How does rake effect motorcycle handling

Even though trail has a very similar effect on handling as rake does, the way that effect is realized is completely different. You won't be able to measure trail with a protractor, as the amount of trail a motorcycle has is displayed in distance units as opposed to degrees for rake angle. Before we dive into the technical side of things, check out the image below for a few seconds prior to reading on. It may not seem so, but trail has a more dramatic effect on handling than rake.

As a result, you have to be very careful when you adjust trail as you can easily mess up the handling. The basic principle is the same as with rake. More trail gives you more wheelbase and you get a stable bike at high speeds and lazy at low speeds.

Less trail gives you the direct opposite. As in the case with rake, the amount of trail varies with the type of motorcycle. The 3. South Central U.

Southeast U. West U. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Password recovery. Rider Magazine. Eddie Braun: Ep. Ryan McFarland: Ep. Please enter your comment! Please enter your name here. You have entered an incorrect email address! Most Popular. Part of the handling characteristics of a motorcycle are dictated by the constructive particularities of its frame and suspensions, and the purpose of the present guide is to provide a quick introduction of three of the most important aspects that influence the handling of a bike.

While the present piece may seem a bit scarce in engineering data to riders and mechanics with tons of experience, the guide is targeted to newer riders and its goal is to help them get the basic notions. Rake, trail, offset These three are the most important concepts governing the rideability of any motorcycle.

The offset may be absent in certain models, but where it is being used, it helps to adjust the riding characteristics of the bikes in ways otherwise hard to achieve, if not impossible at all. Motorcycle handling is a complex equation, and it involves geometry and weight distribution, alongside the good-old balance and actually learning how to ride.