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SRMark · 02-06-2007, 03:01 AM

The trail is where you ride a dirt bike. The rake is the thing you clear the trail with.

City folk!!

wilro09 · 02-06-2007, 03:29 AM

It is more complicated than a simple post but here goes. Rake is the steering head angle. Trail is the difference between a point on the ground directly below the axle and an imginary point on the ground running inline with the steering head.

It seems simple but gets complicated by:

1. the triple trees offset from the steering head

2. the front wheel diameter

3. if the triple trees are offset from each other changing the angle of the fork tubes relative to the steering head

4. the location of the axle relative to the fork tubes

Essentially less trail means it turns sharper/quicker, more trail provides less of a twitchy feel at highway speeds.

seruzawa · 02-06-2007, 03:49 AM

It's easier to understand if you know basic trigonometry. Notice that it's similar to a right triangle. The perpendicular runs from the steering head to the ground. The rake angle gives you the hypotenuse. The trail is the 3rd side of the triangle which would run parallel to the ground. A bike with longer fork tubes can give more trail with a sharper rake angle than a bike with shorter fork legs. If you draw some triangles you can see how it works.

jimmyr · 02-06-2007, 04:09 AM

I gotta say...I never thought when I got up this morning I would hear the word "hypotenuse" used in a sentence....

sarnali2 · 02-06-2007, 04:15 AM

Never mind all that mathmatics mumbo jumbo, just remember that lame-o gaywad cruisers have lower degrees of rake angle and lots of trail that's why they can only go in strait lines untill they get ridden off the road by the drunk wanna-be riding them,

Where as super cool dope-as-sh*t sportbikes have greater degrees of rake angle and less trail, that's why they can shredd corners like a ripper, dude piloted by the mad skillz of there totally bangin' riders..

Nothing to it...

seruzawa · 02-06-2007, 04:30 AM

Tomorrow's special word is "zinc oxide".

seruzawa · 02-06-2007, 04:32 AM

Oh sure. All we need is advice from the dude who rakes his shovelhead with a hacksaw and some JB Weld.

boru4761 · 02-06-2007, 04:37 AM

Do you miss ur MR. ALLCAPS? So, do I.

sarnali2 · 02-06-2007, 04:54 AM

It says right on there it's a permanant repair

schizuki · 02-06-2007, 05:01 AM

Now I'm confused. I thought cruisers were "raked out", i.e., had a high degree of rake, and sportbikes had less rake (especially the Buell XB9R/XB12R).

Whoops, I forgot the Buell wasn't a sportbike. Bad example. Just substitute UJS of your choice in the above example.

02-06-2007, 03:01 AM	#1
SRMark Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,465	Re: Rake & Trail The trail is where you ride a dirt bike. The rake is the thing you clear the trail with. City folk!!

02-06-2007, 03:29 AM	#2
wilro09 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 55	Re: Rake & Trail It is more complicated than a simple post but here goes. Rake is the steering head angle. Trail is the difference between a point on the ground directly below the axle and an imginary point on the ground running inline with the steering head. It seems simple but gets complicated by: 1. the triple trees offset from the steering head 2. the front wheel diameter 3. if the triple trees are offset from each other changing the angle of the fork tubes relative to the steering head 4. the location of the axle relative to the fork tubes Essentially less trail means it turns sharper/quicker, more trail provides less of a twitchy feel at highway speeds.

02-06-2007, 03:49 AM	#3
seruzawa Robby Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: 8501 ft. Posts: 16,803	Re: Rake & Trail It's easier to understand if you know basic trigonometry. Notice that it's similar to a right triangle. The perpendicular runs from the steering head to the ground. The rake angle gives you the hypotenuse. The trail is the 3rd side of the triangle which would run parallel to the ground. A bike with longer fork tubes can give more trail with a sharper rake angle than a bike with shorter fork legs. If you draw some triangles you can see how it works. __________________ I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.

02-06-2007, 04:09 AM	#4
jimmyr Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 28	Re: Rake & Trail I gotta say...I never thought when I got up this morning I would hear the word "hypotenuse" used in a sentence....

02-06-2007, 04:15 AM	#5
sarnali2 Aging Cafe` Racer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sittin' down by my window, lookin' at the rain. Posts: 8,132	Re: Rake & Trail Never mind all that mathmatics mumbo jumbo, just remember that lame-o gaywad cruisers have lower degrees of rake angle and lots of trail that's why they can only go in strait lines untill they get ridden off the road by the drunk wanna-be riding them, Where as super cool dope-as-sh*t sportbikes have greater degrees of rake angle and less trail, that's why they can shredd corners like a ripper, dude piloted by the mad skillz of there totally bangin' riders.. Nothing to it... __________________ "Carpe` Throttelum -Loud Suits Save Lives" "All the BMW riders in the room, I want you to leave. Now. Out. "

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02-06-2007, 04:30 AM	#6
seruzawa Robby Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: 8501 ft. Posts: 16,803	Re: Rake & Trail Tomorrow's special word is "zinc oxide". __________________ I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.

02-06-2007, 04:32 AM	#7
seruzawa Robby Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: 8501 ft. Posts: 16,803	Re: Rake & Trail Oh sure. All we need is advice from the dude who rakes his shovelhead with a hacksaw and some JB Weld. __________________ I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.

02-06-2007, 04:37 AM	#8
boru4761 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 406	Re: Rake & Trail Do you miss ur MR. ALLCAPS? So, do I.

02-06-2007, 04:54 AM	#9
sarnali2 Aging Cafe` Racer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sittin' down by my window, lookin' at the rain. Posts: 8,132	Re: Rake & Trail It says right on there it's a permanant repair __________________ "Carpe` Throttelum -Loud Suits Save Lives" "All the BMW riders in the room, I want you to leave. Now. Out. "

02-06-2007, 05:01 AM	#10
schizuki Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 4,413	Re: Rake & Trail Now I'm confused. I thought cruisers were "raked out", i.e., had a high degree of rake, and sportbikes had less rake (especially the Buell XB9R/XB12R). Whoops, I forgot the Buell wasn't a sportbike. Bad example. Just substitute UJS of your choice in the above example. __________________ “[The video] should be sent for example to ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN and maybe PBS and VOA. As for Fox News, let her die in her anger... I used to think that MSNBC channel may be good and neutral a bit, but is has lately fired two of the most famous journalists – Keith Olbermann and Octavia Nasser.” - Al-Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn. Or any American lefty.