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Motorcycle Forum for Riders Who are Insulin Dependent The National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD) in the UK AMA site with resource information Tim will noodle out ideas with you for modifications Northeastern Silent Riders (deaf riders club for NJ and nearby states) Chariot Wheelchair Motortrike Company: 3 wheeled, street legal vehicle for active people who are physically challenged Martin Conquest: high performance motorcycle that can be driven from a wheelchair ChrisTrikes: a company out of Miami with two models for wheelchair users A resource article on trikes and disabled riders from Kevin in Australia for Bikernet.com |
2008 Wednesday, January 9 Dear VTwin Mama, EFM Auto Clutch: EFM makes auto clutches for street bikes and dirt bikes. Their website advertises a complete assembly for Harley-Davidson bikes for $895. (A bit less expensive than the Walters Mfg. solution, no?) Rekluse Auto Clutch: Rekluse makes auto clutches for dirt bikes, but you could probably install their product in a similar supermoto (motard) or dual-purpose bike for street use. There is also this company making an add-on auto shifter: This company also makes a similar product, plus others that may be of interest: Disabled Motorcycle Riders, Inc. Hope this info helps some more people enjoy motorcycling. Cheers! – CJ Dear
CJ, Thursday, February 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Christ, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Katie, If the reach distance is ok, but the controls are a bit higher than your new hand position, you typically can undo the handlebar clamp and rotate it down a bit. If the distance and height are just fine, then check your wrist angle. Put your hands on the control ... your wrist should not be at an angle of any kind ... each control can be loosened and rotated for a better overall fit. If the distance is in fact farther than comfortable, a pullback riser insert can bring the whole assembly back towards you ... check with a dealer to noodle this out further. After these adjustments, or determining all is well, then there are several products to consider. One is a Throttle Rocker, which attaches to the end of the throttle grip, which allows your palm to take the weight of the throttle action ... I love mine! There is also a Throttle Boss, but that has a smaller area to rest your palm in. You might also check into a throttle lock for longer distance cruising ... I'm not a fan of locking the throttle cable into position, but for some, it makes a huge difference. For the clutch hand, I'd check to see how much effort you have to make to pull that in. If it's a stiff action or wide grip, there are ergonomic solutions that will reduce the pull effort by as much as 50%. Again, the availability is by make/model, so ask the Parts Department of your local dealer to determine what's what. I wish you well as you contemplate possible changes ... I'll be contemplating my navel, but that's neither here nor there in the overall scheme of things! – Mama Monday, March 10 For Katie who is battling Carpel Tunnel and looking for help: As far as Carpel Tunnel
Syndrome, there is help. Three
types, to be exact, after trying to reconfigure your motorcycle or trying
a different type of motorcycle. Do not wait for therapy, as riding with this sort of situation is uncomfortable and dangerous. – MK, an Arlington, Washington woman distance and camping rider in her 50s (note from Mama: Katie didn't mention if she was already seeking medical opinions, so I appreciate you noting it's important to do so.) Hi Petra, I have a new problem and searched your website but did not see this exactly. For the entire month of February I had no car and moto-commuted through cold and wet weather. It was a great feeling of self-reliance to do without the car. Toward the end of the month I began to feel an uncomfortable skin irritation on the back of my neck... under my hair, down where the helmet does not cover. I still have the problem two weeks after getting my car back and riding the motorcycle less. Maybe it's not the helmet but the jacket collar, or something in the air. The only thing that soothes it is rubbing alcohol. I've tried anti-fungal, cortisone cream, plain lotion-- all of which made it burn worse. Hydrogen peroxide-- no reaction. It doesn't act like helmet itch, and there's no problem anywhere that's covered by the helmet. Has anyone else had a similar problem and found a solution? Thanks and best wishes, – Sarah Dear Sarah, So, I'm thinking the reason it happened is the constant wear and a possible allergy to something in the jacket, which was heightened by the cold and wet weather. My guess is that a visit to a dermatologist will be needed to get to the bottom of all of this ... and a proper recovery. – Mama Monday, March 31 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear David, The correct term to search on is stabilizer wheels and yes, they are out there. Unfortunately, I'm only finding systems for Honda Gold Wings and the big Harleys, but don't let that stop you! I'd call Safety Features Inc. (Stacy, MN) at their toll free number 1-888-452-2552 and talk it out. You can also contact Tim at Adaptive Engineering (Long Beach, CA) at 562-869-0984 and see what's possible as they specialize in custom modifications. I'm hoping between these two resources, you find the solution. I'm wishing you many more happy road miles! – Mama
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