I Wish I Had a Camcorder...

[GS1100G]

I was taking a ride on my 1100G and came upon a guy riding a harley trike, he looked like the kind of guy who would stop in at a biker bar and kill everyone in it... I mean he was the picture a fat leather from head to toe tattoed guy that was rode hard and put away wet, well his trike looked like it was home made and I like guys who can fabricate so I rode with him for a few miles there was that bond between us, (ya know the one where you ride with a complete stranger and stop at the same bar and would buy the guy a drink for the good ride) so we got to a stop light about 25-30 miles from my home and I looked at the back of his bike and there was THREE WHEELES!!!! It took everything I had not to laugh out loud (for fear of my life) but the training wheels where full size car tires with nice rims which is why I thought it was a trike... He fabed the back of the bike to look like a trike but on close examination there was a definately a rear bike tire there. So I concluded that my ride with him was over and I waved and headed home, laughing the entire way there. I thought that everyone that rode a motorcycle knew how to balance but aparently not this burly guy....

 

[marvinsc]

Don't be Too Harsh, there Might be a Physical reason for the trainers.

 

[GS1100G]

well I understand that there are physically disabled people out there but there wasn't a wheelchair strapped to the bike either... it was the steryo type I was laughing at not the rider himself

 

[marvinsc]

I got it! Speaking of the Stereotype, I have told this story before but it is still True and Funny. When I was in High School back in the 70's One of My Friends Father and Brother ran an Independent Bike shop behind their house. They worked on everything but they were the only place to get HD service between Paducah KY and Jackson TN so they got a lot of HD Riders. One Day Me and My friend were at the shop when the unmistakeable rumble of a Harley came up the Driveway. The Rider was all of 5'6" and maybe 100 pounds and was sporting Club Colors. He stayed about an Hour telling us teenagers about His Gang exploits from California to Florida to Kentucky. When He went to leave He Jumped on the Kick starter and it didnt budge. He jumped even higher for a second try and it nearly threw Him over the Handle bars My Friend went over and kicked over the bike and the Guy Meekly rode away.

 

[earlfor]

I must be missing something here. What is the difference between having two wheels in the rear and having outriggers and three wheels in the rear.
Balance is not required for either of them.

Besides that, it isnt what you ride, its how you ride that matters.

Earl

 

[GS1100G]

absolutely hilarious... yeah I was not downing the guy just his look and the HD steryotype he "seemed" like a good guy... But don't you like people who talk smack and can't back it!!!!

and earlfor it isn't the amount of wheels... if he gets his kicks with 100 wheels that is his thing but the HD, and HD ryder combo was funny, they make outriggers and then there are the ones that just make things look well wierd

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

3 Wheels is just a poor man's trike.

 

[skreemer]

There are a bunch of low cost outrigger type setups out there now that are "factory" built. Well built in someone's factory. It costs a ton less than transforming the bik to a real trike... and you get the added bonus of being able to simply remove the struts and components returning the bike to it's original configuration.

 

[rudy]

I've seen these setups on HD's, metric cruisers and Goldwings alike. I still can't help but think that they're either incredibly lazy, or too old and feeble to support or control the bike.

I know there's disabled folks out there too, and I admire their willingness and drive to get out and DO something and chase after their dreams. Unlike so many people in fine health who sit and watch TV all day.

Now, I'm not one to take away someone's pride and joy and enjoyment of the two wheeled world, but if you can't control 2 wheels safely, should you really be riding a big heavy bike like a Wing, HD or Cruiser? Even with outriggers and trike conversions, they're still big and heavy.

Just my $0.02

 

[EJMAMMO]

I do have to admit that those look pretty funny, but a good use for them came when my mother's husband came down with Parkinsons Disease. They own a late 90's early 2000's Full dressed Road King and they would put 12-15 Thousand miles on this bike every year, riding from Freeport, Il up into Canada, over to California, visit me in Tucson, and head back to Illinois. When he came down with the disease, it all but killed his riding due to the shaking and balance issues. He started working out with weights, and has since actually entered some body building competitions, this has really reduced the shakes, and by adding the training wheels, he can handle the bike, plus my Mom feels more comfortable handling it, apparently it handles in corners better than a trike, which they also owned for a short time. Hopefully they get to ride, albeit shorter distances for a few more years, he turned 76 this year. Oh, and they have a the prerequisite HD gear when riding!!!

 

[andrewclaycomb]

The guy I sold my GS to rides a Goldwing Trike. He lost a leg in Veitnam and he can't ride a regular motorcycle with the fake leg. The Trike has an air shifter on the bars.

He bought the GS for his grandson.

So I guess the point is maybe he had a fake leg...
Also you can get handicapped motorcycle tags. (although the vet I sold my bike to didn't have one.)

