Rebuilding The Man and The Machine.
- Thread starter TRAX
- Start date
16v4nrbrgr
Active Member
Your determination is admirable! I think that motorbicycling is a great way to recover since its low impact rehabilitation. I hurt my ankle real bad (on my motorbike lol) but riding the bike has gotten me out of the house when I normally wouldn't want to move since walking on it hurts now.
Like you, my biggest concern is the motorists around me. I'm a bit worried that I'll lose some of my awareness when I go to a full face DOT to ride in traffic, and might get blindsided easier or not hear a car coming up and not stopping behind me. Other motorists have been the thing that has kept me from riding my electric bike to school 8 miles away, without lots of power it feels kinda naked out there. It seems to me that to have the safest bike for traffic, it has to be illegal in some way, like lots of power, too much displacement for torque, or pegs. I prefer to rock pegs at speed too since digging a pedal is scary. I guess it's not a bicycle any more at that point!
Keep up the awesome work, I really like the vintage style of your bike and the incorporation of brass.
Like you, my biggest concern is the motorists around me. I'm a bit worried that I'll lose some of my awareness when I go to a full face DOT to ride in traffic, and might get blindsided easier or not hear a car coming up and not stopping behind me. Other motorists have been the thing that has kept me from riding my electric bike to school 8 miles away, without lots of power it feels kinda naked out there. It seems to me that to have the safest bike for traffic, it has to be illegal in some way, like lots of power, too much displacement for torque, or pegs. I prefer to rock pegs at speed too since digging a pedal is scary. I guess it's not a bicycle any more at that point!
Keep up the awesome work, I really like the vintage style of your bike and the incorporation of brass.
TRAX
Member
Dan, that's funny. I had a conversation with my Doctor about that, it went something like this...
Me- So is this going to cause me grief at the airport.
Him - Yes, yes it is.
Me - is there anything I can do? can you issue me a card or something?
Him - yes, yes I can.
Me - will that help with the grief at the airport?
Him - No, No it won't. 'm sorry, but from now on it's the short line for you.
Me - short line?
Him - the one to the full body scanner.
Me - Oh....(Oh ya, the short line baby no more waiting for me)
Lisa - Face Palm
Thanks GearNut, I'm starting to walk without the crunches now (short distances) few weeks I'll be able to ditch them and get back to biking treadmill etc. I'll get to jumping jacks, though I was never any good at them before my accident lol.
Thanks VIKTR, working towards as full a recovery as I can make. I'm happy to be walking. If I get to running well, that will be awesome. It's a goal. 1/2 DOT motorcycle helmet.
Your determination is admirable! I think that motorbicycling is a great way to recover since its low impact rehabilitation. I hurt my ankle real bad (on my motorbike lol) but riding the bike has gotten me out of the house when I normally wouldn't want to move since walking on it hurts now.
Like you, my biggest concern is the motorists around me. I'm a bit worried that I'll lose some of my awareness when I go to a full face DOT to ride in traffic, and might get blindsided easier or not hear a car coming up and not stopping behind me. Other motorists have been the thing that has kept me from riding my electric bike to school 8 miles away, without lots of power it feels kinda naked out there. It seems to me that to have the safest bike for traffic, it has to be illegal in some way, like lots of power, too much displacement for torque, or pegs. I prefer to rock pegs at speed too since digging a pedal is scary. I guess it's not a bicycle any more at that point!
Keep up the awesome work, I really like the vintage style of your bike and the incorporation of brass.
Thanks 16v4nrbrgr, for me pedal biking has been a great recovery tool. more so than motorized bicycle riding pedaling builds strong legs and as you say less impact than even walking. like my pedal bike, I ride my MB for the enjoyment of it, nothing like cruising around country roads on my MB.
Glad you like to look of the new bike. Brass FTW!
Truckd - Yes he is. Glad to have you with us Brother.
TRAX
Velodrome
Well-Known Member
You must have been close to a hospital I'm thinking. One femur is bad enough, but two? You can loose more than 1/2 your circulating volume in about 10 min with just 2 broken femurs and no major artery lacerations. and you had other injuries also. Your a lucky man. Glad your still with us.
TRAX
Member
Thanks Velodrome,
Yes, I was about 10 min away by helicopter. so from when I was struck to when I was in the ED was about 1/2 hour. While I was waiting I was concerned about the femoral artery in my left leg because the leg had swollen to fill the pant leg so I was afraid I had severed it. and I knew that if I had I would bleed out in a matter min. So needless to say the wait for the choper was tense. Thank God I hadn't and the bleeding was only from the muscle/bone damage still a lot but survivable. You are so right I am lucky, could have been so much worse in so many ways.....
TRAX
it makes me happy to here you are serviving and making a good recovery. the fact you got back on the horse(MB) is truly insperational. i just got my DOT helmet in today as last week i had a flat bed truck pull out in frount of me. i swerved barly missing him, and thank god there was not a car in the other lane. a cop was behind me, he pulled me over because he thought i was ilegal. after checking me out he let me go. when i asked you arnt gana pull him over he said the guy wasnt looking for bikes. so now i dont care if i look ridiculous im wearing the helmet. plz keep us with updates you are inspiring
TRAX
Member
Thanks for the well wishes Movinfast,
That was a close call you had, Glad to hear you are OK and wearing a helmet. I get it that some people don't like to wear them and that's up to them, but as for me I'll never ride without one esp after my accident.
