Rake and Fork Length
Rake and Fork Length
I am not very up to speed on Rake, Trail, and Fork length but I was always told that for every degree of rake (over stock), you should increase your fork length by one inch. Is that pretty much a rule of thumb?
I know there are other variables involved I'm just looking at parts and trying to determine what increasing the rake would cost me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I know there are other variables involved I'm just looking at parts and trying to determine what increasing the rake would cost me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 74
From: AB, Canada
If you google it, there are calculators out there for this sort of thing. Ride height and rear wheel size can play into it also.
This is how I would do it when designing a chopper on paper before building it.
This is how I would do it when designing a chopper on paper before building it.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,503
Likes: 3,729
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 4,384
Likes: 8,742
From: Texas
I am not very up to speed on Rake, Trail, and Fork length but I was always told that for every degree of rake (over stock), you should increase your fork length by one inch. Is that pretty much a rule of thumb?
I know there are other variables involved I'm just looking at parts and trying to determine what increasing the rake would cost me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I know there are other variables involved I'm just looking at parts and trying to determine what increasing the rake would cost me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Let me see if I can break this down a bit
Trail
Too little - handles well at low speed..., but induces wobble (unstable) at speed
Too much - poor handling at low speed..., sluggish handling at speed
Trail window is usually between 4 & 6"
=============================
All things remaining the same..., except what is specifically mentioned below
Rake
Can be set / adjusted via the head (requires cutting / welding / jig)
More neck rake = more trail..., less rake = less trail
Triple Tree Rake
More TT rake = less trail..., less rake = more trail
Triple clamp offset
More TC offset = less trail..., less TC offset = more trail
Fork Tube length
Longer forks tube = less trail..., shorter forks = more trail
Changing fork tube length btw..., has the least affect on trail
==========
No it isn't 1" for 1"
What bike you looking to mod
What exactly are you trying to accomplish (looks / handling / comfort)
Ghost
Last edited by Ghost_13; Jan 22, 2018 at 01:38 AM.
Hey Mac
Let me see if I can break this down a bit
Trail
Too little - handles well at low speed..., but induces wobble (unstable) at speed
Too much - poor handling at low speed..., sluggish handling at speed
Trail window is usually between 4 & 6"
=============================
All things remaining the same..., except what is specifically mentioned below
Rake
Can be set / adjusted via the head (requires cutting / welding / jig)
More neck rake = more trail..., less rake = less trail
Triple Tree Rake
More TT rake = less trail..., less rake = more trail
Triple clamp offset
More TC offset = less trail..., less TC offset = more trail
Fork Tube length
Longer forks tube = less trail..., shorter forks = more trail
Changing fork tube length btw..., has the least affect on trail
==========
No it isn't 1" for 1"
What bike you looking to mod
What exactly are you trying to accomplish (looks / handling / comfort)
Ghost
Let me see if I can break this down a bit
Trail
Too little - handles well at low speed..., but induces wobble (unstable) at speed
Too much - poor handling at low speed..., sluggish handling at speed
Trail window is usually between 4 & 6"
=============================
All things remaining the same..., except what is specifically mentioned below
Rake
Can be set / adjusted via the head (requires cutting / welding / jig)
More neck rake = more trail..., less rake = less trail
Triple Tree Rake
More TT rake = less trail..., less rake = more trail
Triple clamp offset
More TC offset = less trail..., less TC offset = more trail
Fork Tube length
Longer forks tube = less trail..., shorter forks = more trail
Changing fork tube length btw..., has the least affect on trail
==========
No it isn't 1" for 1"
What bike you looking to mod
What exactly are you trying to accomplish (looks / handling / comfort)
Ghost
First of all I have read about the things you mention and all of those are very good things to keep in mind when I decide to mod.
The main reason I was asking so I can estimate the cost of parts.
I would like to slightly, just a few degrees, extend my front wheel a little on my 2003 Deuce FXSTDI. I was told by my mechanic that in order to add a raked triple tree I would need to extend the front in order to keep it from dropping.
Here is a very short video of the bike how it looks now. I have done just about everything I want to do to it but I think it would look better with the front end out just a hair more.
What does everyone else think?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
kurt84
Softail Models
0
Jul 13, 2009 09:21 AM
