Rider Down

[Strompilot]

None of my crashes caused injuries as serious as Karen's.  Especially if she was never a diehard rider, it would make perfect sense that she enjoy the protection of a "cage" from now on. It is nice to hear that she is recovering well.

Oh, Karen was a diehard rider alright, to say the least, and I daresay she could ride with the best of them.  She was a 15-year veteran of Gold Wings.  She and her husband, Steve, and PeggySuz and I rode probably 200,000 miles together over the past 10 years, and I remember it was Karen who promoted a lot of the riding.  For her, you just couldn't ride enough.  She was just the victim of using an unfamiliar piece of equipment.  Her decision was based on her age (64) and the fact that her left hip has been replaced a few years ago, and both knees are in need of replacement.  For her, it was just time to pull the pin and call it quits.  No doubt, had she been 30 years old, she would have waited until she healed up, then climbed "back on the horse."  But there does come a time for all of us when it is prudent to move on to other forms of recreation before it becomes dangerous to continue to ride.  If we quit too soon, there will be regrets.  If we wait too long, regrettable things could happen because we should have quit sooner.  If we quit when the quitting is good, so to speak, then it will have been a good decision and we'll be left with fond memories and a safe exit and in one piece.

[SilverBullet]

Time for a convertible? 

[Strompilot]

Time for a convertible? 

That has been discussed.

[msgtphil]

You can get hurt just as bad in a convertible as on a motorbike, maybe not as easily but just as bad. It's all just addiction being cured is probably a good thing even if it takes an accident to do so.

[SilverBullet]

You can get hurt just as bad in a convertible as on a motorbike, maybe not as easily but just as bad. It's all just addiction being cured is probably a good thing even if it takes an accident to do so.

I have to agree to disagree.........Somewhat...... You can get hurt just as bad in any cage as on a motorbike. A convertible still offers you a sense of being in the wind ( I know I own one of those also) for those who still want that in their lives, when folks are no longer able to ride 2 wheels & or don't like the trike thing.

Remember our friend Blackbeard? I hope he's enjoying the heck out of his yellow, sometimes topless, Jeep!
I hope he is alive & well with his addiction!

I guess what I'm sayin is.........Just because a person all of a sudden is unable to have fun on 2 wheels shouldn't have stop living & having FUN. Their are other alternetives.

[Strompilot]

You can get hurt just as bad in a convertible as on a motorbike, maybe not as easily but just as bad. It's all just addiction being cured is probably a good thing even if it takes an accident to do so.

Oh, I agree.  That sense and feeling that grabs ahold of you when you discover motorcycling can just as easily be transferred to another sport.  A thrill is a thrill, ya know.

I am a pilot.  I flew for the Army--2 tours in Vietnam.  I flew commercially and for the Alaska State Troopers before hanging up my wings.  But I never stopped being a pilot.  Motorcycling comrs the closest to emulating flying, except you're still on the ground.  I love it!!  When the time comes to quit riding, I am sure I will do something else that gives that thrill.
I have to agree to disagree.........Somewhat...... You can get hurt just as bad in any cage as on a motorbike. A convertible still offers you a sense of being in the wind ( I know I own one of those also) for those who still want that in their lives, when folks are no longer able to ride 2 wheels & or don't like the trike thing.

Remember our friend Blackbeard? I hope he's enjoying the heck out of his yellow, sometimes topless, Jeep!
I hope he is alive & well with his addiction!

I guess what I'm sayin is.........Just because a person all of a sudden is unable to have fun on 2 wheels shouldn't have stop living & having FUN. Their are other alternetives.

[msgtphil]

You can get hurt just as bad in a convertible as on a motorbike, maybe not as easily but just as bad. It's all just addiction being cured is probably a good thing even if it takes an accident to do so.

I have to agree to disagree.........Somewhat...... You can get hurt just as bad in any cage as on a motorbike. A convertible still offers you a sense of being in the wind ( I know I own one of those also) for those who still want that in their lives, when folks are no longer able to ride 2 wheels & or don't like the trike thing.

Remember our friend Blackbeard? I hope he's enjoying the heck out of his yellow, sometimes topless, Jeep!
I hope he is alive & well with his addiction!

I guess what I'm sayin is.........Just because a person all of a sudden is unable to have fun on 2 wheels shouldn't have stop living & having FUN. Their are other alternetives.

