs per bike (down from 70)

Thule

Thule permits certain racks for use with RV's with the following note: "Motorized RV travel at 60% load capacity (i.e., 40% total load reduction) when mounted on van conversions or motorized RV vehicles with an overhang exceeding 230 cm (7.5 ft), measured from the center of the rear wheel to the most distant point of the vehicle. This carrier is not compatible with travel trailers/caravans, 5th wheels or any bumper mounted hitch receiver."

Thule classifies an RV at a greater axle to hitch distance than Yakima, allowing more racks to work on vehicles with a measurement less than 90", but is more restrictive once you reach that point. No trailers, 5th wheels, or bumper mounts are allowed.

Thule's RV rated racks include the following:

Thule Range 9057 - 4 bikes, RV-specific hanging rack, 37.5 lbs per bike, this is the exception to the above rule and can support the full 150 lbs on an RV 
Thule Verse 2” 903452 - 2 bikes, premium platform rack, 60 lbs per bike, 72 lbs total load capacity on an RV 
Thule Revert 4 9024500 - 4 bikes, premium vertical rack, 55 lbs per bike, 132 lbs total load capacity on an RV 
Thule Revert 6 9026500 - 6 bikes, premium vertical rack, 55 lbs per bike, 150 lbs total load capacity on an RV
Thule Epos 2 903210 - 2 bikes, premium ebike platform rack, 75 lbs per bike, 84 lbs total load capacity on an RV 
Thule Epos 3 903310 - 3 bikes, premium ebike platform rack, 75 lbs per bike, 96 lbs total load capacity on an RV 
Thule T2 Pro XTR 2" 9034XTR - 2 bikes, premium platform rack, 60 lbs per bike, 72 lbs total load capacity on an RV

Thule also makes some unique van racks that are vehicle specific called the Thule Elite Van XT. 

Kuat

Kuat's motorhome definition starts at 64" from the rear axle to the rear edge of the vehicle, and they are very specific regarding what is allowed from there:

"Küat’s limited warranty will cover use of any of its 2-inch receiver hitch-mounted bicycle racks on motorhomes (as defined in 49 C.F.R. 571.3) satisfying all of the following requirements:

The receiver hitch is directly attached to the motorhome chassis, not just to the bumper;
The rear-most point of the receiver hitch where the bicycle rack will be attached is no more than 64 inches from the rear axle of the motorhome; and
The vehicle is a class B type motorhome as described below.
Class B type motorhomes are commonly known as van conversions and comprise a completed van-type vehicle which has been altered to provide temporary living quarters. Class B type motorhomes have a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lbs or less.

In addition, (i) the 2 inch receiver Transfer™ v2, (ii) the 2-inch receiver Piston Pro X and Piston Pro, and (iii) the Piston SR with 2” Hitch Adapter may be used on RVs (both motorhomes and trailers) satisfying all of the following requirements:

The receiver hitch is directly attached to the RV chassis, not just to the bumper; and
The bicycle rack is in a 2-bike (or fewer) configuration with no add-on unit attached.
Please check the User Guide for load weight limits applicable to your rack when used on an RV. Lower weight limits apply."

With this in mind, the following racks are RV approved for use on motorhomes and trailers:

Kuat Transfer V2 2" 2 bike T222B & 3 bike T223B - 2 or 3 bikes, platform rack, limited to 40 lbs per bike when used on an RV 
Kuat Piston Pro 2" PP22B and Pro X 2" PX22G - 2 bikes, premium platform rack, limited to 42 lbs per bike when used on an RV 
Kuat Piston SR PSR01B w/ hitch adapter APSRH21B - 1 bike, premium platform rack w/ hitch adapter- 67 lbs per bike when used on an RV

RockyMounts

RockyMounts only mentions RV's in the product detail page for the GigaWatt 10264, which is a 2 bike premium 2" platform style rack designed with ebikes and fenders in mind. RockyMounts has published a page detailing permitted RV use. The gist is that it is rated for RV's and 5th wheels with weight capacities reducing depending on the axle to hitch measurement. Trailers and bumper mounted hitches are not allowed.

Swagman

Swagman has a collection of RV and trailer approved racks. Some are dedicated for this use and remove some features such as the tilt, while others can be used on regular vehicles as well but have a reduced weight capacity when used on RV’s. There are even some bumper mounted options in Swagman’s catalog. They don't follow a pattern of rules the way other manufacturers have laid out their restrictions, so racks will need to be considered individually based on needs.

The model we carry most often is the Swagman E-Spec 66689. This is a top tube hook style rack that can carry 2 bikes up to 70 lbs when used on an RV. 

RV's are a great way to see the world, and you may as well bring your bikes with you! We're happy to help you find the rack that makes your journey great!