Negative Trail and Horrible Stability
Thread Starter
|
Stage IV
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Negative Trail and Horrible Stability
Hey guys, new to forum so hello all!
I just bought a 1998 softail Fatboy and I really love it. It has been customized a pretty good bit all which looks really good! The Bad thing about the customization is that the guy that owned bike before me put 5° Forked Tripple Tree's and it has put my trail number to a negative 4-5 inches. It will not hold a line going down the road and at higher speeds its really unstable! As you know, this is a terrible and dangerous thing. I just need ideas from you guys on how you would fix the problem. I really like the raked look but i want a stable ride! Should I buy a complete new front end and just have it looking like a standard Fatboy? Cut the frame and try to get my trail to a positive number? Ill include a pic of my bike and see what you guys think. If I can get it right for under a grand, ill be happy! Maybe i can sell my forked triple Tree's and put that toward a new front end? But like i said, i like the Rake of the bike! Let me know what you guys think!! Thanks in advance!!
Shady1324
I just bought a 1998 softail Fatboy and I really love it. It has been customized a pretty good bit all which looks really good! The Bad thing about the customization is that the guy that owned bike before me put 5° Forked Tripple Tree's and it has put my trail number to a negative 4-5 inches. It will not hold a line going down the road and at higher speeds its really unstable! As you know, this is a terrible and dangerous thing. I just need ideas from you guys on how you would fix the problem. I really like the raked look but i want a stable ride! Should I buy a complete new front end and just have it looking like a standard Fatboy? Cut the frame and try to get my trail to a positive number? Ill include a pic of my bike and see what you guys think. If I can get it right for under a grand, ill be happy! Maybe i can sell my forked triple Tree's and put that toward a new front end? But like i said, i like the Rake of the bike! Let me know what you guys think!! Thanks in advance!!
Shady1324
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
the best thing for that is to extend ur frame for the raked look so ur trail wont be in the negative, the way u have it with raked tripple trees is the wrong way to go it kills the ride and the look is half as nice as extending ur frame to get the real raked look. A good custom bike shop in ur area can give u options and price quotes!
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
Hey guys, new to forum so hello all!
I just bought a 1998 softail Fatboy and I really love it. It has been customized a pretty good bit all which looks really good! The Bad thing about the customization is that the guy that owned bike before me put 5° Forked Tripple Tree's and it has put my trail number to a negative 4-5 inches. It will not hold a line going down the road and at higher speeds its really unstable! As you know, this is a terrible and dangerous thing. I just need ideas from you guys on how you would fix the problem. I really like the raked look but i want a stable ride! Should I buy a complete new front end and just have it looking like a standard Fatboy? Cut the frame and try to get my trail to a positive number? Ill include a pic of my bike and see what you guys think. If I can get it right for under a grand, ill be happy! Maybe i can sell my forked triple Tree's and put that toward a new front end? But like i said, i like the Rake of the bike! Let me know what you guys think!! Thanks in advance!!
Shady1324
I just bought a 1998 softail Fatboy and I really love it. It has been customized a pretty good bit all which looks really good! The Bad thing about the customization is that the guy that owned bike before me put 5° Forked Tripple Tree's and it has put my trail number to a negative 4-5 inches. It will not hold a line going down the road and at higher speeds its really unstable! As you know, this is a terrible and dangerous thing. I just need ideas from you guys on how you would fix the problem. I really like the raked look but i want a stable ride! Should I buy a complete new front end and just have it looking like a standard Fatboy? Cut the frame and try to get my trail to a positive number? Ill include a pic of my bike and see what you guys think. If I can get it right for under a grand, ill be happy! Maybe i can sell my forked triple Tree's and put that toward a new front end? But like i said, i like the Rake of the bike! Let me know what you guys think!! Thanks in advance!!
Shady1324
It might help a little.
Thread Starter
|
Stage IV
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Yup! I actually just raised the back end an inch or two cuz it was slammed on the ground. It scrapped in all the corners and bottomed out on all bumps in the road. It was awful. Might be why the guy had it slammed like that to help with the trail? Had to be raised though! It was awful, no suspension!!
R.I.P. BROTHER
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 6
From: Colorado Springs
That bike is "Stinkbuggin" which is a term used for being *** high.
You would have to get that *** end back down for it to work.
Might be best to drop the *** end and look for a pipe that dosent scrape like the D&D lowcat or something designed fopr a slammed bike.
You would have to get that *** end back down for it to work.
Might be best to drop the *** end and look for a pipe that dosent scrape like the D&D lowcat or something designed fopr a slammed bike.
Trending Topics
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
really good looking, shame it dont handle well. Is it the floorboards rubbing on turns or the pipes.?
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
|
Stage IV
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Niether the Pipes or the floorboards were scraping. It was the chrome guards around the bottom of frame and maybe the actually frame sometimes. Any little bump in the road, the frame would bottom out on road. There was no suspension. Since I raised it, the comfort of the ride is awesome, you dont feel every bump in the road. I can probably lower it a bit and still not scrape! I will probably end up dropping the back end a little anyway. But even if i slam it to the ground, it will still probably have the negative trail. Here is a pic of the bike before I raised the back end. I still had the issues with stability and holding a line when it was low. I feel that I am gonna have to get the trail numbers right before it rides the way its supposed to. I just really dont want to loose the rake look! Just got to weigh the options as far as cost and that sort of thing. Not looking for a cheap fix but more of making the bike ride the way it suppossed to!
Thanks for all the replies guys!
Thanks for all the replies guys!
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
Yup! I actually just raised the back end an inch or two cuz it was slammed on the ground. It scrapped in all the corners and bottomed out on all bumps in the road. It was awful. Might be why the guy had it slammed like that to help with the trail? Had to be raised though! It was awful, no suspension!!
Lower it and raise the preload and you should be fine.
I would rather sacrafice cushion for handling JMO.
You might try pulling the bars back a little bit some on here claim that can affect stability I am not nessesarily convinced.
Last edited by coop57; May 7, 2009 at 02:07 PM.