Actually I am pretty much in full agreement, a convertible is a wonderful way to enjoy the open air feeling, as well as trikes, sidecars and such. I was considering only the inability to mentally continue riding after an accident and should have made that a bit more clear. I meant to convey that a decision to no longer ride is quite understandable and to never start riding is probably the sane choice. On the other side, that one endeavor is safer than another depends on the moment. The odds of an aircraft falling on my house are less than my being involved in a motorbike accident but it is possible and if an aircraft was falling on my house I would rather be out taking my chances on a motorbike.

I do remember Blackbeard and that he tried triking his scoot prior to going to the jeep but didn't like being tilted on crowned roadways, something I hadn't previously considered. His revelations were instrumental in my decision to try a sidecar rig instead of trike. By luck my rig has the capability to trim lean-in and lean-out of the tug on the fly, so if I should encounter any crowned roads such as Blackbeard did I can make adjustments, though passengers in the sidecar will have to live with it. If and when that happens I will surely think of him.

[Dan]

Today I saw a triked GoldWing come around the corner leaning towards the outside, thought to myself, yeah that's not for me.

[avachava]

trim lean-in and lean-out of the tug on the fly

At the risk of hijacking yet another thread,
could you briefly explain that?  My buddy
Bill is very close to pulling the trigger on
triking his old Nomad.  Enlighten us now
before he spends that $10G!  (Thanx)

[msgtphil]

trim lean-in and lean-out of the tug on the fly

At the risk of hijacking yet another thread,
could you briefly explain that?  My buddy
Bill is very close to pulling the trigger on
triking his old Nomad.  Enlighten us now
before he spends that $10G!  (Thanx)

The Vetter Terraplane is the only sidecar I am aware of with the devise but being new to sidecars I don't know if others are so equipped or not. I do know that Craig Vetter did own a patent for the devise. Vetter is long out of business and Vetter only sold one model of sidecar, I believe approximately 1000 were made. These sidecars used a 3 point connection where most use a 4 point mount. Two mounts are down low, while use of a 'roll bar' built into the subframe allowed the third mount to be up high and mounted to the roll bar support. The way I understand using the high mounting allowed elimination of a 4th mounting point and an adjustable link can be used between chair and tug as the two lower mounting points heim joints in line horizontally act as sort of a hinge. The adjustment devise 'Trim-Grip' is actually quite simple, a tube with Heim joints at each end. I'm sure helicopters have plenty of heim joints, swivel bearing pressed into a threaded rod for adjusting length and usually lock nuts to prevent movement after adjustment. . The 'Trim-Grip' is quite simply a tube with heim joints threaded into each end, except by using reverse threads on one end you can reach down and turn the tube, one way pushes the upper portion of the motorbike away from the sidecar, the other pulls it toward the car. Mostly this feature is handy for adjustments according to weight in the car, lessening the need to carry bags of sand or lead shot to compensate when no passenger is carried. Things affected by varying weight in the car are front end shimmy at low speeds and how much the rig pulls to the side on stops and starts. 4 point connections 'lean in' is usually set for an individuals normal riding style and variances are compensated by removing or adding weight to the sidecar. Sorry, I don't have better photos, about all this shows it the roll bar that allows a structurally sound high mounting point and you can see the heim joint and part of the tube between the sidecase and sidecar (follow the sidecase lid line to front). Hummm, Looking at this I'll have to study the lower connections to see what prevents pushing the inside of the sidecar up and down rather than adjusting lean of the motorbike. There is no doubt I may have possibly mis-stated some issues I'm just learning all this hack stuff myself but a search of "Vetter Terraplane sidecar" will find an installation and 'driver's' manual along with the reasoning. Yep, I said driver.
I should add that Craig Vetter had sold the company prior to production of the sidecar, while using some of his ideas and hardware designs,on his website he denies having anything to do with the sidecar design as produced. Bell owned the company for a while, some Studebaker Company I hear was the last producer and sold the sidecar rights to a Chinese Company that has done nothing with it.



Mainly I just like this angle but you can see a bit of the front lower mount.

[MoganDavid]

Time for a convertible? 

