Lower leg amputee and trikes

[ironhorse446]

Good evening all!! I am new to this site and also to trikes in general. I am also a recent lower right leg amputee and have some questions regarding trikes. I lost my lower right leg back in February so I felt the need to sell my my two wheel touring bike due to balance issues and lack of reverse for putting it in the garage. So I guess I am looking for any helpful advice as I begin to look for a trike. I know I need to do some test riding of different bikes to see what will fit me best but I am wondering what some of you all ride and any pros or cons etc.

I am a fairly tall guy at 6'5" and with my prosthetic leg position is kind of important as I have trouble bending my leg back very much. Any thoughts on traditional trikes vs something like a Can Am Spyder or Stallion? Also in terms of trike kits are there any brands that are better than others or any to stay away from? I really want something that will be reliable and not broke down all the time. Thanks in advance for your help and info. I don't want this to become a brand bashing thread I just want to now from you guys that have trike experience what works good for you. I am open to any brand as I just want something that will work best with my disability.:wave4:

 

[Nana]

Welcome to TrikeTalk! We have several members who are also amputees, and they will be able to advise you on some specific adaptations they have made that will be sure to help you. I just want to comment that, at 6'5" you are right that not everything will feel comfortable to you! I see you recently rode a Yamaha Venture, so I assume the seating arrangement "fits" already. Have you considered adding a trike kit to a Venture instead of starting with something different? That way you would have a ride that already feels right and you are already comfortable with.

 

[msocko3]

I'd check out as many as you can to see what you'll need modified to fit you before making a decision. One way of dealing with the rear brakes is discussed in this thread http://www.triketalk.com/forum/general-discussion/8998.htm.

 

[sprt220]

Hannigan makes a trike kit for the Venture.Check out their site. Good luck. Ken

 

[07BlueCSC]

My buddy lost his right leg above the knee. He has had both a 1500(Motor Trike) and
1800(CSC) Goldwings. He moved the BRAKE pedal to the left side. On the 1800, a cable
connects the left pedal to the original right side brake pedal.

 

[Dennis Murawski]

I lost my left leg last fall. At that time I had a 2007 FLHT with 50,000 miles on it. I too was wondering which route to go. I looked at the Can-Am Spyder and a tri-glide. Earlier I had put cams and other performance improvements in the FLHT so neither of the new bikes came close to the power I was already riding. I also read the tax laws that talk about deducting the cost of modifications needed to operate your vehicle safely after you have become handicapped. I decided that adding a handicap accessory to my current vehicle (read, third wheel) falls under the deductible medical expense category. I went with a Champion independent rear suspension kit a with mechanical reverse. I'm still adjusting to riding on three wheels, but I'm back in the wind.

 

[ironhorse446]

Good evening everyone and thanks for the posts so far. You have all brought up some great points. First of all is Hannigan the best kit for the the Venture? I know that there aren't alot of options out there for trike kits for a Venture but I was just wondering how good of a kit the Hannigan kit is. As I look back I wonder if I may have been a little premature in selling my bike. Maybe I should have tricked my bike but at the time I didn't know of any body that made a kit for the Venture. But I guess I can always find another Venture already done if I chose to stay with a Yamaha. I guess I wish my bike was fuel injected and also a little bigger than a 1300.

So I was just wondering if there was anything any better out there that may work better than the Venture. I was wondering Dennis how do you deal with the heat issue on the Harley especially after making your bike into a trike? Or isn't that an issue for you? I kind of like the idea of a Harley as I have never owned one but after reading the Harley forum here I was a little nervous about the heat issue and wearing the leave under my prosthetic which is what you would be doing as well. Also did you actually ride the Can Am and if so other than the power what were your thoughts? Did it work with the prosthetic or not very well?

I guess the RT would be the only one that would work for me because of the seating position. Also I was just curious how big of engine do you have in your Harley? And finally where you do find the tax code regarding handicap equipment? Could you take the whole trike kit off income tax? Thanks again for all the info and ride safe!

 

[Nana]

I can speak to your question about Hannigan quality..... Hannigan kits are exceptional quality! My last trike had a Hannigan kit, and I have nothing but good to say about it for appearance, ride comfort, quality craftsmanship and design. The factory is hands-on family run, and everyone I dealt with was proud to work there and had great respect for the Hannigan family. That pride came through in the quality work.

I'd encourage you to take a trip down to Murray, KY if you possibly can. They will give you a tour of the place, you can see the kits being built, and meet Dave, RuthAnne, and their son. I think you'll be impressed .
Yamaha Royal Star Venture & Tour Deluxe Conversion – Hannigan Motorsports

 

[msocko3]

I agree with Nana about Hannigan, my 2012 GL1800 will be getting the Hannigan treatment real soon.

 

[Renegade Trikes]

If you happen to swing near Southern Indiana, you could stop by our shop and take a look at one of our trikes. May suite your needs. But I do give you the best of luck with getting a new trike and as others have said, try out lots of trikes to get a feel for what you like and works for you.

 

[Dennis Murawski]

I was wondering Dennis how do you deal with the heat issue on the Harley especially after making your bike into a trike? Or isn't that an issue for you? I kind of like the idea of a Harley as I have never owned one but after reading the Harley forum here I was a little nervous about the heat issue and wearing the leave under my prosthetic which is what you would be doing as well. ... Also I was just curious how big of engine do you have in your Harley? And finally where you do find the tax code regarding handicap equipment? Could you take the whole trike kit off income tax?

