Rake for 1800 trike

[dr4pat]

2009 GL 1800 MT Adventure
I need riders opinions on which degree rake to use.


This trike is driven our friend, she not weak, but she's kinda short
she can drive it this way, but not all day. Hell I've driven it 50+ mi, and I would not drive it that way if it was mine.



THANK YOU dr4pat

 

[Paul_Trike]

I get mine installed saturday and will let you know what I think. I have the 6* rake from Zook.

 

[Shimpy]

I have 4.5 and it works fine at low speeds, but would not want to have steering any more sensitive over 60 mph. It would be great if they could give you a variable rake that would dampen steering at high speeds.

 

[Papa Zook]

Id recommend the 6 degree for a lady. If its installed and torqued properly you'll never have an issue with it being too sensitive at speed. I sell and install LOTs of rake kits and I know of what I speak. If you need one, please shoot me a PM.

Zook

 

[cirbtap]

I have a 2008/CSC with a 6 degree rake. This is the best by far.
I rode a trike with a 4 degree and kinda had a harder time with it.
I highly recommend the 6 degree





Ride safe

 

[Memnoch451]

I like a 5.5 to 6 deg. I just test rode a Kawi with about a 8deg rake... Pretty good in the corners. So, at least 5 deg and i'm not sure on the max as I don't have any first hand riding time with one greater than 6 on a honda!

 

[bigdave]

I have a 5.5 degree from The Trike Shop. Was a little twitchy at first but after a couple of hundred miles its just fine. All day long in the twistys and your still good to go.
Dave

 

[sgmdudley]

I have a 2009 with Tow-Pac kit, soon to be a DFT. The dealer said the 5.5 Trike Shop
I have is just the right rake. I would also recommend MBL bad adapters or similar device
to bring the bars back and in if she is not very tall. I am 6' but have a bad back so with
the bar adapters I can rest against the utopia back rest. Works great.

 

[RRSCOTT]

My Motor Trike has the 4.5 rake and MBL's that just move them back.

 

[Paul_Trike]

A little delay but I just got the 6* rake from zook on today. In one word absolutly amazing. I would recommend any day of the week.

 

[Big_Blue]

Does a raked triple tree affect a trike the same way it does a two wheeler? The more degrees of rake the more stable at speed and the harder it will be to turn at slow speeds--like in parking lots?

CORRECTION: The above is true only if the rake increase is due to cutting the neck. If it is due to installing a raked triple tree (which is the case with trikes) then the stability lessens at speed. This would allow the steering to be easier.

 

[Deadeye]

I have a 6 degree rake on my gl1800- it's great at any speed.

 

[Nana]

Does a raked triple tree affect a trike the same way it does a two wheeler? The more degrees of rake the more stable at speed and the harder it will be to turn at slow speeds--like in parking lots?

A trike with no rake can feel like old fashioned manual steering.... it can be done, but it takes a lot out of your arms, shoulders, and back. Adding a 4 - 6º rake to a trike gives the effect of power steering; and that holds true in all turns, perhaps especially at slow speeds. For most of us, it is a must-have for really comfortable riding.

 

[rmrc51]

I have a 6 degree on my 2005 GW Roadsmith. Feels perfect! :10:

 

[Hooker 6]

Before I decided I rode both a 4.5 and 6 degree on a Hannigan kit. I didn't like the twitchiness of the 6 degree rake, but I guess you could get used to it.

 

[Stephen]

Id recommend the 6 degree for a lady. If its installed and torqued properly you'll never have an issue with it being too sensitive at speed. I sell and install LOTs of rake kits and I know of what I speak. If you need one, please shoot me a PM.

Zook

What's your torqued properly spec? I found 30 to be not enough, 45 foot pounds seems to be just right.

 

[Big_Blue]

Before I decided I rode both a 4.5 and 6 degree on a Hannigan kit. I didn't like the twitchiness of the 6 degree rake, but I guess you could get used to it.

By "twitchiness" I understand you to mean that the 6 degree rake was more touchy than the 4.5 degree rake. In other words less stable at speed. That is the same effect you get on a two wheeler. The greater the angle of rake in the triple tree (not the neck) the less stable.

hmm, this is interesting. The reason the stock rake (29.25 degrees) is hard to steer on a trike must be because a trike doesn't lean into turns, and so therefore doesn't experience the reduced radius effect from the wheel's contact patch moving up the side of the tire.

I didn't know all the GL1800 figures, but I plugged in my VTX figures into the RBRacing Rake and Trail Calculator (RB Racing Rake and Trail Calculator) and saw it give a 1" trail reduction going from 4.5 to 6 degrees.

 

[Gold Rush]

Sound like you have a pretty good handle on cause and effect of "trail". As a general rule short and narrow trikes don't behave too well with over 4.5 degree rake kits but longer and wider one seem to do just fine.

I have arthritis in all my joints and get along real good using the 4.5 degree kit on my Motor Trike.