Rake and Shoulder Surgery

[Strohkr]

Howdy Trikers!

Need a bit of help - I have a 2013 Tri-Glide w/the lift kit installed along with 14" apes that I have pulled back a little in order to meet my short arms - they actually work great - at least up until now anyway.

I had shoulder surgery (rotator cuff and tendons) over the winter and the doc says that I may not be able to ride my Tri this summer b/c of the turning issue which may screw up my surgery. Well, not wanting to do either (screw up my surgery or not be able to ride my Trike) some have said that I should look into changing the rake to make it easier to turn. Great idea if it actually works!

I currently have the stock rake and have read somewhere sometime that Zook has aftermarket triple trees that add a degree of rake to the Tri thus making it easier to turn.

Few questions:

Does the added rake REALLY make that much of a difference over stock? Am I going to actually notice the difference?

Unfortunately I'm not a wrench so I'd have to have my dealer do the installation for me so I'm wondering how much (big) of a process this might wind up being and if it's going to be worth it in the end.:Shrug:

How does one get ahold of Zook for more information?

Thanks much!! I appreciate any comments you may have since I sure as the devil don't want to waste a summer by not being able to ride - you never know how many summers you are going to have left when you start getting older than dirt!:xzqxz:

Tri-Glider

 

[HDB0B]

My friend put new wheels on his. The larger front rim diameter coupled with the change in tire profile made it easier to turn.
He also has the shock bracket lift.

 

[geezerglide11441]

Howdy Trikers!

Need a bit of help - I have a 2013 Tri-Glide w/the lift kit installed along with 14" apes that I have pulled back a little in order to meet my short arms - they actually work great - at least up until now anyway.

I had shoulder surgery (rotator cuff and tendons) over the winter and the doc says that I may not be able to ride my Tri this summer b/c of the turning issue which may screw up my surgery. Well, not wanting to do either (screw up my surgery or not be able to ride my Trike) some have said that I should look into changing the rake to make it easier to turn. Great idea if it actually works!

I currently have the stock rake and have read somewhere sometime that Zook has aftermarket triple trees that add a degree of rake to the Tri thus making it easier to turn.

Few questions:

Does the added rake REALLY make that much of a difference over stock? Am I going to actually notice the difference?

Unfortunately I'm not a wrench so I'd have to have my dealer do the installation for me so I'm wondering how much (big) of a process this might wind up being and if it's going to be worth it in the end.:Shrug:

How does one get ahold of Zook for more information?

Thanks much!! I appreciate any comments you may have since I sure as the devil don't want to waste a summer by not being able to ride - you never know how many summers you are going to have left when you start getting older than dirt!:xzqxz:

Tri-Glider

I would think the rake kit might make the Trike handle a little easier on the highway or in long sweeping turns, but in town or at low speeds where you are turning a tighter radius I would think the additional rake would be harder on your shoulders. A riding friend had a similar problem and installed the rake kit and he is in agreement with me on the issue - i.e. a slightly better handling on the highway but little more difficult to make tight turns. I personally would never go there!!!! However, others that have installed the raked trees my offer a different prospective.

Roger

 

[clint44]

My friend put new wheels on his. The larger front rim diameter coupled with the change in tire profile made it easier to turn.

He also has the shock bracket lift.

View attachment 35075

I've seen that guy posting in a couple of TriGlide owners groups on Facebook. Nice trike!

IIRC,it has an 21" front and 18" rear wheels.

- - - Updated - - -

I would think the rake kit might make the Trike handle a little easier on the highway or in long sweeping turns, but in town or at low speeds where you are turning a tighter radius I would think the additional rake would be harder on your shoulders.

A riding friend had a similar problem and installed the rake kit and he is in agreement with me on the issue - i.e. a slightly better handling on the highway but little more difficult to make tight turns. I personally would never go there!!!! However, others that have installed the raked trees my offer a different prospective.

Roger

Just adding rake angle without altering the trail will increase steering effort. Most trike trees have less trail machined into them to help decrease effort.

I installed KewlMetal 15deg trike trees on our Boss Hoss and they felt like power steering,along with totally eliminating steering shake. The raked out front end looked cool,too.

Zook can sell you trees that will definitely reduce steering effort on your TriGlides.

 

[Papa Zook]

I would think the rake kit might make the Trike handle a little easier on the highway or in long sweeping turns, but in town or at low speeds where you are turning a tighter radius I would think the additional rake would be harder on your shoulders.

A riding friend had a similar problem and installed the rake kit and he is in agreement with me on the issue - i.e. a slightly better handling on the highway but little more difficult to make tight turns. I personally would never go there!!!! However, others that have installed the raked trees my offer a different prospective.

