Hi,

I just bought a second hand 2008 black Rocker C as my first motorcycle

The Rocker already has a V&H exhaust with Screamin cone filter and several other goodies. I am preparing to do major modifications all at once so ordered a 3" tank lift from DK customs and progressive rear shocks to lower it by 2".

Now a 240 tire is great to start with but once i knew the possibility of a 280, i just couldn't help myself! so i am preparing to order the RR kit from heartland along with 23"x3.5" front wheel. There is a wealth of info in this forum and I know now that i will need the Wide glide trees and in order to rake them, two options came up: Beachin 7 degree or AME 9 degree. Please assist me in the following:

1. Will I need to change the front axle so things are aligned? or i should just specify that i need a rocker wheel with WG hub? Am I missing anything in here?
2. How long should the forks be increased to have proper trail knowing the 2" rear drop and the (7 or 9) degree rake?

This is going to be a major $$ spend that I am being extra cautious about and would appreciate your input.

Fred.

 

You think being that it's your first bike you should get used to riding before you go doing any drastic changes? The 240 rear is already going to sacrifice handling... putting a 280 on is only going to make it worse for you. Try riding it for this season and keep the stuff you bought on the shelf for a while before doing any huge changes. And if you have no riding experience at all, take a safety course and make sure to ride with people who have been riding for a while.

 

Slow down Fred, which all of us here knows is hard to do. Ride your bike for a while 1st and carefully plan out what you want as a finished product. Then you talk to skilled people, mechanics and talk to them, tell them what you want. Don't go out buying random parts because as YOUR build grows, constantly, and you may have bought parts that don't match up with what you want as a finished product. If you have no plan, you will waste tons of time and money.

Here is my philosophy Fred, customizing a bike is an art. The bike is your canvas and you are the artist. You can't paint a picture if you don't see it in your mind completed before you make the 1st brush stroke, your art work will never be what you see in your minds eye.

EDIT: This will be my 4th year on this bike and I have 10's of thousands in it but I have had to do VERY little more than once. I did everything, a piece at a time to complete my art work so it ends up what I seen in my minds eye when I 1st started on it.

 

Fred... listen to what others are telling you here. You have just bought a bike with a huge *** tire already. Being that this is your first bike.... that's not a good thing. When you add a huge *** tire to the bike it makes it way more difficult to lean over in the corners. It has a tendency to sit straight up. My brother has a 250 on his bike and he has a hard time leaning it over in the twisties..... and he's been riding for 22 years. Fat *** tires look cool but the handling is diminished somewhat and for a new rider that equals trouble.

 

Thanks a lot guys for the sincere guidance. What you are saying makes sense, but I have been driving the bike for a couple of months now and feel confident...

Tbonetony, i resonate with your philsophy. As an architect for the past 19 years, that's exactly what i do in all my projects. For the Rocker i know what the final look will be and need to sort have to sort out the technicals...

It always has to be the ultimate or i won't bother

Fred

 

These are couple of pics i took with my mobile to show you what have been done so far.

I know many have gone through the route i intend to take and would appreciate your assistance.

Fred.

 

Another pic...

 

RIDING the bike Fred, Riding the bike hahahaha

 

Took a major *** whoppin when I took off on my 1st Harley in 1970, a 69 sportster, I was 13. They were actually 900cc then, brake on the right, shifter on the left. I have been riding ever since. Juts tryin to share the love Brother.

Know how many brands of cams and sizes there are? Valves? Push rods? Bearings? Air intake? Exhausts? Bore sizes, Headwork? Tuners and suspensions that are out there only to name a few? You might buy a top shelf product and a year later want or need to change something and the new part doesn't work well with everything else you already bought.

46 years riding, still learning. If I was ever going to build anything I would hope an architect would come along and talk me through it. I been in many buildings, over many bridges and through tons of tunnels but I couldn't tell you jack $hit on how to build them.

Most here will tell you, it's never over, its never done and its never complete. Ride safe Brother.

 

You can install 260 tire in the stock rear wheel. Spent a lot of money in a new rear kit to install only a 280 tire, is mucho money to win only 20mm.