Reddit mentions of The Racing Motorcycle: A Technical Guide for Constructors, Volume 1 (v. 1)

Hey dude, you need to pick up the following books:

http://www.tonyfoale.com/book.htm

http://www.amazon.com/The-Racing-Motorcycle-Technical-Constructors/dp/0951292927

http://www.amazon.com/The-Racing-Motorcycle-Technical-Constructors/dp/0951292935

These are the bibles to understanding the engineering behind motorcycle design. The second volume Racing Motorcycle book covers the fabrication methods to building frames, exhausts, front ends, etc. It even tells you how you can build a 2 stroke expansion chamber using a powerwasher!

I think bicycle language may differ from most automotive/motorcycel engineering language in this regard, but rake directly affects trail, though not vice-versa. "Steerer-angle", from the vertical, or caster, is what I was referring to as rake. I see that in bicycles people refer to the trail offset as 'rake'. My apologies.

Both John Bradley's and Tony Foale's books have great introductions to the basic trigonometry of steering 2-wheeled vehicle.