Raked front end?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 1
From: Oak Park, IL
Thanks, That is pretty much what I thought, just couldn't say it as well!
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2
From: Back in Oz M8
Raked trees decrease the trail. That is fact, and there is nothing that can change that fact. Too little trail will cause high speed tank-slapping-butt-crack-puckering-sphincter-muscle-cramping-seat-squeezing wobbles of your front end. High speed tank-slapping-butt-crack-puckering-sphincter-muscle-cramping-seat-squeezing wobbles of your front end will toss you slap off the bike and turn you into a slobbering, drooling brain damaged idiot.
Raking a frame increases trail, which slows the handling. Raked trees are used to return the trail to a more "normal" figure after raking the frame, which sort-of restores the handling.
Adding raked trees to an unraked frame will decrease trail. Decreased trail will cause the bike to handle more quickly, often to the point of becoming unstable at higher speeds. But what those higher speeds are varies.
You might get away with running raked trees if the rake increase was a small amount, but then again, you might not. If you don't know this stuff already, or if you do not know how much the trees will decrease your trail, I'd recommend you contact someone who can calculate the new frame/front end geometry. And I mean "calculate", not say something like, "Ive done this before and it works OK."
Raking a frame increases trail, which slows the handling. Raked trees are used to return the trail to a more "normal" figure after raking the frame, which sort-of restores the handling.
Adding raked trees to an unraked frame will decrease trail. Decreased trail will cause the bike to handle more quickly, often to the point of becoming unstable at higher speeds. But what those higher speeds are varies.
You might get away with running raked trees if the rake increase was a small amount, but then again, you might not. If you don't know this stuff already, or if you do not know how much the trees will decrease your trail, I'd recommend you contact someone who can calculate the new frame/front end geometry. And I mean "calculate", not say something like, "Ive done this before and it works OK."
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 314
Likes: 5
From: Albany Oregon
Trail should always be between 4-7 inches. If you dont understand what trail is or how to measure trail, RB Racing has a great website detailing it and a great rake/trail calculator to figure out what raked trees will do to your particular set up. It wouldnt hurt to be fully educated on rake/trail before you do it. I have a front end thats raked in the neck 42 degress and 3 degrees in the trees with 4 over tubes. It has the the same trail as a FLH. And handles perfectly. But I am old and cannot remember the last time I have been over 65mph
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,762
Likes: 12
From: north jersey
I switched my stock 19 inch wheel on my rocker for a 21 incher and it affected my handling at lower speeds, the bike is harder to turn at lower speeds.
i'm trying to figure out what i need to do to get it back to stock trail. after reading these threads it sounds to me like i need to get smaller tress...... is that right ?
this stuff is confusing man !!
i'm trying to figure out what i need to do to get it back to stock trail. after reading these threads it sounds to me like i need to get smaller tress...... is that right ?
this stuff is confusing man !!
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
From: Lincoln, ND
So far you guys have been helpful as hell! I REALLY want to do this and make it noticable but i want it to handle safe/stock. Im just on the fence about buying a complete kit as i have it in my head i LOVE the 3trees i found with the integrated turn signals. I also decided id like to kick it to 7 degrees.
http://www.realhog.com/detail.cfm?Ca...dson_Sportster
1 more question, on my 03 night train, do i have 39mm or 41mm? I thought 41. Thanks in advance guys!
Tom
http://www.realhog.com/detail.cfm?Ca...dson_Sportster
1 more question, on my 03 night train, do i have 39mm or 41mm? I thought 41. Thanks in advance guys!
Tom
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 314
Likes: 5
From: Albany Oregon
Once again, before you put 7 degree trees on your bike, which by the way has 41mm tubes, look at RB Racing's website and use their professional rake/trail calculator. I am not saying it can't be done but I am very sure that 7 degree raked trees will put your trail figure outside of the 4-7 inch range that is recommended for safe handling. It will handle waaaay different.
Last edited by CamFX; Dec 24, 2009 at 06:33 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 19
From: Oz
I switched my stock 19 inch wheel on my rocker for a 21 incher and it affected my handling at lower speeds, the bike is harder to turn at lower speeds.
i'm trying to figure out what i need to do to get it back to stock trail. after reading these threads it sounds to me like i need to get smaller tress...... is that right ?
this stuff is confusing man !!
i'm trying to figure out what i need to do to get it back to stock trail. after reading these threads it sounds to me like i need to get smaller tress...... is that right ?
this stuff is confusing man !!
Hey Alain, really?? while it did change the characteristics of the bike I now find it easier to turn at low speeds and find the front more willing to kinda flop into a slow turn...oversteer i guess...
Not sure if its a good thing for everyone but for me I found it easier to ride slow ang generally more manageable all round...
just my .02 tho...
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 314
Likes: 5
From: Albany Oregon
I just used the RB Racing professional rake/trail calculator and plugged in the values for what you are thinking of doing. With 7 degree trees, you will have just over one inch of trail. You will probably wreck the first attempt at riding it. PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!