My rig is a 2000 Wide Glide HD with a Champion Daytona car. It has electric tilt and sidecar brake. I bought it used last year and wanted to put a few miles on it before I started changing anything. It is really growing on me and my family, they all like the chair... Wife included and she has been firmly in the "no motorcycles" camp for years. She won't ride pillion on my two wheeler, but really likes the rig. I have put almost 2000 miles on it since I bought it, did 200 miles Sunday. The steering effort is substantial especially at low speeds, but even long sweepers at highway speed require a pretty good push/pull. At the end of a long ride yesterday, my arms and shoulders had had enough. I'm a pretty big guy and this is unusual for me. I have read this forum, used the search and read all over the web about fixes, but can't decide between raked trees and a leading link front end. I have the money to do either. Is a leading link "better" and people choose raked trees because of cost or are the two solutions equivalent (aesthetics aside)?
Thanks,
TFM
Hey TFM, I understand about the steering effort - long left hand sweepers can be especially tough. We installed 5* raked trees on our Sportster rig back in February and are very pleased with the result. The rig tracks straight with no wobble and very low steering effort. We've had both leading links and "raked" triple trees. Both work well. Leading links have the additional advantage of less dive under breaking, but the raked trees look much better on HD's. I recommend "stiffer" forks or extra preload spacers.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
I prefer the raked trees with the Harleys. Not only the better aesthetic appearance but there is no paint matching to be done.
L.
Hack'n - 6/27/2011 10:05 PM
I prefer the raked trees with the Harleys. Not only the better aesthetic appearance but there is no paint matching to be done.
I listened to Lonnie's advice when setting up our Sportster rig. By the way, Jena's scooter rig now has "raked" trees too, but they are hidden in the fairing.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
Talk to people who own each. I have a Powertrak setup from California Sidecar, which is the raked triple tree added to extended forks to bring the ride height back up to stock height. Although it make the steering very easy, I find it interesting that every person I know who has leading links started out with a raked triple tree.
