While roof rack installation for naked roof models takes more work it will work with nearly any vehicle which also makes it the most versatile choice available.
Can you put a roof rack on any car.
Possible to carry any bike on any vehicle.
If you have a naked roof no rails or tracks you ll need a roof rack that clamps around the door jams.
Make sure you get one and use it for such an installation.
On trucks and suvs the roof can be relatively high off the ground which makes it a pain to load and unload your bikes.
A roof rack is considered a vehicle modification and as with any other modification installing one could affect your eligibility for car insurance coverage or alter the type of coverage you need.
Just about every car can take at least 4 bikes.
Roof racks do not come standard on all vehicles so if you are looking to purchase a car a roof rack may be something to consider if you need extra storage space.
If your car has nothing but a bare roof then you have to make a choice between two mounting options.
Requires a base roof rack.
If your car already has factory built rails or tracks on the roof you ll need to install a roof rack that has crossbars which connect to the existing side rails.
Max weight capacity of 50lbs or less so generally not e bike friendly.
These incorporate removable and permanent mount designs and some have rails fix points or take a clamp mount system.
Either you go with a system with clips mounting into your door jams or you can permanently mount a rack to the roof in a similar style to the factory mount options.
Place it at the side of the rail and drill a hole directly into your car s roof top using an electric drill.
However since most modern cars do not have gutters most roof racks are designed for cars without them.
Can be difficult to load.
Keeps your trunk free unobstructed.
Can reduce the amount of road spray hitting your bike.
More than likely you can take the rack off one vehicle and put it on another with a rain gutter.
On the other end of the size scale most compact cars won t accommodate a roof rack which makes this option a no go.
Keep in mind that the primary reason for purchasing a roof rack of this type is because your car doesn t have existing mounting points.
That said for full sized cars a roof rack is the way to go.