Ironhead Are raked triple trees a sensible route

[xllent01]

Originally Posted by Ivan RoachCoach

It's either go for the real deal or compromise with the worst form of poser gimmicking.

I've seen just as many tough guy hardcore types posing around these days as i do actual posers..

so NO.. the hardcore tough guy is not unique no more..pretty much mainstream these days like the rest..

[Weo]

One thing that kinda confuses me. The stereotypical "Frisco" chop... before the big buck "custom scene" (like young arlen ness at the time), many didn't have chopped frames. just extended front ends. If you follow it that way, the raked triple trees have a purpose of bringing back the trail to something reasonable... it has a function.

[RichLo]

raked trees are only functional if you have a raked frame. only should be used for 40+ degrees of rake at the frame, if you have more then 10" of trail you will NEED something to bring your trail back to reasonable (Im talking about the radical 50-degree rakes with 5-foot front ends) and raked trees are one of many ways to accomplish this.

bikes with longer front ends with no framework (4-6" over is about max for this) do not need and should not use raked trees. bikes built this way have the same rake and trail as a stock bike even though they are sitting different. this is a good way to give your bike a better cruising feel if you have a king/queen seat with pullback bars and forword controls, its like a lay-z-boy and looking more like a chopper without chopping the frame.

[Ivan RoachCoach]

...or simply trying to blow smoke up everybody else's ass with a contrived facsimile of a true raked neck.

To a lot of us, riding a motorcycle isn't a hobby, lifestyle, or investment option that's going to be phased out when the next mid-life crisis craze comes along.
I've been riding EVERYWHERE (school, work, grocery shopping, doing laundry, etc.), every day (rain or shine), for the last 30 years and find festoonery like raked trees, besides being laughable, an insult to guys who actually work at customizing their bikes.
You either do this for real, or you play-act.

And no, struts were NOT around since hardtails.
You either had a rigid tail section or shocks holding up the rear end of your frame.

[xllent01]

Originally Posted by Ivan RoachCoach

...or simply trying to blow smoke up everybody else's ass with a contrived facsimile of a true raked neck.

To a lot of us, riding a motorcycle isn't a hobby, lifestyle, or investment option that's going to be phased out when the next mid-life crisis craze comes along.
I've been riding EVERYWHERE (school, work, grocery shopping, doing laundry, etc.), every day (rain or shine), for the last 30 years and find festoonery like raked trees, besides being laughable, an insult to guys who actually work at customizing their bikes.
You either do this for real, or you play-act.

And no, struts were NOT around since hardtails.
You either had a rigid tail section or shocks holding up the rear end of your frame.

So how come you don't ride a hardtail.. do you prefer FL shocks over hardtail?? or is it a contrived facsimile of smoke and mirrors..

[Mike Cope]

On my custom build, I went with Hawg Halters mid-glide 41mm 3 degree trees. Hawg Halters warned not to change the rear stock shocks. Like lower them. I was told that was within accepted limits for my 98xlh.

As commented the important point is to make sure it is in recommended trail for it to work correctly.

Hawg Halter said that if I were to go 4 degrees or higher it would take it out of specs.

That is my comment on the subject.

Cope

[Weo]

Originally Posted by RichLo

raked trees are only functional if you have a raked frame. only should be used for 40+ degrees of rake at the frame, if you have more then 10" of trail you will NEED something to bring your trail back to reasonable (Im talking about the radical 50-degree rakes with 5-foot front ends) and raked trees are one of many ways to accomplish this.

bikes with longer front ends with no framework (4-6" over is about max for this) do not need and should not use raked trees. bikes built this way have the same rake and trail as a stock bike even though they are sitting different. this is a good way to give your bike a better cruising feel if you have a king/queen seat with pullback bars and forword controls, its like a lay-z-boy and looking more like a chopper without chopping the frame.

I haven't been riding as long as some of these old timers, but the only way to correct those long-a$$ chopper in the 60-70's was to use a springer. In that sense, even the 50 degree necked bikes using raked trees could be considered BS.

I notice the difference in handling for every inch I put my front or back down or up. Ya.. the books don't talk about trail changes, and many customizers deny it, but thats the difference between the engineers that build the pieces and the riders who use them. The riders deal with all the "hypotheticals" in the real world. To say you shouldn't have it on shorter extensions makes me think you've never tried it, or you don't ride hard enough to notice.

And to the guy that says its an insult to those that actually rake their bikes, deal with it. I make no apologies for my ride, and don't care about critics.

[speedeetort]

On a budget, but I don't want to make my bike a death trap or ruin the value of it. I have ordered a stretched tank from ebay, and a bobbed fender. I plan on raking the bike 4 degrees with a total chrome kit off ebay, and I see they sell a chrome kit for the engine also. I want to make it my own, and get a few compliments along the way for my thought and effort put into my bike.
This site is great and I appreciate all the advice!