# my un-official Kuat Sherpa review



## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Ok here are first impressions of my new Kuat Sherpa rack.

This thing is light, not officially put on a scale but you deffinitly notice it. The color is super nice but wish instead of paint it was powder coated. The cam that locks the rack in and prevents any wiggle is genius and does what it was meant to do. Unfortunately I was in a parking lot mishap and the handle was broken (as you may notice in some pics) with no perp to be found, damn hit and run....anyways the guys at Kuat have a replacement part on the way, awesome guys to deal with. Moving on up the rack the arms that hold the bikes in place are downright sexy and work. They hold the bike in place well and are super simple to use. There are stops at the pivot point to keep them from falling all the way to the ground. The rear tire is held with your typical cradle and strap found similar to many other racks. There is a nice two step section (wide and narrow) to the cradles. Perfect for road bikes, cross bikes and smaller BMX bikes that run narrow wheels. It comes with a cable and locking hitch pin that does its job.

The only thing I would like to change is the pin that holds the rack up/level/down is to have something with some sort of cam or even a bold and T-handle on the other side to really snug it down. The cam does a great job of holding the arm that goes into the hitch tight. But the main part of the rack still has play, not a lot but its there. I dont mind the extra step. Other than that just the paint. Its such a sexy rack to have paint fall off of.

Great rack!!! more pics to come.....


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

more pics


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## notley1 (Nov 2, 2008)

*price?*

i was comparing yak and thule t2 - never heard of kuat. how much did it ccost?

jeff


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

I think its just under $400...don't remember. I might sell this one. I may upgrade to the Kuat NV rack.
http://www.kuatinnovations.com/content/


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## jwl325 (Feb 28, 2010)

Might be a silly question, but other than exercising due care, do you think there would be anything preventing use of the Kuat on a car as opposed to a truck/SUV? 

I have a 1.25" hitch on my Honda Accord, currently use a Saris hanger rack, but am very interested in a tray rack.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

jwl325 said:


> Might be a silly question, but other than exercising due care, do you think there would be anything preventing use of the Kuat on a car as opposed to a truck/SUV?
> 
> I have a 1.25" hitch on my Honda Accord, currently use a Saris hanger rack, but am very interested in a tray rack.


Absoloutly no problem. Take off the 2" adapter and it should fit fine. The only possible issue I could imagine would be clearance with the trunk if opened. But that is why most hitch racks tilt down, for access to either tailgate, suv cargo area, or trunk. If you look at my pictures in this thread you will see how it tilts down even with bikes loaded. Any other questions let me know.


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## jwl325 (Feb 28, 2010)

Many thanks! Didn't think it would be a problem, it's a good sturdy hitch on the car (originally got it to tow a small sail boat). 

I just happened to notice that every pic I've seen of the Kuat showed it on a truck/SUV, so I started wondering!

Thanks again, Bill


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

I have had 2 DH bikes on with from Las Vegas to Fontana Ca and back a few times now with ZeRo issues. Its a great rack. If your interested let me know.


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## jwl325 (Feb 28, 2010)

Thanks, I used the dealer finder on Kuat's website and found a LBS here in the city that carries them--I didn't realize you were in the bus, sorry about that--I do appreciate your answers and help!

Bill


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## Silvestri (Apr 2, 2009)

Can you take a closer pic of the locking mechanism that locks the rack to the hitch?


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Yes, it does lock to the car. The rack comes with a hitch pin that has a sort of T-handle that locks on the end of the pin. This "T" also serves as a lock to the cable for the bikes as well. The cable has 2 looped ends, one larger than the other. Wrapped around a frame the smaller loop passes through the larger loop. Then place the smaller loop on the pin and place the lock. If I get a chance I will post pics tomorrow.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

ok here are some I have already... in the first 2 pics you can see the accessories and tools that come with the rack. In the first one you can see the "T" handled hitch pin in the middle. The 2nd pic is of the adapter for wheels smaller than 24"s. The last pic is what it is capable of...Yeah thats 2 full on DH rigs on there, no problems on multiple trips from Las Vegas to Fontana Ca.!!


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## Silvestri (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks WingNutt!

