Helping my double amputee friend get on a trike

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Okay, so here's the story. Four weeks ago my friend, Dennis, who I've known for over 10 years and I had lunch. We have lunch once a month and at this particular lunch we were talking about trikes. He is a double amputee above the knee and obviously that means he has no legs. He told me that he is going to get a Harley trike for his 50th birthday. Well last time we had lunch was two weeks ago and I showed up on my trike. He immediately asked me if it was rented or if I bought it. I told them I bought it he called me an ******* and laughed about it. He said he was really upset that I beat him to it.

A couple nights later I got some text messages saying that he could not get my trike off his mind.

He doesn't know where you can find a trike conversion that can be done fully with the hands nothing with legs. He even sent a letter Harley-Davidson asking them if they have an answer to his problem. So I thought this would be a great place to ask. Does anybody know where a guy with no legs to get a trike conversion made, or even a trike to ride. He is not begging me to let him ride up and down my street in first gear and then telling him know just to be mean LOL
 
Sad to hear about your buddy-I have a paraplegic son who is 38 years old that I would luv to get on a trike, but he is too scared of falling off.

This could become a reality for your friend! The brakes could be totally hand operated, as well as the shifting. The technology is available, and not a huge amount of money. The real issue being that your feet kind off anchor you to the trike and give balance off the floorboards. I believe a tether of some so sort could be made for his upper legs and waist, to anchor him, or a lot of duck tape! He would definitely need assistance getting on and off the trike-they do make swing lifts for such things.

In summary-I think this would be a wonderful, liberating thing for your friend -and I sincerely hope it becomes a reality!!!ThumbUp
 
an electric shifter and converting the front brake cylinder to work both should do it. Several threads here on those subjects.
 
Contact "Wheels" (as mentioned above) and research the Pingel Company for shifter.

Linking the brakes is not an issue and there are several ways to accomplish that.

All the best and hopefully your Bud will be highly trike-mobile and loving it in the very near future.
 
Well, I'm sorry that it took me a bit to see this. Thanks Nana. I would be more then happy to help. I have a GL1800 Gold Wing with a Motor Trike kit on it, but Harley's work just as nicely. My email address is jkleath@comcast.net

If I can be of any help to your friend, it would be my pleasure. Just ran the Tail of the Dragon with a buddy of mine who was injured in a MC accident at 19 and helped to get him set up and riding. He is Paralized from the waist down. Check last weeks highlights, I think, on Kill Boy for a photo of us.

Here is, I hope, a link to a pic of me.

killboy.com Weekly Highlights - September 4th, 2012 | Facebook
 
That is cool Lunch-but we need sumpin less than 50 grand, everthing this kid owns is not even close to what the Boss goes for. In fact I would have to buy it-so go easy on me!!!!:AGGHH::D:D

Agreed it's a lot of money, but if I ever win the Lotto I will keep him in mind.ThumbUp
 
You should be able to operate the front and rear brake with the right lever only. Most Goldwings have Front and rear. Brakes operating off the foot brake, should be abe of switching it to the lever . They have hand shifters, gases already there, redesign the seat. Getting on and of is the only set back I can think of...
 
I'm also a double leg amputee but below knee and I walk well with prosthesis. For a bi-lateral above knee amputee the only difficulty I could see compared to my situation would be getting on and off the thing. Does he wear prosthesis? Canes or crutches? The trike set up is the easy part, his mobility is the missing part of the puzzle. If he generally uses a wheelchair, there are set ups I've seen on trikes for sale on Ebay that have a spot for the wheelchair to be stowed once the rider is on the trike. Good luck with it all! I have a Kliktronic shifter and both front and rear brake are actuated by the regular brake lever at the right hand without the need for a proportioning valve. I have a back up rear brake or e-brake that is heel actuated should the regular brakes fail. I've attached a pic of myself on my 2006 Sportster 1200 cc Custom Trike.
 

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