I fixed the heat problem while my scoot was still a two wheeler. It's a 96 inch motor and putting out just under 100HP. Google your state and federal tax publications. Remember, since you sold your bike you are not fitting your existing vehicle to work with your handicap. I don't know if buying a new trike would fall under the tax code rules. Check with your tax adviser or CPA.

 

[bustedwing]

Welcome to the website from the U P of Michigan. I think any of the trike kit manufacturer will have adaptability for some disabilities. I commend you for not giving up on a sport you love. Do some research, I think you probably would need a larger engine due to a trike takes more horses to move. So, maybe a used trike that you can find someone to modify reasonably. Just a thought. Ride safe

 

[ironhorse446]

Good evening all! Thanks for the additional information. It is great hearing from folks that have walked this road before me. I really hated to sell my bike as I really love to ride but I knew for this summer it was the best thing to do. At first I thought maybe I wouldn't miss it much but after beings at he Black Hills in South Dakota last weekend and seeing all the bikes going to Sturgis it made me miss my bike so much. That is when I decided I really wanted a trike so I could get back in the wind. Thanks for the info on Hannigan tries.

I will definitely look into them. For those of you that have done trike kits do you ever have issues where you have to take it back to the dealer? I was just curious as to how important it is to try and stay with a trike company with dealers close to where I live. Do you all have any suggestions on which trike companies are the best other than Hannigan? I live fairly close to a motortrike dealer as well as a California Side Car dealer. Are these good companies or packages. As I said before want something that is pretty much bullet proof. As I stated yesterday I was just wondering if something other than a Yamaha would be better because of a little bigger motor. Thanks again for all your time!

 

[kb9osl]

Don't know if this will help you ,but check out this link on this fourm.
Gorgeous Yamaha Stratoliner/CSC Trike For Sale

Good luck, and don't give up looking for a ride.

 

[kb9osl]

Don't know if this will help you ,but check out this link on this fourm.
Gorgeous Yamaha Stratoliner/CSC Trike For Sale in the classifieds section on here.

Good luck, and don't give up looking for a ride.

 

[Biker-Dave]

I lost my left leg above the knee to a dodge ram truck. The second question I was ask when I woke up after surgery was, "You still going to ride again?" My answer was."Hell yea!" I knew I was going to ride again. But there was no way I was going to ride a trike. After months of rehab and working with a guy who makes retractable landing gear for bikes, I came to figure out that if I wanted to be able to ride on my own, I was going to have to ride a trike.

Ok, so now I needed a way to shift. With no left leg I had to have some way of shifting, a Pingel was the way to go. Well that turned out to be a waste of money. The thing left me on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck more then once. I ended up with making an extended toe shifter and moving the floor board out. With my leg I could not get my foot even close to the shifter. I just wanted to feel like I could ride without worrying about things breaking and leaving me stuck. I should point out that I do ride a Harley, so I will clarify that with other than normal things breaking. LOL

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you will be evolving, learning how to do things that you might look at now and go no way can I make that work. When I started on my trike, The thought of shifting my bike like every one else does was as far from my reality as it could be. And now, I can take my little Do-Dad off and stick it on any Harley trike and down the road I go. You will progress, you will learn, and you will be innovative. Hell Brother, you are a Biker!

 

[pcombe]

I seen a Yamaha venture with what looked like a california sidecar trike body on the internet in Idaho Falls Idaho last week with 4100 miles on it for $6000.00.
You Can't convert one for that price.
So what if it's an old bike it looked great.

 

[nightstalker]

I am a lower left leg amputee, and right foot front 1/2, amputee. I use a pingle shifter for shifting. I am also 6ft-2, so i installed a set of fllor boards and modified the brackets to lower the board 1 1/2 inches, has the local upholstry shop raise my seat 2 in and set the rear lip back 2 in, i also got the rear brake pedal from the board set and put wider pad on it. Works great as i now brake w the heel. Also i ride w a friend that is r lower amp , he rides a big yamaha and its brake pedal works great stock. Good luck and ride safe

 

[hotsyman]

My story is i had a guy made a left turn in front me i hit in front of his car wen i came off the bike my left foot got hung under shifter pull my leg apart broke my wrist. I bled out 8 prints of blood it happen July 4 2011. I had 13 surgery's on my stump he had no insurance but anyway stay in hospital 2 months got out of hospital, took for every to get my leg got a trike before got my leg doing good my phantom pain is still bad
William

 

[roadking2]

One thing I learned is that you start with 2 wheels that you are comfortable on, then trike it. My limited knowledge also tells me that you want something with some power because the trike kit is adding a third wheel plus a extra couple hundred pounds. Both makes of trike kits that you mentioned are very good. Can't say for sure on the Motortrike, but the CSC is a very comfortable and stable ride largely due to the length and width of it plus it's IRS. My experiance is that about any of the major manufacturers are going to give you a great kit. CSC, Champion, Hannigan, Roadsmith, and Motortrike. Throw in Lehman who originally made the TriGlide for Harley. There are a few others to, but stick with the well known makes and you won't go wrong. A lot of it boils down to personal preference. IRS or solid axel. The general look, etc. Things like that. It's like picking between a Ford and a Chevy, or a Honda and a Toyota. Pick a dealer that has a good reputation. The proper installation and set up of the kit is as important as the kit itself. That's about all I know about it. Good luck. I went with a Champion with IRS. Oh, one more thing. Get the rake kit for whatever you get. It will make the low speed handling much better and make the curves easier to take.