Second picture - is that cable the one that comes attached? I might want to upgrade that to a thicker more substantial cable eh?

The T handle - I think I see a key hole in the black part. Does the black part come off the T part when unlocked?

Lastly, on the mounting part (to the hitch) - is that a plastic spacer to adapt the to a 2" receiver? I wonder how the plastic adapter will last due to being metal/plastic/metal contact.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Silvestri said:


> Thanks WingNutt!
> 
> Second picture - is that cable the one that comes attached? I might want to upgrade that to a thicker more substantial cable eh?
> 
> ...


1- the cable is fine in my opinion, its not a Kryptonite or name brand but designed in a way to work with the hitch pin, as far as I am concerned I would NEVER leave my bike unattended for long or trust most any cable. If I am going into as store where I cant see my bike for any extended amount of time I usually double cable it (use 2 different cables and 2 different locks) But that is not hardly every.

2- yup thats the T handle and it comes off to slide through the hole on the rack and hitch, then placed back on. If you want to use the cable to lock the bikes also just slide on the small loop of the cable first then slide the lock (T) handle on.

3-HAHA....no its not plastic, its aluminum and plenty strong enough for its job.


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## Silvestri (Apr 2, 2009)

Awesome, you sold me. Thanks much!

I was going to get the 1upUSA rack until I found that my local rack store sold the Kuat line. They told me the Sherpas don't swing down unlike yours, but I've seen your pics and the look swung down to me.

I'd never leave the bike alone either, just piece of mind while stopped at a light and have a guy want to come by and yank the bikes off the rack

I'm going to mount my hitch this spring and follow it up with a Sherpa. I don't believe the nv is necessary in my case as the Sherpa will be way more than sufficient.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Yeah up down and out it folds. Not sure why they would tell you otherwise. It even shows on their website. And I have like 4 or 5 pics that show it tilts. And if you want the trail doc its avail for the rack as well if you want to add it on.


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

Hey there, new guy to the forums, but now that we're getting back into biking I figured it would benefit to join. At any rate, my wife and I are rack shopping now and the Sherpa is at the top of our list so far. Thanks for the review and detailed pics, it has definitely helped. 

Some other questions we had are how easy is it to take on and off the hitch? It looks fairly straightforward but just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be overly bulky or awkward for my wife to take off herself if need be. Also, when folding it down with bikes in place (to access the hatch/trunk) is it easy to do one person? Once you remove the pin does it just drop with the weight of the rack plus 2 bikes or is there any kind of spring/resistance to bolster it? 

We're trying to find a well build rack that is light enough to fit on a small hatchback (wife's Hyundai Accent 3-door) and won't have any clearance issues. Even though we still have old basic starter bikes we want to invest in a good rack now for when we upgrade in the near future.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Welcome to the world of forums. I belong to many including ones for SCUBA, BMX, my truck, for my dog, and my daughters softball. If you take things with a grain of salt and not for granted you can gain lots of information. There are lots of people who fall into many categories
1.newb who knows it all
2.not so newb who doesn't know it all
3.those that think its funny to screw with you
4.industry people from many companies that work in bikes
5.pros that have general concern to get good correct info out
6.racers of many levels

and a few others too. Just think about what is being said in forums and analyze it for your own. That being said....on to the rack.

To lower the rack is not difficult. 1. Simply unhook the safety clip 2. with one hand relieve some of the weight of the bikes (pull up lightly on the back of the rack) 3. with your free hand slide the pin out 4. lower the rack there is no hydraulic or spring assist, I am not aware of any that do (not that they don't exist just not aware of any)

As far as clearance goes I don't think you should have a problem. But every car is different. A friend has one on a Tahoe that opens like your wagon and has no issues.

Removing from the car is a breeze. Its lightweight. To install just slide rack in receiver, place hitch pin in hole, and tighten the cam to take out any play, and your done. To remove just reverse the steps.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Well my Sherpa rack has a new home and in the process an new NV has made its home on my truck....look for a review soon on the NV.


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## jwl325 (Feb 28, 2010)

I picked up an NV from a local shop about two weeks ago, largely based on the discussion here, and of course my desire for a tray-style rack to replace my hanger-style rack.

