Rake Q & A

[kenny81506]

How much rake on a Trike

I am putting a Frankenstein trike kit on my 2004 FXST. I am trying to decide what to do with the triple tree and forks. Fraankenstein suggests a 7 degree triple tree and use the stock forks to decrease the trail. Another place suggests a 9 1/2 degree with 6in. longer forks. Another place suggests 7 1/2 degree with 4 in. longer forks...

Any suggestions from someone with a trike?

 

[Nana]

Re: rake/trail

Kenny, First of all...Welcome to TrikeTalk!

Two of our member, Grimm and Pup have great looking Frankenstein trikes. Do a search for for any posts and pictures by those two. Click on their name and use "statistics" to find all their posts. You may also want to PM Bazooka as he is the resident rake guru.

 

[Pup]

Re: rake/trail

I'm far from an expert on rake, but I am truely loving the Frankenstein kit on my cross bones. I have a stock springer front end so it's hard for me to say what's right for your bike but I made absolutly no changes to the front end and the trike is great except for an occasional low speed (under 30 mph)wobble on bumpy roads. The slight part time wobble is not enough to make me rush out and spend big bucks on a raked front end. Grimm on the other hand rides a F stein Night Train and he has 7 degree trees and +4" tubes and he says he loves it that way. Here is a pic of both of our trikes... One extreme to another... Or variations on a theme... Hope this helps...

Pup

 

[Pup]

Re: rake/trail

One more and a link to more pics

http://www.triketalk.com/forum/harley-trikes/2823-frankenstein-trike-kit-softail-springer.html

 

[Maria]

Re: rake/trail

OK, here are two cents from a real newbie -- the Frankenstein kit on my Lowrider is just starting to be broken in. (as in, Sunday 5/23!)

Before I did the conversion, I read all I could find on a couple of forums. I found that every single person who did a conversion and then added a raked tree later said "why didn't I do this sooner" !!!

So I did the tree right from the beginning - it is the Frankenstein Dyna tree, I believe it is a 5* rake, and I kept the stock lower legs. However, I did inadvertently make a "custom" trike - I went with the "sport" 34" rear-end kit which is apparently usually used on a Sportster. It made installation of the rear-end a little trickier than the instructions implied. The tree install was a snap!!!

We also found that the Frankenstein guys are really helpful over the phone.

Hope this helps....

 

[Maria]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

If they set the steering head for a two-wheeler, the bars will be all over the place. Crank that sucker down to take out all of the "fall away" that you need on a two-wheeler, 'cause you don't need it. Then it will steer like a two-wheeler again! I have a 5-degree rake and no handling issues at all once we got that nut tightened down, handles just like it did before (maybe better)

 

[Comanche]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

Had never ridden a trike before, but was a long time motorcycle rider.

Have terrible shoulders with many dislocations and one shoulder was set wrong when broken in an accident.

I need help turning the trike and got a 5.5 degree kit with MPB risers. I am 71 and just finished a 1466 mile ride most of it in the twisties of Arkansas. A few weeks before that I road the sisters in the rain and the trike handled too sweetly.

It held the road during fast cornering on wet surfaces. I love my 5.5 degree kit.

That works for me.

 

[skuuter]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I put a 4.5 Rake Kit from forum owner Bazooka on my 2010 Gold Wing.....no way I would ever own one again without one. Stable as ever at High Speeds, even on the Interstate, and twice as "flickable" in the Twisties.....

