…I use a Saris Bones 3 rack WITHOUT a light board – does anyone else do so with any sort of rear mounted rack? Still can’t decide between Thule 591 setup (expense and mpg drop) and the Bones – the electrics/towbar are a massive faff that I can’t be arsed with TBH. What’s the worst the fuzz will do if I get pulled over obscuring my lights etc?

Not sure why you’d want to drive with your lights obscured tbh…

Obscuring your lights probably max of points and fine
same for number plate

Worst that could happen is somebody smash into you and write off your car and bikes leave you in hospital as they COULD NOT SEE YOUR LIGHTS!

Go Buy One

Shot? Probably not but its incredibly annoying seeing cars with bikes on the back obscuring lights.

You don’t really want to be seen as a twonk do you?

Thought not.

I know what you’re saying is right – I don’t WANT to obscure lights etc – it’s not very clever really is it.
What I wanted to do was see how many DO drive without boards for whatever reason…getting the feeling that it’s a no-no. I’ll go down the 591 route then 😉

electrics/towbar are a massive faff

hand car to towbar place, hand over cash and drive away with towbar fitted. Not sure where the faff is there?

As per legend. As for does anyone else….

Lots of people drink drive I wouldnt use that as a rationale for having a bottle of merlot on the way home from work.

no visible lights means youre a hazard to other road users.

I’d call it on safety personally- if people could see my lights I’d be happy. I’ve seen cars with bikes on the back covering but not obscuring the lights, and tbh it can still be more visible/readable than some cars’ crappy lights designed to look purty rather than to be functional.

I have roof bar and thule bike carriers – they are excellent, but use more fuel. However, I found rear mounted rack a pain (although it was not as well designed as a Saris Bones). Roof or proper tow ball mounted rack are worth their price, in my opinion.

Lots of people drink drive I wouldnt use that as a rationale for having a bottle of merlot on the way home from work.

Agree entirely.It would have to be Shiraz or Malbec.

You may not be shot but there’s a good chance of being rear ended 😯

The Saris Bones I used to use had the bikes up pretty high and you cold still see he lights fine IMO. I never bothered with a light board and drove past plenty of police cars on the motorway etc. YMMV.

Not a saris bones but we did it driving up to Llandegla, then round Wales, back down to the FOD then back up to the Midlands… went past a few police and nobody seemed to care. So I would say it’s fine so long as you can see the lights.

I got pulled over around 12 years ago for having bikes on a rack & no light board, he tried to do me for obscuring my lights, I politely pointed out my wheels were spoked & the lights were clearly visible through them, so the git did me for obscuring the number plate instead. I remember him saying if I go through a speed check they wouldn’t be able to trace me, I thought that was worth the £30 fine 😀

I got pulled over around 12 years ago for having bikes on a rack & no light board, he tried to do me for obscuring my lights, I politely pointed out my wheels were spoked & the lights were clearly visible through them, so the git did me for obscuring the number plate instead.

Or being a cocky **** 🙂

mikewsmith – Member

Or being a cocky ****

touche sir

Not had any problems in the 6 months I’ve run this:

Yeah, but that’s a jag ain’t it? – you’re obviously in the masons.

Joking…..

legend – Member

electrics/towbar are a massive faff

hand car to towbar place, hand over cash and drive away with towbar fitted. Not sure where the faff is there?
Way too much faff, ring towbar place, get them to come to you and do it when convenient.
I used Jims Towbars which was cheaper than my local tow bar place, other fitters are available.
Although depending on the car and what sort of towbar you want it can be ludicrously easy (and cheap) to fit it yourself.
HTH
SM

Not had any problems in the 6 months I’ve run this:

Yeah, never mind the hundreds of drivers following you who have not been able to see your brake lights of indicators.

Bike in boot? Easier all round.

Yeah, never mind the hundreds of drivers following you who have not been able to see your brake lights of indicators.

Like I didn’t check it out first…

Yeah, but that’s a jag ain’t it? – you’re obviously in the masons.

Joking…..

Its not like I know the local constabulary by first names… 😉

just get a kit to fit the electrics and put the cable through the boot seals when you need it and attach to light board

no tow bar to worry about and the cable just tucks away in the boot

Rascal, my saris does not obscure lights or number plate. I thought that was one of its plus points. Have you tried one on your car? I think they are brilliant. V simple to mount (1-2m max) and v secure

Thanks for the replies guys

The ‘faff’ factor comes into play because of the car, and it’s probably not much anyway TBH.
We’ve recently bought a Ceed which still has 4 years warranty on it, including the electrics.
Using a lighting board obviously requires messing with the electrics….when I had my last car we spliced into the electrics and added a plug-type thing for the board which we used to hung out the back of the car. This time I would need to get it done through Kia which isn’t cheap and this might invalid the warranty if something goes wrong with the electrics somewhere done the line…manufacturers need the slightest excuse sometimes to nulify a warranty! The last car got marked with the bikes on the back too – not an option on this one. The boss won’t have them inside either 😉

I think this has finally made me decide I’m going to go down the roof-mounted route…

I’m probably pointing out the obvious but if you are going roof mounted, buy a spray washer to get the worst of the mud off the bike before putting it on the rack.

I’ve a 591 on my car, and its brill now I’ve defrosted it 😀 but quite a lot of dirt and mud can fall off on a journey especially if its raining.

don’t most modern cars just have a plug to fit the tow bar electrics into?

njee20 – Member
Van? Easier all round.

FTFY

you can have a towbar fitted by any proper towbar place & it wont effect your warranty, unless it can be proved the towbar electrics caused the problem, as someone else said there is normally a plug in newer cars where the towbar electrics plug in.