Although I was nervous about it, it fits on my Honda Accord beautifully. Initial impressions are of a quality product, designed to be sturdy and for ease of use. 

The spreader adjust makes the rack feel secure in the trailer hitch. The tire clamp arms and straps hold the bikes very securely, and the ratchet mechanism makes adjusting the arm very easy. All the features seem very well thought out, down to the integral locking cable and bolt lock at the hitch. If I had a recommendation for improvement, it would be with the rear tire hold down straps, to make them just a little longer. The trail bike wheels/knobby tires had mine at about their limits. Road or hybrid wheels would have plenty of room at the end of the strap.

Since I don't already have one, I like the added feature of the maint stand offered on the NV.

Very pleased with the purchase!!

Bill


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## Silvestri (Apr 2, 2009)

Good review. What were the main deciding factors (other than price and maintenance stand) that prompted you to go with the NV?


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## jwl325 (Feb 28, 2010)

When I decided I wanted to go with a tray rack, I searched around here and a couple other places on the web for reviews of some of the avail products. 

I actually stumbled across Kuat in a discussion on some problems that had been reported with Thule racks. While I saw that Thule was offering a fix, I just kinda liked the design of the Kuat. 

Bill


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## moutainkiller (Feb 19, 2010)

WingNut--> I have been looking at buying a the Sherpa but I'm a little worried that my bike might not fit on it... the rack looks to have a real short platform. I have a Gary Fisher Mamba do you know would it fit?


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

We looked at a Sherpa a couple weeks ago at a LBS and were very impressed with everything we saw. We put it on the car and played with it quite a bit and really looked at everything in great detail. The only thing we didn't like was the hitch pin lock; it was very cheap feeling and didn't look like it would take very much at all to break it. If they included a beefier feeling lock, I'd have to say it's the best rack package we have seen yet (and we've been looking at racks and doing research for months). For those of you that have the Sherpa, what do you think about the included pin lock?


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

moutainkiller said:


> WingNut--> I have been looking at buying a the Sherpa but I'm a little worried that my bike might not fit on it... the rack looks to have a real short platform. I have a Gary Fisher Mamba do you know would it fit?


The trays do look short but your Mamba has probably a similar wheelbase as the blue Supercross 4X bike I have in the pictures I posted. That bike has a really long frame, and your Mamba should have no problem. The rear wheel holder tilts and rotates to accommodate just about any wheels. I have mounted full on DH bikes on mine - Chumba F5 and a SantaCruz V10.

on a side note.....look seriously into the NV. I just sold the Sherpa and picked up the NV (review on that by next week, just real busy right now). Its even that much better, super nice rack and in my opinion worth the extra cash. Super solid and even more diverse in terms of wheel/tire size. Very solid.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

Lookin forward to your review as Im currently getting the hitch put on my car and am looking only at these two racks (Sherpa vs the NV). I definately like the looks of the NV, just debating on whether the extra cost is worth it.


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

What's the blue hard tail frame in the first picture?


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

jmill79 said:


> Lookin forward to your review as Im currently getting the hitch put on my car and am looking only at these two racks (Sherpa vs the NV). I definately like the looks of the NV, just debating on whether the extra cost is worth it.


Yeah in my opinion worth it....again by this weekend I will have a review. Just been super busy.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Hardtails Are Better said:


> What's the blue hard tail frame in the first picture?


Its a Supercross BMX MX26. This was their first attempt at a mtn bike. A pretty good one too. Did some 4X racing on it. Its a fun bike. They are in the process of doing new chromoly DJ frame, an aluminum race/DJ frame and a 4" suspended race /DJ frame. Have since upgraded to a 2010 Yeti DJ. I am currently looking to sell it but if it doesn't sell I may turn it into a single speed DJ bike or maybe back to multigeared....dunno yet.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

WingNutt said:


> Yeah in my opinion worth it....again by this weekend I will have a review. Just been super busy.


