Anyone who did not rake their trike

[2ndchance]

If you did not rake your trike is it really hard to steer? Has anyone experience with and without a rake? Do you recommend a rake always.

 

[Illini_Triker]

When I bought my trike it did not have a kit it was like driving a log truck with 2 flat tires put in a 6 drg. Kit and now its like power steering. Would not have a Trike with out it

 

[ferg]

When I bought my trike it did not have a kit it was like driving a log truck with 2 flat tires put in a 6 drg. Kit and now its like power steering. Would not have a Trike with out it

I totally agree! The difference is like night and day.

 

[RoadKingTrike]

Yep, same here. Didn't have the rake kit installed with my conversion. Didn't take too many miles (200 or so) before I realized that the rake kit was needed to take the "work" out of riding. Makes all the difference.

 

[ol' school]

Totally agree. Rode a few w/o a rake kit. Absolutely made sure we had one installed when we built ours. Night and day difference for sure IMHO.

 

[Trikindan]

When I bought my trike it did not have a kit it was like driving a log truck with 2 flat tires put in a 6 drg. Kit and now its like power steering. Would not have a Trike with out it

ThumbUpThumbUp:Agree: Like night and day!!!

 

[Gorilla]

you will not know until you ride the same kind of trike with and without. Then you will know. Now if you want to accept all the experience from us old guys that have been there done that, It does make a difference. There are only 2 times would not recommend a rake, one if you are putting on the removable wheel kits (the converted 2 wheel can possibly get real squirrely when the kit is removed and it has been raked) and if there isn't a rake kit made for your application.

 

[oahe]

My GW w/ Motortrike kit & no rake steers easy as can be. I don't understand all the fuss!

 

[0pini0nated]

You will not know until you ride the same kind of trike with and without. Then you will know. Now if you want to accept all the experience from us old guys that have been there done that, It does make a difference.

My 1st trike was a used 2009 Sportster 1200C with a Lehman Raider trike kit, and only 3,200 miles. I was the 3rd owner, mainly because the first two owners bought on looks, not riding (or steering) qualities. The 1st owner traded it in with 76 miles on it! It was a bear to steer.

I bought / installed a 5° rake kit (through Zook TT.com) and it made it drivable. It wasn't "power steering" but it brought the steering effort down to a manageable level. On the down side, I had to constantly keep my hands on the handlebars or it would wander off-course. Also, it wobbled slightly, up to 8~10 MPH.

I always wondered why Lehman (and other kit manufacturers) didn't include different raked front fork clamps in their kits. It wasn't new technology ~ sidecar kits used them for years.

My new FLRT trike front fork geometry is much better (Harley's been at it since 1932.) Sure, it's a bit stiff to steer. But it rides like it's on rails, and I can take my hands off the handlebars occasionally.

 

[Larry Sobczak]

The rake makes steering more fluid.

 

[roadking2]

My Roadking with a Champion kit has a raked tree but when I was testing trikes to decide what I wanted, I tried one without a rake. From my point of view, the raked tree is well worth it. It definitely makes the steering easier. How much is a matter of interpretation, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone that has tried both that would tell you it didn't make a difference for the better.