06 FXST Lowering 2" Rake front too?

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Jan 20, 2010 | 11:40 AM

BgEarl

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Stage III

Joined: Jan 2010

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06 FXST Lowering 2" Rake front too?

Im looking at lowering my FXSTI about 2 inches. Its a second bike for me, I ride distance but not on this bike. I know I need to do something to the front if I lower the back, so I'm thinking of a raked tipple tree, not alot, maybe 3deg or so?

Any thoughts on how much rake I would need? I don't want to modify the frame because, well it just scares me.

Big Earl

"live every day like your last and every night like your first"

Jan 20, 2010 | 12:28 PM

mike06train

Road Captain

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 717

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From: Drexel Hill, Pa

I wouldn't rake it but you could install lowering springs in the front forks. That would keep the geometry close to stock and the steering neutral.

Jan 20, 2010 | 01:10 PM

Northside

Road Warrior

Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 1,396

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From:

Quote:

Originally Posted by BgEarl

Raked trees on a stock frame scare me worse! They reduce "trail" which is fine on a radically raked frame, because they have too much trail. The stock bikes geometry provides around 4" of trail. Reducing it very much causes a very unstable bike. Your bike doesn't push the front wheel, it pulls it. Trail is the distance the axle is behind the plane of the fork stem and neck. If you extend a line through the neck to the ground it will be ahead of a vertical line through the axle to the ground. That distance is your trail. Increasing the angle of the fork with out increasing the angle of the neck reduces trail. A good example of negative trail is a shopping cart with the caster turned forward. If the axle is ahead of the pivot (same as your fork stem) it will flop then turn 180 degrees until it is behind the pivot (trailing). The cart pulls the wheel fine it does't push it well. Your bike won't either. This was a lesson learned the hard way by guys taking short cuts back in the seventies. I know I was building chops back then.

Last edited by Northside; Jan 20, 2010 at 01:15 PM.

Jan 20, 2010 | 07:17 PM

djcustom1

Tourer

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 272

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From: greenville SC

I know there is a lot of pros and cons to racked trees, but if you to the right people you can safely go to 7 degree and lose vary little in the ride. Dont take the first thing you hear as being the one ,it takes home work and knoledged people. Most harleys come with 32 degree rake. I have been talking to people at mean street products and thay are vary good.