Sounds good bro,no sweat and I look forward to it.:thumbsup:


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

WingNutt said:


> Its a Supercross BMX MX26. This was their first attempt at a mtn bike. A pretty good one too. Did some 4X racing on it. Its a fun bike. They are in the process of doing new chromoly DJ frame, an aluminum race/DJ frame and a 4" suspended race /DJ frame. Have since upgraded to a 2010 Yeti DJ. I am currently looking to sell it but if it doesn't sell I may turn it into a single speed DJ bike or maybe back to multigeared....dunno yet.


You have geo info for it? I might actually be interested, depending on the numbers.


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

http://www.supercrossbmx.com/mx26detail.html
PM me for any other info.


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## nspace (May 25, 2006)

Another Sherpa, on my 2010 Mazda3 Sport. White to match. No ground clearance issues. Works great for my 29er.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

Hey thanks for the pic, looks great!


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

Here's the newly redesigned Sherpa, we just got it in a few days ago. The major differences from the old one are a bit more step-up for clearance, a quick-release on the tilt/foldup and an all metal lock (instead of the old black plastic one). With these changes, it made it a lot closer to the amenities of the NV, while keeping it lighter and still able to use both 1.25" and 2" hitch receivers. We also ordered the Trail Doc. We still need to work on a way to lock the Trail Doc onto the rack as right now it's just a single bolt that holds on the adapter and then the rod just slides in with a quick release, so anyone can just undo the quick release and pull it out and take off with it. Anyway, here are some pics showing the new Sherpa - it is on our Hyundai Accent hatchback, so it's fairly low down. We didn't notice any clearance issues during our first outing and it seemed really stable during the drive. I did find out the hard way that the front of my seat was rubbing against my wife's grip so on the way home I just turned the seat to the side a bit out of the way.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

yeah, um , check please... This revision is sweet and Im sold. If you have it available could I get the part number (or anything which id's) so Im sure to order the updated version. Also, where did you order it from? Thanks!


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

Order it direct from Kuat. That would be the best way to make sure you get the revision.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

WingNutt said:


> Order it direct from Kuat. That would be the best way to make sure you get the revision.


Thats what I was figurin but wasnt sure if they would have descent (free) shipping.

Its almost as if they took your complaints of your Sherpa to heart eh Wingnutt?


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## WingNutt (Jan 31, 2008)

jmill79 said:


> Thats what I was figurin but wasnt sure if they would have descent (free) shipping.
> 
> Its almost as if they took your complaints of your Sherpa to heart eh Wingnutt?


Well with any new company they would be smart to look at forums that are frequented and I am sure we will see more improvements to come. But for their first time around (at least with a tray rack) they are off to a good start. Though I upgraded the the NV now, I was happy with my Sherpa.

Hey Killer Squirrel, when you work on your bike in a stand, especially like this one, try mounting to the seat post and use a small rag or towel to minimize marring any finish....something any good shop would do (not all do it but should). The seap post (unless its carbon), is more resilient to scratches and even if it gets out of control nasty looking its easier to replace a seat post than repaint a frame. Where in TX are you, we have considered moving to TX.


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

The guys at Kuat are great, just give them a call and they'll answer any questions you have and can point you to your nearest dealer where you can get one. I couldn't find any numbers or anything that would differentiate between the versions, so check with Kuat would be my recommendation.



WingNutt said:


> Hey Killer Squirrel, when you work on your bike in a stand, especially like this one, try mounting to the seat post and use a small rag or towel to minimize marring any finish....something any good shop would do (not all do it but should). The seap post (unless its carbon), is more resilient to scratches and even if it gets out of control nasty looking its easier to replace a seat post than repaint a frame. Where in TX are you, we have considered moving to TX.


Thanks, I just threw the bike in the stand for a quick pic to show the trail doc, but I'll use the seatpost from now on with a rag - that's good advice.

We're in Baytown, an area right outside of Houston.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

Yeah, was originally gonna order from etrailer but prolly shouldnt now. bummer, but Ill give em a call.


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## nspace (May 25, 2006)

I ordered from Discounted Cycling. Mike was a pleasure to deal with. He ships the orders directly from Kuat. When I ordered my Sherpa (the white one above), I also got the updated version with the quick release tilt instead of the locking pin.