 

[Steve]

... He fabed the back of the bike to look like a trike but on close examination there was a definately a rear bike tire there. So I concluded that my ride with him was over and I waved and headed home, laughing the entire way there.....

There are a bunch of low cost outrigger type setups out there now that are "factory" built. Well built in someone's factory. It costs a ton less than transforming the bik to a real trike... and you get the added bonus of being able to simply remove the struts and components returning the bike to it's original configuration.

Two of the more popular kits are the TowPac and Voyager kits. Both of them claim easy on/easy off (about 5 minutes or so), but the TowPac has a choice of 8- or 12-inch wheels, while the Voyager offers only a 13-inch wheel.

Besides the amusement provided by the 'training wheels', there are now legal issues being raised by their use. Most states define a motorcycle as "a vehicle with two or three wheels, on which the operator rides astride a saddle and uses a handlebar for control." These vehicles have four wheels on the ground at all times, so technically, do not fit that description. Some officers that are in a not-so-pleasant mood have written tickets for displaying improper registration, since it is registered as a motorcycle.

The guy I sold my GS to rides a Goldwing Trike. He lost a leg in Veitnam and he can't ride a regular motorcycle with the fake leg. The Trike has an air shifter on the bars.

This past Memorial Day, on our ride in West Virginia, I met a man from New York who was there for the weekend to ride with us. He rode a Harley, and I noticed that he had crutches strapped on to the right side of the bike. Strangely, they did not affect his riding, as there was no leg on that side of the bike.

I asked him how long he had been riding since losing the leg. He said that he lost the leg as a child, in a farm equipment mishap and actually learned to ride with only one leg. His only adaptation was a master cylinder attached to the left handlebar that he could activate with his thumb, that operated the rear brake.

That's him on the far right.

Here is his bike.

.

 

[Headphase]

I bet gs1100g feels great now , hehehe

Theres a guy here has a disabled trike, it looks like something out of stingray, all bodywork all over it, almost like a modern gp sidecar unit. His wheelchair goes right in the back. Looks great, but unfortunately it has some wee pishy 100cc or so scooter type engine in it. I offered to try and fit a a gs550 engine in it , but he didn't take me up on it.

 

[Guest]

My father in law suffers from cervical dystonia. It's an incontrolable tilting of the head. he opted on physiotherapy instead of the drug treatmant so he could ride.
He did look at those training wheel kits to install on a V-Star.
He opted for a Burgman 650 automatic, as the gear shifting kept his head bobbing without control, kinda dangerous on a bike.
That little scoot is pretty amazing, he fitted it with a Givi hard bag.
I now really enjoy our rides together, the mom in law packs a picnic and off we go.
Everywhere we stop, riders are asking about the scooter. It's getting more and more acceptance as "A real bike", heck he gets the wave evertime we cross other riders.

 

[Killer2600]

Now, I'm not one to take away someone's pride and joy and enjoyment of the two wheeled world, but if you can't control 2 wheels safely, should you really be riding a big heavy bike like a Wing, HD or Cruiser? Even with outriggers and trike conversions, they're still big and heavy.

Just my $0.02

A car has more than 2 wheels and is MUCH heavier so are you saying cagers should be able to ride a bike? Trikes are for those who can't or don't want to control a bike on 2 wheels IMHO. When I took the MSF there was a guy in the class that only wanted to ride trikes, of course he had to do the course on two wheels and he did but he's a trike fan.

Besides the amusement provided by the 'training wheels', there are now legal issues being raised by their use. Most states define a motorcycle as "a vehicle with two or three wheels, on which the operator rides astride a saddle and uses a handlebar for control." These vehicles have four wheels on the ground at all times, so technically, do not fit that description. Some officers that are in a not-so-pleasant mood have written tickets for displaying improper registration, since it is registered as a motorcycle.

This past Memorial Day, on our ride in West Virginia, I met a man from New York who was there for the weekend to ride with us. He rode a Harley, and I noticed that he had crutches strapped on to the right side of the bike. Strangely, they did not affect his riding, as there was no leg on that side of the bike.

I asked him how long he had been riding since losing the leg. He said that he lost the leg as a child, in a farm equipment mishap and actually learned to ride with only one leg. His only adaptation was a master cylinder attached to the left handlebar that he could activate with his thumb, that operated the rear brake.
.

Some cops are A-holes but in those particular cases a judge will straighten them right up. It was made initially as a motorcycle, what f'ed up DMV is gonna let you register a motorcycle as a car. And if it's registered as a car will the cop allow a non-motorcycle endorsed driver to ride it without ticket for lack of proper licensing.

That dude is a dedicated rider there. I can't imagine how he deals with stopping on sloped ground where his leg on the low side.