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After number crunching and double checking, I should lose about an inch of trail. The FXDLS has a rake of 30.5 and a trail of 5.1". I'll drop to 29 degrees in rake and trail right at 4". That's right about what I was looking for. Lose a small amount of stability for a small gain in handling. I ride twisties more than I do freeway and do so aggressively. I'll take it. Once I get the project done, I'll post up pictures and give my thoughts. There is quite a bit that I am doing with my bike to make it "mine", with changing geometry up front the most significant.
With your change to the FXDB/C triple clamps, now is a good time to consider the GPR Dyna steering damper kit, as it comes with a very nice billet upper clamp. The damper reduces the effects of parallel ridges, potholes, broken pavement, and other nasties we have in this wonderful state of ours. It works so well its almost magic.
Also if you would like to verify your frame, the steering head angle is marked on the steering head casting, just behind the forward tank mount (you have to lift the front of the tank to see it).
For general information, I have my bike set up fairly stiff with 13 3/8" inch shocks and run a front tire a full inch shorter than stock (130/70X18). I also removed the rear wheel offset from the chassis which improved left/right transitions, turn in is butter with zero tendency to under or overshoot and stays on its line, the punchline is the steering response is much quicker than stock yet extremely stable at speed. My numbers work out to be a bit over 28.2 degrees of rake and a bit under 4.3 inches of trail (measured unladen, using a inclinometer, string and a plumb bob).
The FXDLS and FXDB use the same frame (both 29°)and same fork tube length
Different Raked Trees though as you know...0° vs. 1.5° along with different steering stem offset (but same 8.5" Midglide width)
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The steering neck on a on a FXDLS is 30.5 deg HD LINK & the steering neck on a on a FXDB is 28 degrees HD LINK.. Read HD's own specifications and the notion that both FXD (B & LS) have the same frames is not correct. This is unless HD's site is not telling the truth. The AFTERMARKET parts online look up have both frames as 29 degrees and HD as the neck at 30.5 degrees. One reference is obviously incorrect. As stated, in place or debating a part one does not have I stated to just buy an angle finder and know the truth for yourself. HD did not put on a set of raked triple trees on the same frame for the hell of it.
The reason why HD uses a raked triple tree on the FXDLS is to reduce the trail on the 30.5 deg steering neck to bring it back into a more manageable trail. Trail is the key. HD backyard hack mechanics have been making HD's different for the better or worse since there was motorcycles. In all cases it is the OP's bike and he can do with it what he wishes.
The steering neck on a on a FXDLS is 30.5 deg HD LINK & the steering neck on a on a FXDB is 28 degrees HD LINK.. Read HD's own specifications and the notion that both FXD (B & LS) have the same frames is not correct. This is unless HD's site is not telling the truth. The AFTERMARKET parts online look up have both frames as 29 degrees and HD as the neck at 30.5 degrees. One reference is obviously incorrect. As stated, in place or debating a part one does not have I stated to just buy an angle finder and know the truth for yourself. HD did not put on a set of raked triple trees on the same frame for the hell of it.
The reason why HD uses a raked triple tree on the FXDLS is to reduce the trail on the 30.5 deg steering neck to bring it back into a more manageable trail. Trail is the key. HD backyard hack mechanics have been making HD's different for the better or worse since there was motorcycles. In all cases it is the OP's bike and he can do with it what he wishes.
The info on Harley Davidson's website is wrong on the Low Rider "Rake (steering head) (deg) 30.5" and correct on the Street Bob "Rake (steering head) (deg) 29"
The Low rider is same as the Street Bob with a 29* steering head with a 1 1/2* raked triple clamps.
The steering neck on a on a FXDLS is 30.5 deg HD LINK & the steering neck on a on a FXDB is 28 degrees HD LINK.. Read HD's own specifications and the notion that both FXD (B & LS) have the same frames is not correct. This is unless HD's site is not telling the truth. The AFTERMARKET parts online look up have both frames as 29 degrees and HD as the neck at 30.5 degrees. One reference is obviously incorrect. As stated, in place or debating a part one does not have I stated to just buy an angle finder and know the truth for yourself. HD did not put on a set of raked triple trees on the same frame for the hell of it.
The reason why HD uses a raked triple tree on the FXDLS is to reduce the trail on the 30.5 deg steering neck to bring it back into a more manageable trail. Trail is the key. HD backyard hack mechanics have been making HD's different for the better or worse since there was motorcycles. In all cases it is the OP's bike and he can do with it what he wishes.
I like this. Before I even began this undertaking, I first checked with the HD service department and used formulas for figuring out rake and trail. Granted, I would question how much knowledge they have immediately on the topic. Never hurts to ask. This is my 3rd Dyna and I am very new to modifying geometry in the front end. We'll see how it turns out.
