Papa Zook's TG Rake Kit Review..

[consitter]

Last month, I bought a rake kit from Papa Zook, and had it installed on my triglide. It was out of desperation that I did it. I was having so much problem with my shoulders getting sore after rides (even just rides of 20 miles or so), then developing tension headaches as well, that I was considering selling it. The only thing that kept me from it was that my special needs daughter LOVES to ride, and I didn't want to take that away from her. She needs the more stable platform of a trike to be able to ride, or I would have just traded for an ultra glide.

So for the last two years, I've just basically put up with it. Then I read in Papa Zook's signature area talking about sore shoulders, and that a rake kit was a sure fire cure. I called him and bought one. It has been a God send to me. I've ridden about 600 miles total since it's been installed, including a day where I rode 200 miles, and I'm yet to have any shoulder pain. It's nice to come home after riding and not be hurting and then get a headache. It reminds me of having power steering. At road speed, going around curves, it takes about half the effort to steer. At low speed on parking lots or just doing a 180, there's about a 80-90% reduction in effort. I can literally steer with one hand at low speed. It's really amazing to me. The more I ride, the happier I am.

You don't have a need for the dampener anymore to prevent headshake, and that in itself takes away some of the effort it needs to steer. However, DO NOT remove the dampener and try to ride without being properly raked, or the resulting headshake during deceleration at high speeds will end up getting you killed! I have not experienced any headshake whatsoever, and I've even taken my hands off the handlebars during deceleration at highway speed to test it out. I don't recommend trying that however. My mechanic tightened everything to HHI specs for a trike to prevent headshake from happening.

The only modification that had to be done were the rear brake reservoir had to be moved a couple of inches down closer to the crash bar. Also the brake lines had to be mounted back with what the mechanic described as a half inch 'block' added to give them clearance so they wouldn't contact the new triple tree when turning. I suspect that both of these will be eliminated, because HHI is using my old triple trees to make a 'match' for the Triglide triple trees with the correct angle, so the clearance will be the same as they were from stock...is that correct Zook?

This is the best way I can describe the experience of having the rake kit...it is much more like riding a two wheeler in that when going around curves, you aren't fighting with the handlebars. (By the way, I've had a DK lift kit since nearly day one, and it didn't help me a whole lot--no offense, Kevin.) Of course you still have the centrifugal force a trike has, but not the concentration of the push-pull like you have when it's stock.

Any questions? Just shoot if you do...

Order Papa Zook's TriGlide rake kit from his shop Cut N Shoot Customs HERE.

 

[consitter]

Bill, you really ought to consider getting a rake kit off of Zook. It will completely change your riding experience.

 

[Papa Zook]

Okay...here’s a couple of pics. Me sitting on the bike, and what the bars look like. Hey Fuzzy...if the pics are in the wrong direction, please fix them for me.

View attachment 70114View attachment 70115

Scott, you know you could rotate your bars back a couple of inches if you want them a bit closer. I've also got 10" batwing apes on mine and I moved them back after I rode with them in the same position as yours for a while.

 

[1dn5up]

No more for you two !

Elbows need to be bent , otherwise you will be reaching forward causing shoulder blade pain :Shrug:

 

[consitter]

Rode about 80 miles yesterday with my lower back injured. Before the rake kit was installed, that would have been an impossibility. Hard to believe changing the angle a few degrees makes in how my trike handles, and makes it so much easier to steer!

 

[consitter]

Question ... does the front end feel "lite", almost like sometimes it "floats" ... my 08 Gold Wing with the Champion kit and 6* rake felt like it could float ... but ... it never felt unsafe, and I did kind of get used too it. I'm not a big 100 mile an hour with any hair on fire kind of guy ... and in the twists ... I tend to take in the scenery ... instead of testing my skills ... LOL.

If you’re asking if you can feel the road, yes. Reminds me of riding a two wheeler in that regard. Like when you’re on a gravel road for example. But it feels solid at highway speed.

Does that answer your question?

 

[Papa Zook]

Question ... does the front end feel "lite", almost like sometimes it "floats" ... my 08 Gold Wing with the Champion kit and 6* rake felt like it could float ... but ... it never felt unsafe, and I did kind of get used too it. I'm not a big 100 mile an hour with any hair on fire kind of guy ... and in the twists ... I tend to take in the scenery ... instead of testing my skills ... LOL.

Alan,

No comparison between the two. A Champion GL1800 trike with a +6 degree rake kit is much more sensitive than a Tri Glide with a +5 degree rake kit. The Champion is best suited for a 4 degree as a 6 degree makes them really light or floating as you call it. This is because they are much shorter and narrower than the longer, wider independent suspension GL1800 Roadsmith, CSC and Hannigan conversions which offers completely different handling dynamics.

