Recommended Trailer Hitch for Carrying 4 Bike Rack with 2008 Honda Odyssey

Expert Reply:

There are Class II and Class III hitches available for your Odyssey. When the choice is available, I recommend going with the Class III, because there's a much better selection of hitch accessories like bike racks and cargo carriers available. There's not much in the way of a price differential between the two, so you might as well get the Class III.

I'd recommend the Draw-Tite Class III, part # 75270. This hitch will be an excellent choice for a Thule 4-bike rack. I'll link you to the installation instructions as well as to an install video that you'll likely find helpful. Curt makes a great hitch, but the Class II model you looked at would have a more limited selection of accessories available, plus Curt's warranty requirements require that a stabilizing strap like part # 18050 be used. The strap doesn't work very well on the Odyssey, due to the spoiler at the top of the cargo hatch.

If you don't already have a bike rack, I can highly recommend the Thule Hitching Post Pro, part # TH934XTR. The Hitching Post Pro is a nicely priced rack the provides features like anti-sway cradles and an anti-rattle hitch pin to keep the rack from moving around in the receiver.

If you'll be transporting women's bikes or bikes with sharply-angled top tubes, you might also consider a frame adapter bar like part # 64005. The bar spans the distance between the handlebar gooseneck and the seat post, which provides a secondary attachment point for the bike rack. This allows the bike to be carried level, which maximizes ground clearance.

expert reply by: Mike L

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