Roger

Roger,

Thanks for you input, but I feel I need to respond to this.

I dont know what kind of trike your friend has and what rake kit he installed or who installed it, but the proper rake kit, with the proper install, is definitely not harder on the shoulders, its much easier on the shoulders at any speed. If it made it harder the installer got something wrong, either over torqued, didnt change the races, something. I've sold hundreds of rake kits over the years to members here and at my shop and I have never once had anyone complain of it being harder to steer at any speed, but just the opposite.

As far as more difficult to make tight turns, that would be due to the overall length of the trike being slightly longer, so yes the turning radius is larger but not by any significant amount, particularly on the triglide. The stock triglide rake is 3 degrees and the sweet spot is 5 degrees so 2 degrees has little effect on turn radius but a pretty significant effect on ease of steering. Not trying to sound like THE rake guru, but I have a lot of experience with rakes of all kinds and on almost every imaginable trike except the home-builts and leading link forks.

Do a search for 'rake' using this forum's search tool and sit back with a big bowl of popcorn because you will be reading for a couple of days...

 

[clint44]

This might help explain things. http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/4125/mngr/rake-and-trail-explained.aspx

Manipulating Rake & Trail
As a general rule as Rake increases so does Trail, but there are times when more or less of either is desirable for a given application. Fortunately, you can adjust either dimension separately. Most motorcycles have their fork tubes placed at some distance from the steering stem, this is known as Offset and it allows the frame designer to move the wheel forward or backward in relation to the steering stem, thereby increasing or decreasing the amount of Trail.

The bottom line here is that the more Rake and Trail we have the more stable the bike will become, although both steering and maneuverability may suffer for it. Conversely, when Rake and Trail are reduced, the bike will steer quicker and become more maneuverable, though it’s usually at the expense of some stability.

 

[Sunman]

I purchased a rake kit from Zook several years ago for my GL1800 Motortrike conversion and it DID make it easier to steer at ALL speeds. When I had my conversion done I did not purchase the rake kit from MotorTrike because I didn't think I would need it. After riding the trike for a couple thousand miles I bought the rake kit from Zook and installed it myself. It was like power steering.

Sunman

 

[Gold Rush]

Know what folks? The proof is in the final outcome (easier steering at all speeds)......

We can discuss all these technical terms till the snow flies again but in the end we all have to agree the rake kits make steering easier. Which degree you choose to install is up to you and where you purchase you kit will make only slight differences. I have installed many of the kits Bazooka sells and every single one of them was perfect, the trike owners were thrilled, and I was happy to help their riding experience. What better testament to the product and it's effects could you possibly want?? :xszpv::xszpv:

 

[geezerglide11441]

Actually adding rake decreases the amount of trail which in turn decreases steering effort. Roger, Thanks for you input, but I feel I need to respond to this. I dont know what kind of trike your friend has and what rake kit he installed or who installed it, but the proper rake kit, with the proper install, is definitely not harder on the shoulders, its much easier on the shoulders at any speed. If it made it harder the installer got something wrong, either over torqued, didnt change the races, something. I've sold hundreds of rake kits over the years to members here and at my shop and I have never once had anyone complain of it being harder to steer at any speed, but just the opposite. As far as more difficult to make tight turns, that would be due to the overall length of the trike being slightly longer, so yes the turning radius is larger but not by any significant amount, particularly on the triglide. The stock triglide rake is 3 degrees and the sweet spot is 5 degrees so 2 degrees has little effect on turn radius but a pretty significant effect on ease of steering. Not trying to sound like THE rake guru, but I have a lot of experience with rakes of all kinds and on almost every imaginable trike except the home-builts and leading link forks. Do a search for 'rake' using this forum's search tool and sit back with a big bowl of popcorn because you will be reading for a couple of days...

Hi Bazooka! Just seen your response to my comments.

The rake kit was purchased from you, and the install was done by our local dealer tech who works on both of our bikes when I think something is more than I want to tackle, and a very good friend that has had his own business back East prior to coming to Bend, Oregon.

In short, he knows what he is doing!! I for one like the way my Trike handles the way it is and would not be interested in a rake kit at all. I was just expressing my friends situation. No harm, no foul!! Roger

 

[Papa Zook]

Hi Bazooka! Just seen your response to my comments. The rake kit was purchased from you, and the install was done by our local dealer tech who works on both of our bikes when I think something is more than I want to tackle, and a very good friend that has had his own business back East prior to coming to Bend, Oregon. In short, he knows what he is doing!! I for one like the way my Trike handles the way it is and would not be interested in a rake kit at all. I was just expressing my friends situation. No harm, no foul!! Roger

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