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

Does the 24" adaptor come with the rack or is it an accessory? The 40 lb. weight limit must be a misprint/typo I would think.


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

If you mean the 1.25" to 2" adapter for the hitch post then yes it comes with the rack. Also, the 40lb weight limit is per bike, so the Sherpa safely supports up to 2 40lb bikes.


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

Killer Squirrel said:


> If you mean the 1.25" to 2" adapter for the hitch post then yes it comes with the rack. Also, the 40lb weight limit is per bike, so the Sherpa safely supports up to 2 40lb bikes.


 I meant for the wheel size on the ratchet arm. The hitch size adaptor is pretty cool too.


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

Oh, yes sorry I know what you mean now, Yes, those are also included with the rack. Everything posted by WingNutt is included with the revised rack (well my little pouch didn't include the Kuat patch/sticker that his showed). The lock is also a much beefier solid metal lock now, not the black plastic showed originally.


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

Killer Squirrel said:


> Oh, yes sorry I know what you mean now, Yes, those are also included with the rack. Everything posted by WingNutt is included with the revised rack (well my little pouch didn't include the Kuat patch/sticker that his showed). The lock is also a much beefier solid metal lock now, not the black plastic showed originally.


 Did you say who you got your from?


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

I worked with Kuat to find out several dealers in my area that now have them. I'm not sure which online places have the revised version and honestly not sure how to tell the difference without physically looking at the actual rack. Even the box mine came in showed a picture of the original Sherpa, not the revised one, so keep that in mind when asking about it.


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

Thanks.


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## dirtcranker (May 6, 2010)

*Adjustments..*

Do these racks have a side to side adjusment for each bike holder so that the handle bars and seats don't hit each other? I don't have a quick release on my seat post and it would be a major pain to have to adjust that every ride.. Really like the bike stand feature. I might try to figure out a way to fabricate something to fit on my Thule in a similar way.


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## dirtcranker (May 6, 2010)

*Trail doc..*

They make this for other bike rack mfgs.. Sweet!.. Saves me from having to build it myself..

- Mounts to the Kuat Sherpa, Thule T2, Yakima Hold Up, and Saris Cycle On / Cycle On Pro


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

No, they are locked in a static position, there is no adjustment on that part. If the seat on one bike is the same height as the handlebar of the other it can rub (as mine did). I have a quick release so it wasn't a big deal to turn my seat out of the way once I saw it was rubbing.


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

I ended up ordering an NV. Probably be a week or so before I get it. This will be a huge step-up for me from my current rack.


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## Killer Squirrel (Mar 11, 2010)

mopartodd said:


> I ended up ordering an NV. Probably be a week or so before I get it. This will be a huge step-up for me from my current rack.


They're both awesome racks. We got the Sherpa mainly because we needed to be able to use it on both 1.25" and 2" hitch receivers.


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## 245044 (Jun 8, 2004)

That is most definitely a strong selling point. I found some schematic drawings of the two racks and the Sherpa just didn't get the bikes up and away from the exhaust of my turbo car. My current rack has heat marks from being used on that car.

If it weren't for that one little fact, I'd have ordered a Sherpa.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

Just ordered my Sherpa from etrailer!! They have 'em in stock and they said they get shipments from Kuat all the time. Itll be here Monday or Tuesday. Crossing my fingers for the revision (Kuat says thats all they've been shipping out for quite some time) 

BTW Kuat is backordered for at least the next month for Black Crome Sherpa's, called them first.


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

Got my Sherpa rack today and thankfully it IS the updated version, Im ecstatic with this rack!! Big thanks to the guys in this thread who helped. Pics to come once it stops freakin raining out!


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## JRA009 (Jan 15, 2008)

I have the Sherpa (white) and it looks great. It did not slide in all the way for the wedge bolt to tighten proper so I'm selling it to get the NV Küat said the NV set up is a little deeper and that should be fine for my 4Runner (2006). PS it's brand new never even had a bike on it. Let me know if your interested.


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## JRA009 (Jan 15, 2008)

sold thank you


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## baltik (Nov 16, 2005)

Anyone try this with a longer wheelbase bike? My buddy's Yeti 575 is 46.4" or 2" greater than the recommended amount. Are they just being super conservative or is this a deal breaker?


