EZ Steer Kit needed or not???

[JSwaz]

Took my "new to me" 96 Royal Star - Motor Trike to a Motor Trike dealer. They told me I NEED a EZ-Steer kit. Cannot find one yet for that old bike and told me if they did I would be looking at just under $2000 installed. I really do not want to put that kind of money into that old of a bike. Please share your opinions so I have some idea what I might do. Right no I am thinking about selling this and just to get out from having to spend that kind of money.

Thank you for your time,
Jim

[Jonesy]

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I don't think who made your trike matters, its your bike that matters when it comes to which rake kit you need. I have a venture without one and I don't think I'll ever get one. Besides $2000 is way out of a price to do it. To get one $600 to $1000, and I'd do it myself.

[americanbadass]

That is a rediculous amount of money to pay for EZ kit installed. If you can steer the bike ok-don't worry about it. If you have good arm strength -you should be ok! I am not putting one on my RoadKING that I am in the process of triking. I have 20 inch upper arms and still pump iron-so if I can't wrangle the front end of a trike. I should give up I guess! Good luck-oh and talk to our fearless leader BAZOOKA, he could get you a sweet deal on the EZ kit.<img src="images/smilies/thumbup.gif" border="0" alt="" title="" class="inlineimg" />

[JSwaz]

This is an interesting place. I am learning a lot and no bull answers like this are what has me staying on. Thank you !!! More opinions are welcome. I have much to learn from all your input.<br />
<br />
Thank you,<br />
Jim

[Ragtop69gs]

We have the ez steer on ours and I like it. I have not ridden one without a rake kit so I can't give an honest comparison.

[americanbadass]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Bob Witte</strong>
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<div class="message">We built a number of Trinity Trike big twins, both metric and HD. Only one owner deemed it necessary to rake (and that was because of an upper body disability). Granted, the Trinity (now Yelvington) designs are much lighter than most, but even so, there's a couple things anybody can do to improve the steering.<br />
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First service your front end making sure everything's in good shape, well oiled and tight. Make sure that the front tire has it's max rated pressure. And one sure cure is to install wide handlebars if you don't have them already. Moving your hands out several inches will markedly improve your mechanical advantage and facilitate the &quot;push-pull&quot; technique that works best for trikes. Give it a shot.</div>

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</div>Good stuff Bob, great and logical suggestions!<img src="images/smilies/grin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="big grin" class="inlineimg" />

[DanDolfn]

I had a Road King triked and got it without the rake kit.<br />
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It steers like I remember manual steering on cars before power steering. It's certainly do-able and I've gotten used to it, but then again, it's a fair bit of work thru turns at any kind of speed.<br />
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I just ordered a rake kit from Zook and it will arrive at my mechanic's shop on Monday.<br />
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He's going to charge me less than $300 to install it.<br />
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If you want the rake kit, I'd find another dealer and/or mechanic. <br />
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I'll let you know next week whether I think the $1000 (not $2000!) was worth it.

[JSwaz]

Well, verified the price is high and the need is as much a preference as anything if you have the where withal to steer it without the rake kit. I found it be different but I would not have called it difficult. I might have used the term cumbersome compared to my two wheeler. Since I am not a moron I had expected a learning curve so looks like I just keep learning. Great advice, thank you ALL !

[saab9k]

Installing one on my 2007 roadstar now. not complicated, just time.

about 2 - 3 hr job

[pastence]

Iam doing a steer right on mine

[steamer]

Try handle bar risers. I installed a set of 1 1/2" risers on my RSV, seems to help some.

[Marc H]

If you don't have a problem with the steering effort leave it alone.No sense fixing what ain't broke.With that said they are way high on price.I want to think the older royal stars like you have has some front end parts that interchange with the roadstar and they are easy to find raked trees for.Might ask on one of these forums if noone here knows for sure.http://forums.delphiforums.com/1602/?
http://forums.delphiforums.com/royalstar

[Yogisan]

I had a similar issue with my '07 Suzuki Lehman Jackal. No one made a raked tree for Suzuki's. Then I found Steerite. You send them your stock tree, they rake it and send it back. You or your mech can do the install. Not only did I get the raked tree but my stock hardware bolted on just like the old tree was there. The only additional thing I did was add 2-inch fork tube extensions to return the front of the trike to its normal height. Steering is much easier with the raked tree. It's been working fine for about 2 years now. The tree rake cost around $875 plus some extra for shipping.

[skuuter]

Raked Trees are not just about the ability to "muscle" the Frontend left and right easier. Rake Kits on Trikes also make the Frontend react much quicker on very twisty roads that have You transitioning one corner as soon as You complete the last one. If You live in "some" parts of the USA and Other Countries that don't have very twisty Country and Mountain Roads, Stock Rake might be "OK", but if given Equal Riders and Trikes on (as an example) Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Northern Georgia Mountain Roads where lots of Them have 20 to 35 curves per mile, the Raked Trike will be simply ride off from the Stock Raked Trike. It takes less Handlebar Travel and Effort to complete a corner with Raked Trees.

Before Raked Trees on my Trike, I had to slow way below the speeds I was used to when entering/exiting corners...after installing Raked Trees, I can ride into and out of corners faster than I can complete them on a Cruiser. Also, You gain better response over Bumps and Potholes....the List goes on. Raked Trees offer several Benefits to Trikes......

[Cougar]

You don't add it now, you will later :-)

[yooteeayud]

You don't add it now, you will later :-)

+1...I concur...the ONLY way to go, but YMMV.

[the paparazzi]

I agree with Cougar... I have riden with and without, I would not do without.

Oops........Didn't realize this was an old thread..

[Pegasus1300]

If you have the 150 by 16 tire on the front of your 96 RS then swap it out for a 130 by 16. There will be quite a bit of reduction in the steering effort. If you can find one in that size use a rear tires up front as it has a greater load carrying ability and more rubber for longer wear. Opps I too should have looked at the original date.