The best and safest way to chauffeur your expensive bike around the country is to transport it in your car. There it is protected from thieves, and while it is maltreated by rain, dirt or bouncing insects on the roof or at the rear, it travels dry and clean in the car. In addition, there is no annoying wind noise, no increased air resistance increases fuel consumption and no parts protrude beyond the vehicle; it is not uncommon for drivers to be rudely and expensively reminded of their external load when entering low underground car parks. In addition, drivers who transport their bikes in the car are spared the speed limits specified by the manufacturers of roof and rear carriers for their products - usually 120 kilometres per hour.
Disadvantages of onboard transport: you lose space for passengers, luggage or both; in addition, in estate cars and vans there is an increased risk of the cargo injuring the occupants as a projectile in the event of emergency braking or an accident. If this happens with unsecured wheels, passengers can sue for damages (§ 8 a StVG). Even if you are very careful, sooner or later you will end up with dirty parts of the bike in the car and leave marks or scratches. You should therefore wrap the individual parts in old blankets and secure them well with straps to protect the bike and car. Unfortunately, not all cars have eyelets for fastening straps. Safety nets are available for estate cars and vans to protect the occupants. For safety reasons, we cannot recommend wheel holders that splay out inside the car; there is a high risk of them slipping in the event of an accident. In addition, they can only be held reasonably securely if the interior panelling is cut open so that the struts are supported by the bodywork - and who wants that?
In the free PDF download you will find a comparison of the three carrier systems for the roof, rear and interior.
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