Y E S
A MINI S Roadster.
Next best thing to a motorcycle that has way more comfort and convenience that a Mazda MX5

[MoganDavid]

trim lean-in and lean-out of the tug on the fly

At the risk of hijacking yet another thread,
could you briefly explain that?  My buddy
Bill is very close to pulling the trigger on
triking his old Nomad.  Enlighten us now
before he spends that $10G!  (Thanx)

TRIKE = TREACHEROUS
Unless it is a reverse 'trike' like MP3 or Can Am Spyder

[Strompilot]

trim lean-in and lean-out of the tug on the fly

At the risk of hijacking yet another thread,
could you briefly explain that?  My buddy
Bill is very close to pulling the trigger on
triking his old Nomad.  Enlighten us now
before he spends that $10G!  (Thanx)

TRIKE = TREACHEROUS
Unless it is a reverse 'trike' like MP3 or Can Am Spyder

You must be referring to the old Honda Big Red off-road trikes that were considered dangerous years ago.  Real reason was because there wasn't any formal OHV training back then and a lot of people, mainly youngsters, who just didn't know how to properly ride one of them.  Modern motorcycle trike conversions are very stable, and in fact, a good trike pilot can embarrass a 2-wheeled bike rider in the twisties if he or she knows how to ride one skillfully.

But to keep this thread on track, Karen is doing very well.  She's home and getting pretty proficient at maneuvering her wheel chair.  She's getting out some, and they met us and some other friends for breakfast at a restaurant yesterday morning.  She can get in out of the chair and she can get out of the chair and into and out of their car by herself.  She's also using a walker to some degree.

She affirmed, yesterday, that her motorcycling days are over, but hasn't ruled out some sort of sporty 4-wheeled fun yet.  For her, it's more about getting out with friends than it is about the riding.  No doubt she will miss the riding, but she's not willing to take any chances given her age and the deterioration of her knees.

Thank you all for your concern.  I know she appreciates the well-wishes.

[SilverBullet]

Thanks for the update! Good to hear Karen is doing well! 

[MoganDavid]

"...getting out with friends"
Yes, Greg. That is how it was when I was active in HSTA and how it is now being involved with MichiganMINI.org and MOTD and a Motorhome group.
Thank for the update on Karen's progress.

[msgtphil]

Good to hear she is recovering. Losing another rider is always a sad event but that they quit is the least sad and the only way that ever makes sense. Luck to her in whatever endeavors she chooses.

[avachava]

Excellent news to get the thread
back on track.  Glad to hear she's
recovering.  The 'getting out with
friends' part is indeed much of the
allure of riding, at least for many
people.  But like skydiving and
SCUBA, it's not for everyone.

Continued prayers for her full
recovery and hoping Karen finds
fruitful ways to replace the thrill
without the danger. 

[Strompilot]

Just wanted to let you know, Karen is healing up remarkably well.  She no longer needs the wheel chair, but is using a walker for support.  She expects to graduate to a cane for the rest of her recovery.  She had a bit of a reality check recently when the doc let her know that her type of injury was not only limb-threatening, but actually could have been life-threatening.  She was very fortunate to have had a top notch orthopedic trauma surgeon who fixed her up.  And yes, she still asserts that her motorcycle riding days are over and she's good with that.  In any case, she making good progress with her recovery and is now back to work full time.  Her husband, Steve, has had to give up riding for the summer in order to tend to Karen's needs, but is looking forward to taking a couple rides before the season is over, just as soon as Karen feels she is capable of driving herself again.

PeggySuz has been waffling about quitting riding, but as she continues to be harrassed by her rheumatoid and osteo arthritis, she leans more and more toward no more riding.  Her hands just don't work right, her knees are painful, and she's concerned that she just doesn't have adequate and proper control of the bike.  I suspect that the Vulcan will be up for sale next Spring.

[Buffalo]

Good to hear she is progressing.  I know she will be glad to move on from the walker.  I hated that thing because both your hands are taken up when you use it so you can't carry stuff.  I was so glad when they let me move on to using just one crutch so I finally had a hand free. 

[Maggie]

Great news!

[billg]

Thanks for the update.  Glad Karen is progressing.  Please let her know we are thinking of her.

I had a good friend who had rheumatoid arthritus and understand the pain and discomfort PeggySuz is experiencing.

[MoganDavid]

must be a long, rough road to recovery.  May God give Karen complete healing and lift her spirits. God bless you for suspending the things you would have been doing so as to care for her.