The Tri Glide handles and tracks much the same as stock, the only difference being it is just easier to steer, but you will not hear anyone who has installed one say that the front end floats or is overly sensitive.

 

[Papa Zook]

Okay ... I'll start saving for the kit ... even if I gotta haul it to Texas to get it done ...

If its not the best mod you've ever added to your TriGlide I will give it to you for free. How's that for a guarantee?

 

[consitter]

If its not the best mod you've ever added to your TriGlide I will give it to you for free. How's that for a guarantee?

Dang...I shoulda kept my mouth shut...:cxtv:

 

[David357]

Excellent thread, Scott.

:goodjob:

 

[consitter]

It's been a little over a month since the install of Papa Zook's rake kit, and about 1200 miles of riding on all types of road from interstate to twisties to gravel roads. In all environments, it's much easier to steer. I can take sweeping curves faster than I could before because I'm not 'fighting' to push/pull the handlebars.

As far as headshake, it's only happened twice, and both times was at low speed. The first time, I was on a parking lot backing into a space, and I was using one hand as I was turning from a right hand to straightening it up. And it wasn't severe at all. Second time I was turning off a bridge onto an off ramp, and it did it for about a second, then corrected itself without me having to do anything. Other than that, I can't get it to do it. I've even tried decelerating with my hands just off the bars, and it hasn't happened.

As of this minute, this is the best mod I've ever done to my trike. Second to that has been putting on the trike mid step to make it easier for my daughter to climb on. Unwittingly, it made it much easier for me to climb on as well.

The rake kit has made it a pleasure to ride my Tri Glide again. I'd all but given up hope. Thanks to Zook for telling me about this!

 

[Papa Zook]

It's been a little over a month since the install of Papa Zook's rake kit, and about 1200 miles of riding on all types of road from interstate to twisties to gravel roads. In all environments, it's much easier to steer. I can take sweeping curves faster than I could before because I'm not 'fighting' to push/pull the handlebars.

As far as headshake, it's only happened twice, and both times was at low speed. The first time, I was on a parking lot backing into a space, and I was using one hand as I was turning from a right hand to straightening it up. And it wasn't severe at all. Second time I was turning off a bridge onto an off ramp, and it did it for about a second, then corrected itself without me having to do anything. Other than that, I can't get it to do it. I've even tried decelerating with my hands just off the bars, and it hasn't happened.

As of this minute, this is the best mod I've ever done to my trike. Second to that has been putting on the trike mid step to make it easier for my daughter to climb on. Unwittingly, it made it much easier for me to climb on as well.

The rake kit has made it a pleasure to ride my Tri Glide again. I'd all but given up hope. Thanks to Zook for telling me about this!

Scott, backing up and using one hand it may happen so use both hands. If it does it while turning and de-celling you need to add some torque to the steering stem. I just did some testing on a TriGlide with our rake kit and I now recommend 40 ft lbs of torque on every TriGlide install.

 

[consitter]

Scott, backing up and using one hand it may happen so use both hands. If it does it while turning and de-celling you need to add some torque to the steering stem. I just did some testing on a TriGlide with our rake kit and I now recommend 40 ft lbs of torque on every TriGlide install.

Thanks for the advice. I’ll have the mechanic re-torque it when I take it in to have the Zook reverse installed.

 

[Philip R]

Great Investment

Picked up the trike after installing Zooks rake kit & 12" bars. All I can say about the rake kit it "WOW!". It made a big difference in steering. It's well worth the $. :clapping:

 

[Papa Zook]

This is every trike I convert and it's been hundreds of them in the last 12 years. The first one was scary, but its routine now. I suggest you hire an experienced HD mechanic to do your triple tree swap, but If you are going to do the swap yourself, just pay attention to where every wire and cable goes and the exact route it takes, take pictures and label the plugs and it will make reassembly much easier. If you bought or are buying a rake kit from me and you or your mechanic has a question, call or text me at 346-800-7946.

 

[Gorilla]

Good Choice

Randy (Papa Zook) (CUT-N-SHOOT CUSTOMS) asked me to do an honest review of the rake kit he sells that I installed on my 2013 Tri-Glide. After mods ROAD TRI-GLIDE

This request was made after I had already committed to purchasing it so there is no incentive to give anything but a fair review.

First I would like to give you a basis for what my Tri-Glide is like. I ride solo most of the time and I weigh in at 210lbs.

I purchased it new in August of 2013. I had the dealer install a factory S.E. 110 motor before I even took delivery.

I run a 21in front tire with 18 in tires on the rear all on Performance Machine (PM) wheels.

I then installed a TTS 100 cam and a TTS self-tuner. I did a road tune. A good low end torque cam is the way to go.

I also changed the front sprocket to a 32 tooth to improve overall performance. I can pull a 7% grade in 5 gear at 50 mph on cruise control with no loss of speed. Same grade in 6[SUP]th[/SUP] gear at 65 mph with no loss of speed. That’s at 2400 to 2600 RPM’s.