 

[Muleskinner]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I've got on 06 Goldwing with a 6 degree rake on a Hannigan kit. 2" riser to level it back out. I live and ride all the time on Highway 7, in Arkansas, where all roads are twisties. I love the way my trike handles. No shake, wobble, or anything. I can take both hands off the bars and the trike just keeps going along smooth as silk.:wtg:

 

[Glenn]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

So as we look at rake we must ultimately look at trail. The purpose of raked trees is to reduce trail but not all trees are made equally. On the goldwing trike most builders will tell you that 2" is optimum trail. So how do we get there. On some bikes we just add more offset in the trees to reduce trail. On the goldwing however we run into a faring clearance issue, so we rake the trees. Most manufacturers leave the offset alone and just rake at will without calculating end trail numbers. Some more seasoned manufacturers look primarily at trail and design trees accordingly. When looking at raked trees ask the manufacturer what the final trail number will be, if they dont give you a solid answer then they probably havent done their homework.

Most of your 4 1/2* raked trees will get you in the 2.5" - 3" of trail, fine for most riding, not the optimum 2" though. 5 1/2* trees will put you in the 1.5" range if using stock offset on the top tree, again, fine if you dont mind a little sensitivey at highway speeds.

The Hannigan 6* trees mentioned befor have moved the offset back and have that perfect 2" trail number. If the rest of the trike is set up right then it should handle great at all speeds. Power steering without being over sensitive.

All said, dont just look at rake, look at what realy matters, TRAIL

Glenn

 

[trike lady]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

To me it is a matter of what the client feels comfortable with, I've had individuals who didn't want it, I've had some that wanted it but the demo trike they were on was 'Too quick' with steering and they didn't like it and then there are others who just want 'Light' steering. That means a game of 'Mix & Match' a conversions from this manufacturer and triple trees from another. That means I have to go to my 'Handy' (right now missing) list of the ones available from which manufacturers and get what the client wants.

 

[skuuter]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

My Trike is a 2010 1800 Gold Wing with a Motor Trike Adventurer IRS conversion on it. I opted for Motor Trike's 4.5 degree Rake Kit after riding a Friend's 2008 "Twin" to mine. Really works Great for me, no issues at any speed. While in the installation, I came up with a 2.25 Trail measurement....

 

[triwinggirl]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I have the ez steer It's like putting power steering on. without it the trike had a tendency to push the front tires foward until it caught and turned the trike. after istalling the raked 4.5 i believe ez steer no more trouble.

 

[Jenkinsrawhide]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

4.5 and EZ Steer on my 2008. No problems.

 

[Boscoporp]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I went ahead and got a 4.5 rake kit from Bazooka. I love it! It cost about a thousand dollars installed.

 

[TRIKERBOB69]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I went ahead and had a 4.5 rake kit installed. I love it. It cost about a thousand dollars.

yes. the best k you ever spent,,,:yes:

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I had my Champion built with their 4.5 rake.
Rides great, steers like I have power steering.
Wouldn't be with out it.

 

[Big_Steve]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I got my rake kit (6*) from this guy. Not sure the ones he makes for Valk would work for GW but wouldn't hurt to ask. He does amazing machining. Quite a bit of savings over the $900 trees. JMPO
Billet Triple Trees

6* sounds like a lot (?) did it make the handling squirrely at all?

 

[Smoken'JOE]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

6* sounds like a lot (?) did it make the handling squirrely at all?

I can wiggle the handle bars going 60mph and the bike just wiggles. Does not get crazy at all. But does changes lanes quickly. Very cool effect.
I would think 8* would be to much, but that's my opinion. Does handle very nicely in parking lots at slower speeds.
Side shot

Before shot

 

[Maria]

Re: How much rake on a Trike

I posted about it earlier, and didn't realize that I left off what I used - it's a 5* from Frankenstein - put it on at the same time we did the conversion. I did a lot of reading, and EVERY SINGLE post I read where someone put the rake on after not having it said, 'why did I wait so long'? So I didn't wait.... Like I think I said before, on the first test ride it was set up like a 2-wheeler, and it was ug-ly! all over the place and I gotta say I was downright scared that I'd done a bad thing by converting. <b>Then I remembered and we took the "fall away" out - there is no comparison.</b> Anything over about 25 mph and she handles pretty darn close to exactly the same as when she was on 2 wheels!