Available Wheel Chair Rider's Options

[BonzoBiker]

WELCOMING ALL FEEDBACK

​

I'm trying to help a lifelong friend of mine to get back in the wind again so that he can enjoy what time he has left with us and create some lasting memories for his lovely wife to keep in her heart... He owns a beautiful 2006 FLHRCI Road King that he's owned since it was brand new but he's only been able to put a couple hundred miles on it in all of this time! Please... If anyone has any suggestions or knows of any existing solutions to his situation, we would love to hear them!

My friend has diabetes and has had to have both of his lower legs amputated because of it, he has limited upper body strength and requires the use of a motorized wheel chair to get around. Shortly after buying the bike of his dreams, he had to have his first leg amputated so he has never really gotten to ride his pride and joy and it's absolutely heartbreaking to see the look on his face as he talks about ways to make his bike accessible with his condition. He is completely open to trading it for a different Harley-Davidson, if necessary, to be able to ride with a few of his friends a few more times and we have kicked around various options on how to do this with everything imaginable from adding a side car that he can haul his 600+ lb. wheel chair in to going with a Trike and a trailer scenario - but we have yet to stumble onto the absolute perfect combination to meet his needs that is already on the market without engineering and fabricating a custom package with the skill and grace of the old trial and error method and an unlimited vault of cash to experiment with...

Like most of us who ride, he doesn't want to sit in the back of a pickup truck like an ol' hound dog and simply feel the breeze - he wants to be independant and have the ability to get on his bike and ride if he feels like taking a cruise through the country or running to the store real quick on a beautiful summer's day!! That's all any Harley rider wants, right..??

So, please... Help a downed brother get up again!

I'm new on this website and wasn't really sure about where to post this thread to get the best number of views so even the least bit of information such as that will be greatly appreciated more than words can express... Thank you for taking the time to read this post and we are looking forward to hearing from anyone who can offer their help.

Ride safe and keep the shiny side up...

 

[cavie]

Look up rider "Wheels" here on this forum.

 

[wheels]

Tom, lots of good information here and some really sharp riders with great experience. I have an '04' GL1800 Honda with a Hannigan Gen 1 Trike Kit. Have been riding for what is now over 240,000 miles and loving it. I am a high Double AK amputee with over 49 years in the "saddle." That really only means that I have saved a great deal on not buying shoes.*

Look forward to chatting with you.

 

[roadking2]

Tom, lots of good information here and some really sharp riders with great experience. I have an '04' GL1800 Honda with a Hannigan Gen 1 Trike Kit. Have been riding for what is now over 240,000 miles and loving it. I am a high Double AK amputee with over 49 years in the "saddle." That really only means that I have saved a great deal on not buying shoes.*

Look forward to chatting with you.

Wheels, I saw this post on another forum and I hope you don't mind that I told them about this forum and you specifically. For things of this nature, I and many others feel that your the man and I told him you would be willing to point them in the right direction. Seems you have verified my belief in who I thought you were and many thanks for being who you are. I'm a BKA, but I require next to nothing to ride my trike and I figured you would know how to transport a chair if anyone would.

 

[peteg59]

I'm in a wheelchair & ride independently on my VW powered, autostick, Harley servi-car.
It has a modified electric scooter lift onboard that picks up my chair & holds it for the ride.
Lots of fabrication involved in its creation, so this type of ride may or may not work for him.
I also have a FLHS Harley with a sidecar. This bike is equipped with an onboard compressor & air shifter similar to what is used on drag bikes.
Unfortunately I'm only able to ride the FLHS with help from buddies, as I cannot physically put the wheelchair in the sidecar myself.
There are a number of options for your friend when it comes to modifying his bike, & hopefully he has both the physical strength to continue riding & the mindset to not give up in realizing his dream of riding again.
I'm not tech savvy enough to post pics on here but I might be able to send pics via email, if he's interested in seeing either ride, MAYBE!
The only problem he may have in riding again, other than modifying his ride or acquiring something more suited to his needs, is his limited upper body strength. It does require some UBS to hold myself on the bikes, & be able to safely operate the controls.
Others here will likely offer fresh ideas, & hopefully a seed gets planted so he's riding again...

 

[wheels]

Wheels, I saw this post on another forum and I hope you don't mind that I told them about this forum and you specifically. For things of this nature, I and many others feel that your the man and I told him you would be willing to point them in the right direction. Seems you have verified my belief in who I thought you were and many thanks for being who you are. I'm a BKA, but I require next to nothing to ride my trike and I figured you would know how to transport a chair if anyone would.

Thanks for your kind words. I have enjoyed, over the years, giving back and helping others to enjoy this great adventure we know as "riding." I remember the first time I jumped up on my buddies Goldwing and gave her a go. While I have enjoyed many adventures, this one has been the best. There is little question that I don't have all the answers, but I am willing to share what I know, and as such, have made it a point to learn as much as I can bout what might work to help another disabled rider out. It's that "paying it forward" approach. I've enjoyed doing this for many years withing the disability community. No worries at all with sharing my "name." If we get another rider out and enjoying what we know to be something fantastic, than we "all" win.

I'm in a wheelchair & ride independently on my VW powered, autostick, Harley servi-car.
It has a modified electric scooter lift onboard that picks up my chair & holds it for the ride.
Lots of fabrication involved in its creation, so this type of ride may or may not work for him.
I also have a FLHS Harley with a sidecar. This bike is equipped with an onboard compressor & air shifter similar to what is used on drag bikes.
Unfortunately I'm only able to ride the FLHS with help from buddies, as I cannot physically put the wheelchair in the sidecar myself.
There are a number of options for your friend when it comes to modifying his bike, & hopefully he has both the physical strength to continue riding & the mindset to not give up in realizing his dream of riding again.
I'm not tech savvy enough to post pics on here but I might be able to send pics via email, if he's interested in seeing either ride, MAYBE!
The only problem he may have in riding again, other than modifying his ride or acquiring something more suited to his needs, is his limited upper body strength. It does require some UBS to hold myself on the bikes, & be able to safely operate the controls.
Others here will likely offer fresh ideas, & hopefully a seed gets planted so he's riding again...

These sound like some some really great looking rides and as such, let see if we can help you get some pictures posted so that we all can enjoy them. This is what I do:

You can open up a Photobucket account on the net for free. Once you open the account, you can upload pictures from your PC to the account. From there, click on and open the picture and you will see on the right hand side a link that says "Direct." Left click on it and the "url" (link) will be copied. From there, come over to your TT post and left click on the little "picture frame" at the top of the post box. You will see a "insert picture" box that will open. Left click on the line that says "url," then left click in the open line box and than right click in the little box and click the word "paste." The "url" of the picture you want to post will be entered in the box. If there is a check mark in the little box under that, click on it to turn it off. Than click OK and your picture should appear in the post box.

Look forward to seeing pictures of your rides.

 

[peteg59]

Thanks for the pic posting info Mr. Wheels.ThumbUp
As of this moment, I'm barely able to type on a computer, so pic posting will be a serious challenge for me.
I usually enjoy a good challenge, so I'll make the attempt!
Please be patient with me, as this could take awhile:xzqxz:

 

[damagedgoods]

I fell and broke my dang fool neck...

I am not completely paralyzed, but I have issues from the neck down. I use a motorized chair to get around. I am foolishly going forward with plans to build a reverse trike I can lower a ramp on and drive into and remain seated in my chair as I ride.
I need it enclosed so my chair doesn't get destroyed by water. Here is a crude sketch of one of my designs.