I have a new Honda Element 05 (three months old).

I would like to install a Honda CRV or Pilot rear bumper guard. (a piece of tubular metal to protect people who park by touch bumping my car)

Anyone have any suggestions or ideas which hitch I should buy/install and from where?

Only a few different hitches available for the Element. Read through and do some searches and you will see the same ones posted about over and over.

I bought my hitch at U-haul for around $111 and installed it myself. I got my wiring harness from e-trailer.com

One option would be to use the Valley/U-Haul 2" hitch, and then insert a receiver step into the hitch. There are many different styles out there for purchase, here's an example.