Stretch & Rake Help
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Stretch & Rake Help
Wanted to make a cool ride for my son. Started with an old '74 sportster that I had kicking around for 30 something years.
I got a set of 8 over fork tubes. I raked it out long and low ( no stretch ), as he is tall like me. Looks cool, but has some ill effects. The trail is 10". Very difficult low speed manuvering, even more so than if I just stretched the downtubes. Had to push the gas tank way back, had to alter gas valve , drag bars contact tank, etc.
Now I want to make it a hard tail. The weld on and bolt on rears just aren't doing it for me. Looks really stupid now that I really played with the geometry.
I am considering just abandoning the frame and going for a manufactured hard tail.
My question for the geometry pros out there is:
To use the 8" over tubes, and to keep the 19" wheel, what stretch & rake numbers should I be looking at, to keep the bottom tubes and engine level?
I got a set of 8 over fork tubes. I raked it out long and low ( no stretch ), as he is tall like me. Looks cool, but has some ill effects. The trail is 10". Very difficult low speed manuvering, even more so than if I just stretched the downtubes. Had to push the gas tank way back, had to alter gas valve , drag bars contact tank, etc.
Now I want to make it a hard tail. The weld on and bolt on rears just aren't doing it for me. Looks really stupid now that I really played with the geometry.
I am considering just abandoning the frame and going for a manufactured hard tail.
My question for the geometry pros out there is:
To use the 8" over tubes, and to keep the 19" wheel, what stretch & rake numbers should I be looking at, to keep the bottom tubes and engine level?
Last edited by krh1326; Aug 22, 2010 at 02:57 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 791
Likes: 1
From: The Real World
Wanted to make a cool ride for my son. Started with an old '74 sportster that I had kicking around for 30 something years.
I got a set of 8 over fork tubes. I raked it out long and low ( no stretch ), as he is tall like me. Looks cool, but has some ill effects. The trail is 10". Very difficult low speed manuvering, even more so than if I just stretched the downtubes. Had to push the gas tank way back, had to alter gas valve , drag bars contact tank, etc.
Now I want to make it a hard tail. The weld on and bolt on rears just aren't doing it for me. Looks really stupid now that I really played with the geometry.
I am considering just abandoning the frame and going for a manufactured hard tail.
My question for the geometry pros out there is:
To use the 8" over tubes, and to keep the 19" wheel, what stretch & rake numbers should I be looking at, to keep the bottom tubes and engine level?
I got a set of 8 over fork tubes. I raked it out long and low ( no stretch ), as he is tall like me. Looks cool, but has some ill effects. The trail is 10". Very difficult low speed manuvering, even more so than if I just stretched the downtubes. Had to push the gas tank way back, had to alter gas valve , drag bars contact tank, etc.
Now I want to make it a hard tail. The weld on and bolt on rears just aren't doing it for me. Looks really stupid now that I really played with the geometry.
I am considering just abandoning the frame and going for a manufactured hard tail.
My question for the geometry pros out there is:
To use the 8" over tubes, and to keep the 19" wheel, what stretch & rake numbers should I be looking at, to keep the bottom tubes and engine level?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,477
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
Try a set of 5 degree raked trees. That should pretty much fix the low speed handling problem. I ran a '72 XLCH with 7/8" rake (probably about a total of 45 degrees) and 15" over tubes. Low speed handling was of the "Give Me 40 Acres & I'll Turn This Rig Around" variety.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,232
Likes: 9,321
From: Georgia
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