what vehicle is needed for transportation

[maggie]

I think that eventually I'll be getting a recumbent trike. But how to get me and my trike to the ride start? No doubt I'll need to buy a different vehicle. Now I'm using a bike rack on the back of a sedan. What vehicle are you driving and how much upper body strength does it take? I'm imagining a ramp up to the back of a van.

~maggie

[whtrike]

I drive a 2000 Toyota Sienna minivan. When I take out the two back seats, and leave in the large bench seat, I can back my cruiser into the back of the van diagonally with the back wheel between the bench seat and the sliding door. I often lift 40# bags of top soil, so I have no problem lifting a 37# bike into the van. We have plenty of trails in the Des Moines IA area, so I would only need to transport it if I was going a distance or it needed repairs at the bike shop where it was purchased. The other option would be a small trailer, especially if it had a tilt bed on it.

[Jess_Kess]

We also have a hitch rack available for a 2" receiver.

[maggie]

I looked for the hitch rack on your site. Is it here?

[chonk]

Yes. It's in our accessories section.

https://www.terratrike.com/shop/accessories/hitch-rack-/-car-carrier/prod_82.html

[bumblebee]

you can use your regular bike rack. our family car is a buick century. it will fit you just have to be creative.

[BillP]

We were able to carry my wife's (new to her) Tour in our Honda Element intact. With the back seats both folded up, it rolls in right between those seats with about 1/4 inch to spare. The front wheel rests between the front seats on the console.

For reference, if you're looking at vehicles, I believe the width of the Tour is 34".

Enjoy

[BillP]

To correct my prior post, it's the rear wheel (single) that fits between the front seats.

thx

[doomed100]

February 7, 2010
I just found this forum and though your post was in August 2009 perhaps this will be useful to others.
I have a Hyundai Sonata Sedan with trunk and a Honda Accord sedan with trunk. . I use a Thule 911 Passage carrier for 3 bikes. This carrier has long arms and a capacity of 105 lb. The Carrier for 2 bikes has shorter arms and a capacity of 70 lb. The Yakima carrier has lower weight limits.
I cut a few inches off the carrier bars because I did not need the entire length.
I can get both my wife's 25 lb. 2 wheeler Trek and my 37 lb Cruiser trike on it. The 2 wheeler goes on first with the handle bars to the right and then the trike tilted 90 deg so the seat sticks out horizontally... The trike two front wheels are toward the left side of the car. .I use a strap with buckle to pull the top of the trike toward the car so the trike lower front wheel does not rest on the pedals or derailleur of the two wheel bike. It took some time to figure it out. I can still pick up the 37 lb trike but it's easier with two people. It sounds involved but we can do it on or off in two minutes or less. I regularly drive to local bike paths or 90 miles to Michigan with no problem. As always one must make sure the tires of either bike are far from the hot engine exhaust. Also the two wheeler must be secured by the straps on the two saddles.
The Terra trike mfr shows a picture. I have pictures but I don't know how to post them here. I hope this is helpful.