TRAX
TRAX
Member
UPDATE -
Been working hard at the rehab. getting better every day. Almost back to where I was before this last surgery and ready to move forward. I have a follow up with the doctor next Tuesday if all goes well I should be cleared to get back on my strengthening routine. I have taken my bike(no motor yet) out on the trail for a short ride to test out the knee, that went well. I have not had much time to work on the bike. but I have been ordering parts I got a new front fork and a disc break. New set of pedals, New wheels and a sprocket adapter. New twist grip and handle bar and other misc parts. Did a bit of work on the tank and started planning a support for the seat. will post pics of the tank soon when it's done.
TRAX
Been working hard at the rehab. getting better every day. Almost back to where I was before this last surgery and ready to move forward. I have a follow up with the doctor next Tuesday if all goes well I should be cleared to get back on my strengthening routine. I have taken my bike(no motor yet) out on the trail for a short ride to test out the knee, that went well. I have not had much time to work on the bike. but I have been ordering parts I got a new front fork and a disc break. New set of pedals, New wheels and a sprocket adapter. New twist grip and handle bar and other misc parts. Did a bit of work on the tank and started planning a support for the seat. will post pics of the tank soon when it's done.
TRAX
TRAX
Member
Thanks Dan, I do appreciate it. Have your cell # in my speed dial just in case.
Had a great follow up visit with the doctor yesterday. He cleared me to restart my exercises and strength training. My knee is feeling much better as far as moving freely without pain so I can back on track with the rebuild for both the bike and me. it will be a bit longer before I can dedicate a lot of time on the bike but will keep you all posted via this thread.
Thanks to everyone for your support and well wishes.
TRAX
TRAX
Member
Rebuilding, one year later -
The man – I can't believe it's been a year, While I was going through it it seemed to go by so slowly now it's feels like a blur. I would like to take the opportunity to once again thank God, My wife, my family, and my many friends including all of you here who have been so supportive over this this past year, without who’s love and support I know I would have not had such a good recovery. I am also very grateful for the amazing work the surgeon’s did on putting me back together, when I look at my last x-ray and compare it to the first preop one I can hardly believe its the same set of legs. One year later, Rebuilding of the Man is getting close to being done (well reaching my run goal anyway), I know I will always live with the impact of my injuries (never be the same as they say) but having gotten back on my feet and on a bike I'm already further than many people though might be possible; so I will keep on striving to my goal of calling myself “rebuilt” when I can get past a jog on these humpty dumpty legs. After one year of rebuilding the man, there is no room in my heart for anything but joy when I think of how blessed I am.
The machine – Ok I started working on the bike again and will be posting a lot more about that in the following weeks. it's a roller now with new front springer fork and disk brake,
New wheels (same whitewall tires),
New rear hub and sprocket both motor and pedal side. Pedal side I have a 7 speed Shimano race sprocket and on the motor side I'm using a pirate cycle hub adapter and sprocket,
New hi-rise handlebar (the stock one was a flat bar) my old one had a 2 1/2 inch rise the new one is a 4 1/2 inch rise. new metal twist throttle.
The motor is proving a challenge fitting in the frame Only 1/2 inch from the down tube so - I had to shorten the rear mount to get it to fit but it is mounted. The carb fits with no room for the air cleaner so I'm working on fabricating a new very low profile one.
Lots to do yet on both man and machine I have the winter to work on both as long as the left leg stays pain free, I'm shooting for a spring ride and already marked my calendar for the 5th annual central PA Motorbike Rally at Jay's The slow riders will ride again..... Stay tuned.
The man – I can't believe it's been a year, While I was going through it it seemed to go by so slowly now it's feels like a blur. I would like to take the opportunity to once again thank God, My wife, my family, and my many friends including all of you here who have been so supportive over this this past year, without who’s love and support I know I would have not had such a good recovery. I am also very grateful for the amazing work the surgeon’s did on putting me back together, when I look at my last x-ray and compare it to the first preop one I can hardly believe its the same set of legs. One year later, Rebuilding of the Man is getting close to being done (well reaching my run goal anyway), I know I will always live with the impact of my injuries (never be the same as they say) but having gotten back on my feet and on a bike I'm already further than many people though might be possible; so I will keep on striving to my goal of calling myself “rebuilt” when I can get past a jog on these humpty dumpty legs. After one year of rebuilding the man, there is no room in my heart for anything but joy when I think of how blessed I am.
The machine – Ok I started working on the bike again and will be posting a lot more about that in the following weeks. it's a roller now with new front springer fork and disk brake,
New wheels (same whitewall tires),
New rear hub and sprocket both motor and pedal side. Pedal side I have a 7 speed Shimano race sprocket and on the motor side I'm using a pirate cycle hub adapter and sprocket,
New hi-rise handlebar (the stock one was a flat bar) my old one had a 2 1/2 inch rise the new one is a 4 1/2 inch rise. new metal twist throttle.
The motor is proving a challenge fitting in the frame Only 1/2 inch from the down tube so - I had to shorten the rear mount to get it to fit but it is mounted. The carb fits with no room for the air cleaner so I'm working on fabricating a new very low profile one.
Lots to do yet on both man and machine I have the winter to work on both as long as the left leg stays pain free, I'm shooting for a spring ride and already marked my calendar for the 5th annual central PA Motorbike Rally at Jay's The slow riders will ride again..... Stay tuned.
RusticoRay
New Member
Happy Thanksgiving, bike looks good. Your a positive example of being down but climbing back out. Lots of prayers for you and Lisa Peace Ray
dracothered
New Member
Keep praising God and he will keep healing you.
Have a question about this picture.
Your copper exhaust, what way did you put it all together and did you do it with your last build the same way? How well does it hold up to the heat and vibration?
Have a question about this picture.
Your copper exhaust, what way did you put it all together and did you do it with your last build the same way? How well does it hold up to the heat and vibration?