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## JRA009 (Jan 15, 2008)

2 things I noticed:
1- with long wheel based bikes the rear wheel and bike weight really shift back (kinda sketch and thats probably why they don't recommend it. Example- (picture your rear wheel strap at the bottom of your chain).
2- make sure your tires are not to wide 2.35 was the max I could fit safely on the Sherpa.


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## notley1 (Nov 2, 2008)

I have the sherpa on my wifes prius, it carries my x-large santa cruz blur lt and her specialized hardtail no problem.


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## vapors2k (Mar 9, 2006)

put me in the same group as buying a sherpa and now looking into buying a NV. Anybody interested in a lightly used but in excellent condition (2 week old) white sherpa? Mine is the new version, located in Southern California.


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## jlang002 (Jan 10, 2005)

mopartodd said:


> That is most definitely a strong selling point. I found some schematic drawings of the two racks and the Sherpa just didn't get the bikes up and away from the exhaust of my turbo car. My current rack has heat marks from being used on that car.
> 
> If it weren't for that one little fact, I'd have ordered a Sherpa.


Yup. Avoid the sherpa if you drive a vw gti or a car with an exhaust in a similar position. My exhaust has put a hurtin' on the tray closest to the exhaust. I can't keep the plastic wheel insert in it when it's not being used and in the upright position, it's already been warped a little bit.


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## maleonardphi (May 19, 2006)

*Ordered!*

Just ordered a hitch and Sherpa from Rack n Road in Campbell for my xmas present to myself; a 2008 Mazda 3 hatchback. My trusty '97 Integra truly earned the title of "old faithful", but with 260K+ miles and barely any clear coat left, it was time to upgrade. Now I just have to deal with selling it...


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## maleonardphi (May 19, 2006)

So I installed my sherpa and Curt hitch last week. Last night was the second time using it and I was really let down to see how much play there was between the rack and the hitch. I tightened the knob with a big allan wrench, and still plenty of slop. I spoke to Bill at Kuat this morning, and he said it shouldn't be like that. I wanted to say, "Well, duh", but restrained myself. I told him I'd go look at it again and call him back. I ended up spraying WD40 on the threads of the bolt that tightens wedge. That worked like a charm, and when I told Bill, he said the bolt should have been greased. I politely told him it had zero grease on it. So hopefully they'll double check their QA/QC process. But, no harm, no foul I suppose. Other than that, I'm pretty happy so far.


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## acaurora (May 31, 2011)

Killer Squirrel said:


> Here's the newly redesigned Sherpa, we just got it in a few days ago. The major differences from the old one are a bit more step-up for clearance, a quick-release on the tilt/foldup and an all metal lock (instead of the old black plastic one). With these changes, it made it a lot closer to the amenities of the NV, while keeping it lighter and still able to use both 1.25" and 2" hitch receivers. We also ordered the Trail Doc. We still need to work on a way to lock the Trail Doc onto the rack as right now it's just a single bolt that holds on the adapter and then the rod just slides in with a quick release, so anyone can just undo the quick release and pull it out and take off with it. Anyway, here are some pics showing the new Sherpa - it is on our Hyundai Accent hatchback, so it's fairly low down. We didn't notice any clearance issues during our first outing and it seemed really stable during the drive. I did find out the hard way that the front of my seat was rubbing against my wife's grip so on the way home I just turned the seat to the side a bit out of the way.


I had a question looking at all these pictures - that rack looks like an NV, not a Sherpa... am I mistaken? I can tell by the built in repair stand addon.

What is new in the newest revision of the Sherpa? Am considering getting one or the NV. Has anyone compared these to the Yakima Holdup or Thule T2?


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## jmill79 (Sep 11, 2009)

acaurora said:


> I had a question looking at all these pictures - that rack looks like an NV, not a Sherpa... am I mistaken? I can tell by the built in repair stand addon.
> 
> What is new in the newest revision of the Sherpa? Am considering getting one or the NV. Has anyone compared these to the Yakima Holdup or Thule T2?


