I'm considering a Yakima roof and bike rack purchase for my xB, the car is getting 32-34 mpg right now. How many mpg can I expect to lose with the addition of rack (minus the bikes)?

 

i would say about 10 mpt less...this is my first tank with my yakima rack on there, i would really recommend getting the 50" fairing also, it cuts down on noise and vibration...but 10 miles less per tank isnt bad considering how secksay the xB's look with the rack on them

 

expect 2-3 mpg less, especially with my snowboard racks on for the winter. still is good mpg though .

 

Really.. its not worth loosing the MPG, just to have a roof rack, IMO.

Your better off getting a hitch put on- Class 2 , and getting a bike rack to fit into the hitch hook up. Weight is also better distributed this way as well.

 

that sounds like it would be ugly, i hate seeing cars going down the road with bikes hanging out the back, the yakima looks so good on the box its not even funny

 

This method is also easier to load/unload your bikes. Also , if someone were to rear-end you.... with the rack on, they would slam the rack, before your xB would get jacked up . Something to think about.

 

nice point you make there...but i am still hard headed...haha...i take looks over functionality any day...haha thats how i pick my girlfriends too...hahahahahaha

 

Its not good to be a hater
Bike racks are supposed to be about function... not about looks. When your done with your transport, you can then remove the hitch mount rack, then walla - your xB is back to being very close to OEM (minus the hitch install)- and super aero !

 

But wouldn't the force of impact be directed directly to the 'frame' instead of the easily replaced rear bumper? Also, what if you have a recumbent bike or a tandem (I do). No hitch rack for you. What if you need to carry skis or a surfboard? Or a canoe or maybe some lumber for a weekend project?

Oh, and before you call me biased, I've got both. One of the boxes has a Curt hitch with a Saris Cycle-On or a Saris Themla AND a Yakima roofrack.

I'd also agree with losing maybe 2-3 MPG.

 

If your carrying skis, canoe, or surfboard ... then sure a roof rack would be the main way to go. If it was me though, and I was a big skier ... I'd just angle my stuff in the back of an xB , and not even have to buy/fool with any kind of rack.

Not so sure on what the Force of impact would do on a hitch rack to your frame... I'd stop by a auto body shop and see what they say.

 

I dont know about losing or gaining MPG's, but I averaged 38-41 mpg roundtrip detroit to Nashville last weekend. I do have the fairing installed though

 

wow must be nice to get gas milage in the high 30's...i took a 4 hour road trip to panama city and averaged about 265 miles per tank...that was before the rack was installed...i am running on 19's, intake, exhaust, (or in other words gas mileage killers)...sadly enough i get better gas mileage putt putting arond town back and forth to and from work and the stores...is that bad???

 

I was on stockies with a short ram only...and used a scanguage to get better milage

 

How do you drive on the interstate? If your mileage is better around town, I'd bet it's not optimal mileage speed. Try keeping it under 3000 RPM on the freeway (68-70 in an auto) and see if that helps. These things were built as city cars, so they are geared to be efficient around town.

 

on my trip to panama city i ran 80 to 90 the whole 4 hour drive, i think the rpm's were something like 4200 or so...

 

what is this scanguage you speak of good sir???