Raked Triple Tree's
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 14
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From: Philippines
Raked Triple Tree's
Hi All,
I am about to buy a new front end for my 1980 FXE, has anyone got or brought a front end with 7 degree raked triple trees?
Any info on these raked triple trees would be great.
Cheers
Locadd
I am about to buy a new front end for my 1980 FXE, has anyone got or brought a front end with 7 degree raked triple trees?
Any info on these raked triple trees would be great.
Cheers
Locadd
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,122
Likes: 51,431
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
I'm not to keen on them the bike's I've ridden with raked tree's handled weird to me , felt like they wanted to flop to one side or the other at low speeds . Because of that I never trusted them enough to run up cruising speeds on one . Be interesting to hear other opinions on these .
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 313
Likes: 2
From: somewhere in "The Peoples' Republic of Illinois
I've not ridden a raked tree bike, so I can't attest to their performance. But in the hay-day of the raked tree, I heard of them NOT being all that safe. An article in some bike magazines of the time, I remember them being explained as giving an un-natural handling character. Something to do with the bearings or frame stress, I can't remember exactly. Oldtimers, I'd guess.
In otherwords, they was for show and not for riding.
And yes, there would be flop at low speed. Might be 'wander' at high speed.
Now, some have used them and not had any problems. I wouldn't because I don't need any help killing myself.
In otherwords, they was for show and not for riding.
And yes, there would be flop at low speed. Might be 'wander' at high speed.
Now, some have used them and not had any problems. I wouldn't because I don't need any help killing myself.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 313
Likes: 2
From: somewhere in "The Peoples' Republic of Illinois
As an after thought, my '78 FX which I have ridden since '79, recently sold to my cousin has an adjustable swingarm. With the shocks at the position he liked them, it put the trail in an unnatural stance. In all the years I've been on this bike, there has never been an issue with handling. There is now! It wanted to wander below 50 MPH. After moving the shocks forward a notch, most of the wander is gone. And the shocks work a little better. Still not the bike I knew.
So with that in mind, Stay away from those raked trees.
So with that in mind, Stay away from those raked trees.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,518
Likes: 57,068
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
Yep ... The Raked Triple trees will exaggerate the "Positive Caster Effect" which will have a negative effect on slow speed handling ... as "TwiZted" says "It feels like the front end wants to flop over" however the rake generally will have a "more directionally stable" effect at highway ( and higher ) speeds ... And as stated earlier in the thread longer tubes ( generally 2 inches ) would be needed to bring the chassis back to level ... Good Luck Brother.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,470
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From: on the road
back in the day I thought they were even prohibited by law in some way in certain states.With that being said I was told by a builder that most custom trees have some built in rake just not enough to cause a issue.I built a sportster in the 70s that used them ----bought them out of easy riders and was scared of them sitting in the box.They would follow every grove in the road but were right to help win slow races as the bike would damn near stand up without a kick stand
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Denver
I've done a lot of hands-on research regarding rake and trail for a project bike I was building. While I didn't do any work specifically on raked trees versus a cut & welded headstock, I believe the data would be the same.
This is a CB750 chopper with an Amen frame. They were sold as a kit in the 70s and this one rode and handled great. It had a little "flop" at very low speeds, 5-15 mph, but at 30 you could take your hands off the bars and at 65-70 it felt perfect.
If you want to see the basic research I did on rake & trail, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Rake%20and%...l%20Basics.htm
If you want to see the full data, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Test%20Mule%20Research.htm
I hope this helps.
This is a CB750 chopper with an Amen frame. They were sold as a kit in the 70s and this one rode and handled great. It had a little "flop" at very low speeds, 5-15 mph, but at 30 you could take your hands off the bars and at 65-70 it felt perfect.
If you want to see the basic research I did on rake & trail, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Rake%20and%...l%20Basics.htm
If you want to see the full data, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Test%20Mule%20Research.htm
I hope this helps.
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,122
Likes: 51,431
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
I've done a lot of hands-on research regarding rake and trail for a project bike I was building. While I didn't do any work specifically on raked trees versus a cut & welded headstock, I believe the data would be the same.
This is a CB750 chopper with an Amen frame. They were sold as a kit in the 70s and this one rode and handled great. It had a little "flop" at very low speeds, 5-15 mph, but at 30 you could take your hands off the bars and at 65-70 it felt perfect.
If you want to see the basic research I did on rake & trail, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Rake%20and%...l%20Basics.htm
If you want to see the full data, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Test%20Mule%20Research.htm
I hope this helps.
This is a CB750 chopper with an Amen frame. They were sold as a kit in the 70s and this one rode and handled great. It had a little "flop" at very low speeds, 5-15 mph, but at 30 you could take your hands off the bars and at 65-70 it felt perfect.
If you want to see the basic research I did on rake & trail, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Rake%20and%...l%20Basics.htm
If you want to see the full data, click here:
http://www.projectvf.com/Test%20Mule%20Research.htm
I hope this helps.
Completely different animals , a raked & stretched frame using stock trees handles different . Stock frames are designed with a certain rake at the neck for a neutral neckstem forktube arrangement , what gives you that confident feeling at all speeds . Raked trees changes some those numbers and the handling is thrown off and the more they are raked the weirder it feels . I had a set of 3 degree trees on a bike for about 2 weeks to help with a bit longer tubes and got rid of them . Bike just felt off I didn't trust it anymore .
Novice
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 18
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From: Denver
You're right that they're different but they seem to be popular. The geometry is changed, in particular the trail, but did the wheel still track correctly? Were you able to take your hands off the bars at speed? I'm curious because I'm also considering raked trees. I want long forks on my bike but in the future I might want to go back to stock and if I cut/weld the headstock for the long forks it could be difficult to go back.
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