Its a Sherpa, the repair stand can be added on to the Sherpa. The newest version is in the second set of pics in the thread (the one that has the quick release for the rack tilt)

I have one, its fantastic, and works great for our 2 XC bikes.


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## smoovranger (Mar 22, 2010)

Thinking about the Sherpa.

I've got a Kia Sedona (minivan) and an F150 currently but may be replacing the truck with a compact sub-compact hatchback. I'm curious about opening the hatch/backdoor or dropping the tailgate with two 29'ers loaded and the rack dropped down.

Any thoughts?


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## BigRuckus (Jun 5, 2010)

smoovranger said:


> Thinking about the Sherpa.
> 
> I've got a Kia Sedona (minivan) and an F150 currently but may be replacing the truck with a compact sub-compact hatchback. I'm curious about opening the hatch/backdoor or dropping the tailgate with two 29'ers loaded and the rack dropped down.
> 
> Any thoughts?


I can't speak for your specific vehicles, but I have a VW Tiguan and I can open the lift-up hatchback with my two 29ers loaded and the Sherpa tilted back with plenty of clearance. The rack and bikes tilt at what I would guess as a 45 degree angle.


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## nspace (May 25, 2006)

Just got rear ended last week on the way home from work. The Sherpa cracked in half but saved my bumper. Unfortunately when the rack cracked it got pushed forward and the arms smashed into my back hatch. $1900 worth of damage + the Kuat. RIP Sherpa.

I guess this is a good time to put in my long term review:

The rack works great. Loved the tilting mechanism. It seems pretty stable overall and in owning 7 bikes, I haven't had one bike that it didn't fit. I can get in an out of my hatch with ease. Aesthetically its great, definitely matches my car. Used this rack for about a season and a half before the accident.

Some things I did encounter / suggestions:

- Bolts need to be tightened up a couple times during the year to prevent play

- Stickers did not last very long (this doesn't bug me), but it starts looking crusty and bad until you remove them

- The bright anodizing faded after about a season, its very faint now

- Had to replace two of the ratchet arms because they jammed up, thankfully Kuat was easy to deal with and sent me new arms (albeit the wrong arm direction one of the times, but I was able to disassemble and transfer the internals from one to another)

- The locking pin could use a rubber cap of some sort. I use my rack ALL the time, and I guess road debris has plugged up the lock. Despite a lot of penetrating oil, I can no longer get the key to work on the pin and the rack is essentially permanently attached to my car until I can cut the pin off...or find a way to unlock it!

The question is...would I do it all over again? Yes, I just ordered a brand new Kuat. No idea if they have made any revisions? We'll see.


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## smoovranger (Mar 22, 2010)

I ordered one a couple of months ago and discovered that the Sherpa can no longer accept the NV's bike rack as an add on. They removed the hole that the bike rack would slide into. I called Kuat and said they made the change this spring.


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## nspace (May 25, 2006)

That is kind of lame. I guess they did to differentiate it more from the NV so that if people really wanted the rack they would go for the NV?

Since I bought my first Sherpa, I have moved into a high rise. Not having a lot of space to work or store things, I was actually strongly considering adding the bike stand. That kind of sucks.


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## RS4Dreamer (Oct 24, 2007)

WARNING about cable lock provided:
http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/warning-kuat-sherpa-rack-cable-lock-failure-823048.html


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## RS4Dreamer (Oct 24, 2007)

Double Post.


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## kclyburn (Jan 16, 2008)

jlang002 said:


> Yup. Avoid the sherpa if you drive a vw gti or a car with an exhaust in a similar position. My exhaust has put a hurtin' on the tray closest to the exhaust. I can't keep the plastic wheel insert in it when it's not being used and in the upright position, it's already been warped a little bit.


Thanks for the warning. What hitch rack would you recommend with a 2013 VW GTI, dual exhaust? Thanks!


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## pdon (Oct 24, 2013)

can anyone comment on the ground clearance/platform height of the NV racks.

I read somewhere the NV sits a little bit higher off the ground than the NV Core.
How does the Sherpa compare.

I live in an urban area and looking for the rack that keeps the a tad higher.

I am aware this relies on the height of my hitch partially.