With your change to the FXDB/C triple clamps, now is a good time to consider the GPR Dyna steering damper kit, as it comes with a very nice billet upper clamp. The damper reduces the effects of parallel ridges, potholes, broken pavement, and other nasties we have in this wonderful state of ours. It works so well its almost magic.
Also if you would like to verify your frame, the steering head angle is marked on the steering head casting, just behind the forward tank mount (you have to lift the front of the tank to see it).
For general information, I have my bike set up fairly stiff with 13 3/8" inch shocks and run a front tire a full inch shorter than stock (130/70X18). I also removed the rear wheel offset from the chassis which improved left/right transitions, turn in is butter with zero tendency to under or overshoot and stays on its line, the punchline is the steering response is much quicker than stock yet extremely stable at speed. My numbers work out to be a bit over 28.2 degrees of rake and a bit under 4.3 inches of trail (measured unladen, using a inclinometer, string and a plumb bob).
I did effectively the opposite. Swapped out FXDC (same as FXDB) for a set of FXDL trees. I'm running 2" over tubes and a 21" front wheel, and wanted to lower the front end a bit and kick the front wheel out a little. I wasn't aware of the different stem offsets, so my wheelbase didn't really change, but it did lower the front end a little.
To be honest, I really can't tell much difference in how it handles, but I don't think I'm really sensitive to slight changes, and it was almost 6 months over the winter between riding it with the different trees. May have been more noticeable back to back. Most of my riding is relatively straight highways, so I didn't mind any additional stability.
The info on Harley Davidson's website is wrong on the Low Rider "Rake (steering head) (deg) 30.5" and correct on the Street Bob "Rake (steering head) (deg) 29"
The Low rider is same as the Street Bob with a 29* steering head with a 1 1/2* raked triple clamps.
The FXDLS and FXDB use the same frame (both 29°)and same fork tube length
Different Raked Trees though as you know...0° vs. 1.5° along with different steering stem offset (but same 8.5" Midglide width)
Hmm...It seemed like an easy, accurate, and concise statement(s) to make...
Originally Posted by FastHarley
... Bunch 'O Stuff here...
I'm going to try and put this FXDL-S Frame Rake Question to bed/rest...(which wasn't really a question for some)
I'm going overboard with the supporting documentation trail (but some will follow/believe it better). If I had or could find a FXDL-S owner with a photo of their frame showing the 29° it would have been simpler. If some FXDL-S Owner reads this and wants to post their photo of their backbone (showing Neck Rake), please feel free
I always thought HD had errors in some of their Specifications and in this case, probably used the "Fork Angle" as the "Rake (steering head)(deg)"
Since the Picture of Proof was a 2015 FXDL (Ebay photos below) and H-D only shows down to 2016, I'm showing the connecting path of navigation from FXDL-S to 2015 FXDL (SAME 29° FRAME).
(Even though the Part#s already showed that the FLD, FXDB, FXDC, FXDL, FXDLS share the same 29° Frame)
Harley Site...2017 FXDL-S same specs as 2016 FXDL (basically same link as referenced in FH's post above)
I use the "totalmotorcycle" site quite a bit and it seems they regurgitate pretty faithfully what Specs Harley spits out over the years...
REF: 2016 FXDL Specs HERE and 2015 FXDL Specs HERE (shown in image below)
Hmm...It seemed like an easy, accurate, and concise statement(s) to make...
I'm going to try and put this FXDL-S Frame Rake Question to bed/rest...(which wasn't really a question for some)
I'm going overboard with the supporting documentation trail (but some will follow/believe it better). If I had or could find a FXDL-S owner with a photo of their frame showing the 29° it would have been simpler. If some FXDL-S Owner reads this and wants to post their photo of their backbone (showing Neck Rake), please feel free
I always thought HD had errors in some of their Specifications and in this case, probably used the "Fork Angle" as the "Rake (steering head)(deg)"
Since the Picture of Proof was a 2015 FXDL (Ebay photos below) and H-D only shows down to 2016, I'm showing the connecting path of navigation from FXDL-S to 2015 FXDL (SAME 29° FRAME)
Harley Site...2017 FXDL-S same specs as 2016 FXDL (basically same link as referenced in FH's post above)
I use the "totalmotorcycle" site quite a bit and it seems they regurgitate pretty faithfully what Specs Harley spits out over the years...
REF: 2016 FXDL Specs HERE and 2015 FXDL Specs HERE (shown in image below)
Check out the info on various years on http://www.totalmotorcycle.com, sometimes they just copy the info from Harley Davidson's website that just lists the frame rake or total rake.
Originally Posted by WS6 Formula
The info on Harley Davidson's website is wrong on the Low Rider "Rake (steering head) (deg) 30.5" and correct on the Street Bob "Rake (steering head) (deg) 29"
The Low rider is same as the Street Bob with a 29* steering head with a 1 1/2* raked triple clamps.
07-08-2017, 09:12 PM
