Trailer Hitch Receiver and Bike Rack for a 2016 BMW 5 Series

Updated 11/09/2017 | Published 11/07/2017

Question:

what bike rack for a bmw 5 series 2016 its impossible to understand

asked by: John H

Expert Reply:

Trailer Hitches can be a little odd the first few times you interact with them, and that's OK because I am here to help. The hitch for the 2016 BMW 5 Series will depend on which model of the five series that you have and if you want to be able to tow with it or not. There are really only two Stealh hitches for the 5 series, but is shows them separately and that is causing the confusion. I will break it down for you.

If you have the:

- 528i or 528i xDrive and only want to use it to carry bikes or cargo - use # SH97ZR.
- 528i or 528i xDrive and want to use it to carry bikes or cargo and/or tow - use # SH38ZR.

If you have the:

- 535i or 535i xDrive and only want to use it to carry bikes or cargo - use # SH97ZR.
- 535i or 535i xDrive and want to use it to carry bikes or cargo and/or tow - use # SH38ZR.

If you have the:

- 550i and 550i xDrive and only want to use it to carry bikes or cargo - use # SH97ZR.
- 550i and 550i xDrive and want to use it to carry bikes or cargo and/or tow - use # SH38ZR.

I've included our tips article for trailer hitch installs to help your install go much smoother. Unfortunately, we don't have a video yet of this installation, though the pictures on the product page do cover the more interesting installation steps.

The easiest thing to remember when looking at hitch accessories for your vehicle is to locate the "Class Compatibility" filter on the side of the page and click "Class 4" to only show the compatible accessories for your hitch size.

For a bike rack, I recommend platform style racks for their ease of use and general compatibility with a wide range of bike sizes and shapes. They also don't usually require any additional accessories to use.

One of my favorite racks Thule EasyFold XT Bike Rack for 2 Electric Bikes - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Frame Mount # TH903202. I attached a video for you to see all of its amazing features.