I have a Vance and Hines true dual exhaust. All though a 2-1-2 would be better according to most experts.

For improved cooling I installed Love Jugs (From Randy) a remote relocation oil filter, 1.5 gas tank lift kit (from DK) and removed left side HD heat deflector.

I also installed Progressive 414 coil over shocks (13in) along with the standard shock lift kit. I had previous experience with these shocks on my 2007 Street Glide with a Champion conversion done in 2009. Coil over shocks is the way to go for a great ride. See DK Customs for the current suggested mod in this area.

The ride and steering with my setup is very good and I really had no complaints about heavy steering before I installed the rake kit. The 21in front rim and the rear shocks and with lift kit gave the trike a 1 in higher seat height. I rode this way for about 50k miles.

I installed Randy’s rake kit 3 weeks ago and am currently on a long road trip up here in the Smokie Mountains from Key Largo Fl. The ride up here on both expressway and secondary roads was VERY MUCH noticeably SMOOTHER. I contribute this to a slightly longer wheel base and the greater angle that the front legs have due to the increased angle of the triple trees. The steering on these roads is only slightly improved over the original improvement that the 21 in tire and rear lift provided. The steering is light and very stable.

I did a 150 mile all twisty ride today. Even did the Dragon twice once each way. The steering is easier than previously without the rake kit, but with that kind of road it still requires effort to get it down the road. Steering effort below 25/30 mph is really improved. At higher speeds on very tight turns effort is required and to compare is hard. But like I mentioned previously ride quality is much better. Over all a noticeable improvement over stock trees. On a stock trike I would expect the improvement to be even more noticeable.

I would recommend this change to anyone looking to improve the steering/ride of their TRI-GLIDE.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Randy (Papa Zook) (CUT-N-SHOOT CUSTOMS)

I would recommend this change to anyone looking to improve the steering/ride of their TRI-GLIDE.

Did you do the install yourself? I am not worried about the mechanical, but I am concerned I'll pinch a wire or some silly electrical issue ... Me and trinity are not friends.

If you did not do the install yourself, would you mind giving me an idea what your installer charged to do it?

I just did 1500 miles on fairly twisting roads and mountainous ... and I'm not sure I need this ... although, I didn't think I needed the mighty mites and I was wrong about that ... :blush:

 

[Gorilla]

Did you do the install yourself? I am not worried about the mechanical, but I am concerned I'll pinch a wire or some silly electrical issue ... Me and trinity are not friends.

If you did not do the install yourself, would you mind giving me an idea what your installer charged to do it?

I just did 1500 miles on fairly twisting roads and mountainous ... and I'm not sure I need this ... although, I didn't think I needed the mighty mites and I was wrong about that ... :blush:

Alan yes I did the install myself. The only thing I have not done myself on my trike is the 110 Motor Install. The install is not difficult. There is a way to lean the inner fairing forward enough to allow access to the top of the forks on a TRI-Glide. If you can figure that out then most of the wiring can remain attached. I am just not sure there is room to remove the stem nut to change the trees. If not then removing the inner fairing would be required. It's not hard just time consuming. Or you can go see Randy and pay him to do it.

You, like me, may not think you need it, but I can say without reservation I am very glad I did. The over all ride difference is great.

 

[mike51]

Thumbs up to Papa Zooks rake kit

About 3 weeks ago I had a rake kit from Papa Zook's put on my '14 Tri Glide, the difference in my steering is amazing. I live in West Virginia, and almost all the roads I ride are crooked and hilly, so a steering improvement is really appreciated. If I ever buy a new Trike I am going to have his rake kit put on it before it leaves the shop, warranty be damned.

This is hands down the best investment I have made in my Tri Glide. I would also like to give kudos to Randy. His customer service was excellent. I spoke to him several times before taking the plunge and he always took time to answer all my questions and offered his help anytime I needed it (I had a shop put it on). I would highly recommend anyone buy their rake kit from Zook.

 

[papitboss]

Changing the riding experience with Zook's rake kit

At the beginning of September I took the plunge and purchased a silver fusion and black 2019 Tri Glide at my local Harley shop. After reading all the reviews from other members about Papa Zook's rake kits I decided to give him a call. It was a pleasure talking with him. He answered all my questions and assured me I would not be disappointed if I decided to purchase the rake kit. Well I decided to make the purchase and it was the best money I ever spent.

See, I traded my 2014 Tri Glide to purchase the 19 so I have first hand experience in the differences in the steering. With the rake kit on the 19 and 2 +2 handle bars it literally feels like power steering. If anyone is considering making this upgrade to their Tri Glide don't hesitate, call Papa Zook and experience his great customer service, knowledge and the quality products he carries.