A mechanism for attaching a bike rack to a vehicle including a support member located behind an exterior wall of the vehicle. An attachment assembly, including a receiver operative to move between the first, stowed position any second, use position is connected to the support member. The exterior wall includes a removable portion wherein upon removal provides access to the attachment assembly. Once the removable portion is removed, the attachment assembly, including the receiver is moved from the first, stowed position to the second, use position wherein the bike rack then connects to the receiver. Additionally, the removable portion may include a detachable license plate bracket, which upon being detached from the vehicle, can be mounted to the rear of a bike rack. Sensors are mounted on the license plate bracket to allow for a functional back-up or park assist when the bike rack is attached to rear of the vehicle.