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## desertred (Jun 9, 2010)

Actually, the NV Core should sit higher than the NV, as the tongue of the Core has a three inch curve built into it. The tongue for the NV comes straight out of the receiver. The Sherpa has a curved tongue similar (if not the same) as the Core. The trays of the NV and Sherpa are spaced 13 inches apart, where the Core's are spaced 10.5 inches apart. This may be important for low clearance vehicles when ascending hills, as longer hitch mounted racks will tend to scrape the ground at the back end over shorter length racks. Of course, shorter spacing between trays may provide a bit more interference from adjacent bikes.


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## pdon (Oct 24, 2013)

desertred said:


> Actually, the NV Core should sit higher than the NV, as the tongue of the Core has a three inch curve built into it. The tongue for the NV comes straight out of the receiver. The Sherpa has a curved tongue similar (if not the same) as the Core. The trays of the NV and Sherpa are spaced 13 inches apart, where the Core's are spaced 10.5 inches apart. This may be important for low clearance vehicles when ascending hills, as longer hitch mounted racks will tend to scrape the ground at the back end over shorter length racks. Of course, shorter spacing between trays may provide a bit more interference from adjacent bikes.


Awesome, thanks a lot for the input. I'm worried if i ever get rear ended (god forbid), would be nice to have the bike a tiny bit higher.

Im comparing the NV/Sherpa against the 1up usa rack. The 1 Up keeps the bike really close to the trunk which is nice


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## bakracer (Feb 17, 2013)

Kuat Sherpa Rack. When I first purchased it and installed it, I thought it had a slight tilt to it. I thought maybe it was normal, but I've had a few people comment on it. I want some opinions before I contact Kuat. 
When it is in the middle position, the right side sits about 3/4" closer to the bumper (both measurements taken from 16" from middle), I assume this is due to whatever makes the rack appear tilted in the stowed position. The rack sits level when the rack is in the use (middle) position.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks


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## Rock (Jan 13, 2004)

Mine wiggles a bit at the pivot/tilt mechanism, but definitely sits square from the back and the top. 

Are you sure your receiver hitch is not crooked?


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## bakracer (Feb 17, 2013)

Rock said:


> Are you sure your receiver hitch is not crooked?


I'm quite sure that it is not my receiver that is off. The Thule that I had prior to this sat level. Also, the rack sits level when it's in the middle position (when the bikes would be on it, see picture above), but driver side of the rack sits closer to the bumper than the passenger side. I'm going to see if I can check it on a friend's truck to see if I get the same result, to double verify. I have a pretty good feeling it's not the receiver.


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## Kbarrette (Mar 16, 2013)

I just bought one two weeks ago and it sits flat folded up and with bikes on it. Might be a good idea to check on your friends car. Also, how tight are you cranking the knob on the receiver? I find that if you bounce the rack up and down a couple times while tightening the slack knob, it settles level. If you just crank it and leave it, it sits a bit cockeyed 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## bakracer (Feb 17, 2013)

Kbarrette said:


> I find that if you bounce the rack up and down a couple times while tightening the slack knob, it settles level. If you just crank it and leave it, it sits a bit cockeyed


I have done that as well. I tried doing it multiple times, hoping that it was that I hadn't got it to seat correctly. This "lean" is the result I have gotten every time. Going to see if I can get my buddy to head over tonight.


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## bakracer (Feb 17, 2013)

Issue resolved.


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## Ryan Willden (Aug 3, 2015)

How did you resolve it? I have the same issue.


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## bakracer (Feb 17, 2013)

I ended up loosening every bolt and re-tightening them while applying pressure while in the hitch to where I found it square with the car. I'm pretty OCD and I was happy with it after doing that.


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## LiquidSpin (Mar 26, 2012)

I just ordered the Kuat Sherpa. Kinda curious but how does it hold up with different weather conditions over time?

I currently have the Saris Freedom rack and over time the bolts have rusted but other than that the Saris rack is fine. When I called Saris they recommended that I take the rack off every use. To be honest I didn't like the sound of that. I'm sure most of us keep it on for extended periods of time in rain, snow and hot weather. 

So, yeah how does the Kuat racks hold up over time in different weather conditions?


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