Raked triple trees installed on my Valk

[BOZ]

My brother-in-law, Vin, and I installed 6 degree raked triple trees on the Valk yesterday. It was great of him to take the day to help me, as I would have struggled badly without his helpful hands.

I was so beat by the time we were finished that I could only take a 5 minute ride down the street and back to test it. I hope to take a longer ride today.

Although the bike feels quite different at slow speed parking lot turning (not bad, just different), it feels about the same riding down the road. I'm expecting the major benefit will be easier steering when we attach the Motervation II sidecar waiting in the shed. My daughter, Cat, is very excited about getting to ride in the sidecar.

I'll have a lot of practicing to do both riding with the raked trees on two wheels, and later learning a whole new way of riding with the sidecar attached. Cat is really excited about riding in the sidecar.

http://vrcc.photostash.com/vrcc_5210/Valk_raked-1.JPG

[MP]

I will be awaiting your posting of your experiences both two wheel and with the hack.  I am looking at doing the same thing this fall, as my wife has a hard time riding a mc seat for long.
Where did you get the 6 deg rake from?
Any chance you are going to Inzane in CO?
Thanks.
MP

[BOZ]

Went for about 100 mile ride this morning on two wheels (the hack is not set up yet - I need a couple of additional fittings). I rode on all kinds of roads - back roads, twisties, highway, etc. I took it up to about 90 mph on the highway and rode about the same style and speed as usual on all raods. Although, I probably went a little slower than usual until I felt comfortable.

My report: The bike rides and handles very well. After 100 miles, I was basically riding the Valk as I always have - Although it does "feel" just a little different, it still feels good. I am very pleased with this setup. The only reason I installed the raked triple trees in the first place is so I can steer easier with the sidecar attached. Then we can have our daughter "Cat" ride in the sidecar and my wife and me on the Valk, and we can travel as a family, which will be great.

Where can you get raked triple trees (if so inclined)?: The company I purchased these trees from is VTX-treme. (They have several other Valk and VTX accessories too.) The trees are very well engineered from billet aluminum and the fitment is excellent. I found them very easy to install and adjust. I also installed 1 3/8 inch fork exstensions, which kept the final front end height essentially the same as before the triple trees install. One thing to note though - I had to install brake lines that are about two inches longer than stock. This is, no doubt, due to adding the fork extension. The owner of the company I purchased the parts from, Daryl Hoksbergen is very knowledgible and was very helpful over the phone both before my purchase and during installation. His websites and phone number are listed below. Daryl also had put me in touch with someone who was using his raked trees on a Valk with a sidecar setup to answer some of my questions. Although I didn't know Daryl prior to Black Dog mentioning him in an earlier post on this board, I would certainly recommend him as someone worth doing business with. Anyone can feel free to send me an email if you are considering this modification and would like to discuss my experience further. barrybosNOSPAM@optonline.net

VTX-treme.com
XF6-custom.com
414-517-9546

[MP]

Daryl has done some custom work for me, and it was a pleasure.  If I go that route, I will surely use him. 
MP

[BOZ]

I forgot to mention that Daryl gave me a courtesy discount on the triple trees for being a VRCC member, which I didn't ask for but very much appreciated. 

Ride safe... BOZ VRCC#5210

[solo1]

I've been riding my Valk with a Motorvation Sidecar for about two years.  When you get into driving a rig, you will find that the rig is an entirely different experience, you no longer steer by countersteering, you turn the rig. "Flying the chair", adjusting the toe in, adjusting the leanout, adjusting the lead, ballasting, are all new terms in sidecar driving.

Based on my experience and others, I would strongely suggest that you learn all that you can about sidecars.  Be very careful riding on two wheels with a raked tree.  I almost lost a friend in a high speed wobble due to reduced trail (raked tree). 

[BOZ]

Solo... I know you are absolutely right about learning to "drive" the bike with a sidecar. I'm going to practice a lot before putting my daughter in the sidecar. I have a friend with a Goldwing sidecar rig and he has also cautioned me to practice in an open parking lot - which I will do.

As for riding the Valk without the sidecar, with the raked triple trees... I installed 6 degree trees which changes the trail by about 2 inches. I've put a few hundred miles on the bike without the sidecar after installing the raked trees and found that although it does handle a little differently, it still handles pretty good. I also installed 1 3/8 inch fork extensions at the same time the raked trees were installed, so the bike is still about level. With the raked trees, the bike wants to lean into a turn just a little more than with the stock trees, so you have to be ready for that and expecting it. I've found the handling at highway speeds to be just about the same as stock. I've only had it up to about 90 mph, which is probably as fast as I'll go with it on two wheels. And I don't expect to exceed any speed limits by much with the sidecar attached.

Any additional tips you can offer will be respectly received and greatly appreciated. 

[solo1]

Boz, you'll like sidecaring.  You are getting into it and I'm getting out.  It's time for me to quit riding both on two and three wheels.

My son and I put on the sidecar, we learned a lot.  I would suggest that you check into sidecar.com and join this great group.  I would also suggest that you take a sidecar course if there's one near you although these course are few and far between.  If you can, get David Hough's book on sidecaring.

I would also suggest that you pose the question of riding on two wheels with the reduced trail to the experts on sidecar.com.  Lonnie of Idaho and Claude of Pa are especially knowledgeable as they install and sell 'cars.  I personally would not ride a Valk on two wheels that has had the trail reduced but that's me.

One other quick one.  Do not drive the rig with an adult on the passenger seat, put them in the sidecar. If there's three people on the rig, the lightest one goes on the passenger seat, the heaviest goes in the car.

If this is not done, there is a danger of "high siding" when turning left or "flying the chair" when turning right.  Flying the chair can be ok after experience, but high siding will get you into a situation that you won't be able to correct.

Sorry, I'm just full of don'ts.

[BOZ]

Thanks solo1. I appreciate your comments and your concern for safety. 
With my daughter in the sidecar, I will surely be very careful. She is very excited about getting to ride in it, once everything (including me) is fully setup and ready).

[JimEd]

I put a racked triple tree on my Valkyrie trike.
It was a great improvement in steering the trike.
Know that I have the rake, I would not have another trike without it.
I have been told it's the same with a sidecar.
When you get the sidecar on you will be glad you have it.