Recently had my FLTR converted to trike. Don't have the cash for triple-tree right now. The steering isn't difficult for getting around except for the occassional shake of the handle bars, sometime very bad. I can usually get rid of it by speeding up. My question I guess is will the raked triple-tree get rid of the head shake or could I just get a steering damper for this problem. Thanks

 

What year bike? Which trike kit?

 

oops sorry, it's aan 06 road glide and a champion trike

 

I would have Harley install a steering damper on the front. That is its purpose, as I understand it. I had a goldwing trike, converted with a Champion kit...it had the shakes also, and it had the EZ steer rake on it. A lot of wings have that same problem, as they have no steering damper.

 

I would first check all my connection to frame for the trike kit. Then check the Following:

1) alignment of the rear end.
2) belt tension
3) Air pressure in the rear tires making sure they are equal. I personally run 28-30lbs because a lower pressure will create some rolling resistance compared to tire with a few more pounds of air.

How many miles do you have on the bike itself?

Check the front engine motor mount and rear engine bushing ( Swing Arm bushings ) If they are still the rubber mounts I would suggest the following

replace the Front engine mount & Rear engine bushing ( Swing Arm bushings ) with Glide Pro polyurathane bushings. These type of bushings have less flex then the rubber system Harley has installed.

I also felt as if the trike rear was putting some torque on the engine and rear bushings so I added a Progressive link stablizer which takes any movement on the rear of the engine and transmission.

You can also get polyurethane bushing for your handlebars to take some play out them as well.

Doing all this eliminated 85% of the slow speed wobbles

There are few factors that will create this effect still

Lugging the engine in low RPMS, doing this causes the engine torque to pulsate through the driveline. You also have to consider that the power being transmisted to the rear is only going to one side of the rear end. Why do I say that, if your trike has a single track rear end only one side is pushing the trike forward cause the torque of the powertrain to push on one side creating the wobble.

You can do a test while the trike is parked to check, jack up the right side of the rear and spin the rear tire by hand while the trike is in neutral and not running, if the tire spins freely then is a single track rear

There is one other factor than I have found that can create a wobble and that is if the asphalt road is worn and has tire ruts, the rear end will try to follow these and can create a wobble effect

For raked triple tree I got mine from Randy over @ Triketalk.com He sells a very nice kit for a good price

 

Get a rake kit if you can. It will make a world of difference.

 

Thanks to all who replied. Will try your suggestions

 

You should definitely check your steering stem bearing torque. Trikes always torque that nut tighter. Get the spec from the manufacturer of your trike. A rake kit will reduce low speed wobbles from bumps but it will only make a high speed wobble worse.

 

Mine shakes when going slow even with rake and damper. It just comes with the 3 wheel combination. I think all trikes do it.

 

Some of the lower degree rake kits still shake at low speeds. A 10 or 11 deg is the only one Ive ridden without that bump wobble.