Have You Ever Seen One?

[Ozark]

I saw something the other day that I don't think I have ever seen before. I met an older guy on a big cruiser that only had one arm. Didn't notice it when he pulled up to the stop sign, but when he turned in front of me, I could see that his left arm is missing. Just had to think about how hard it would be to ride a bike with only one arm. I was both impressed by his moxie but concerned at the same time. I knew a guy a long time ago that rode with an artificial leg, but that would seem relatively easy compared to missing an arm. Have any of you met or known someone who rides a bike without both arms and legs? I'm just wondering how common that actually is.

[Cerviperus]

I saw a guy this past weekend who was missing his left hand. He simply had a metal claw. I didn't get a good look at how he rode, but I'm assuming the it would have to have a different clutch setup. He was riding what looked like a V-Star.

[RedRider]

There are enough serious replies to this question that I was embarassed to leave this tasteless post.

 

Removed.

 

RR

Edited May 28, 2009 by RedRider

[Sheradan]

Rode with a guy like that and he had a Honda 750A. That's an automatic trans. Crashed a lot.......................because he rode to fast.

[MasterGuns]

About six months ago as I was leaving one of the local Yamaha dealers, a middle age fella had just pulled in and parked his bike. As he was getting off, I noticed he was removing a crutch from some improvised brackets on which it attached. Low and behold, he was missing his left leg. I tried not to stare but couldn't help myself. What I was trying to see was the shifter. I was really curious as to how he shifted the thing. On the way home I started thinking about how he stopped and had to be really concerned with which way (left or right) the bike leaned. He had to always ensure the bike leaned to the right. I am really surpised the state would allow him to operate a bike but GOD bless the dude, he has my admiration.

[jburrell]

I certainly have seen my share of Handicapped riders!!!

 

See em everyday!

 

riding those Crotch-rockets like they ain't got no brains!!! Don't care about other riders or cagers!!!! Or How long they will live riding that way!

 

[Stratcat]

I saw something the other day that I don't think I have ever seen before. I met an older guy on a big cruiser that only had one arm. Didn't notice it when he pulled up to the stop sign, but when he turned in front of me, I could see that his left arm is missing. Just had to think about how hard it would be to ride a bike with only one arm. I was both impressed by his moxie but concerned at the same time. I knew a guy a long time ago that rode with an artificial leg, but that would seem relatively easy compared to missing an arm. Have any of you met or known someone who rides a bike without both arms and legs? I'm just wondering how common that actually is.

 

There is an older black gentlemen that races at the dragstrip here in Louisville with one arm on a sport bike uses an air shifter and is on of the fastest out there.

[Cerviperus]

riding those Crotch-rockets like they ain't got no brains!!! Don't care about other riders or cagers!!!! Or How long they will live riding that way!

 

Heh.

[lonestarmedic]

Pingle makes an air shifter that works great. Also will interrupt the ignition for a brief second to allow a shift. Works up and down on a set of buttons. I think the clutch works the same. I know a LH amputee that rides a trike.

 

JB

[Sling]

One of my sons friends is missing his right hand. He just has a nub at his wrist.

He rides a crotch rocket, and uses the nub to work the throttle and the hand

brake!! He rides good with no problems, I didn't even notice till my son pointed

it out to me.

[RandyR]

The Yamaha FJR has an automatic transmission.

 

The FJR1300AE model features a semi-automatic transmission which Yamaha calls YCC-S (Yamaha Chip Controlled-Shift). This system is a 5-speed sequential manual gearbox with a computer controlled clutch so that no clutch lever use is needed by the rider.

[stardbog]

I'm saw a guy with no left leg by hip, and he ride one of those dual sport BMW's.

[Ponch]

I had a good friend whose left arm was amputated below the elbow. He rode a Hyabusa and was real talented. He slipped the hook over the clutch lever and shifted without the clutch after take-off. He would grasp the left grip with his hook while riding. "B" could do wheelies and stoppies and manipulate that highly modified 'Busa in ways I've only elsewhere seen on television.

Now if he was only as intelligent as he was talented. "B" was electricuted as a child. It seriously fried his left arm , both legs and his stomach. They salvaged his legs, but he never could eat the things most could. I guess because he faced death at such an early age, he was absolutely fearless.

He had three small children and a lot of money, but was never, ever happy. He used to ride with the show bike boys. You know the ones. They had the latest high tech accessories, chromed extended swingarms and all the goodies. They would race each other on the way to the drag strip, tear up the track and race home.

On his last ride he was racing with his comrads on Houston's Beltway 8 and lost control in a curve. They said he was doing in access of 150 mph when he went down. A lady that he passed minutes prior, stopped to help and said he was still attached to the bike by his hook. His buddy riding beside him said that he couldn't release the hook (which is shoulder activated). He was wearing a leather racing jacket zipped up over the artificial arm. Normally the force of hanging on to a motorcycle fishtailing around at 150 mph would certainly have ripped the limb off, but it didn't. His bud said that "B" was flopped around like a rag doll. It broke almost all the bones in his body. He died in his friend's arms.

My sympathy rests with his children who have a rich inheritance, but no father.

"B" was my friend, and I miss him, but he refused to put his family ahead of his own desires and they are suffering from it.

Sorry, didn't mean to be morbid. This tread brought those memories back.

[1BigDog]

Met a guy at Bike week in daytona a few years back with one arm missing from the shoulder area. Didnt think anything of it until i saw him pull out of the parking lot on a Vakl Interstate tourer..left arm was missing. I was deeply impressed at how easy he flung that bike around.

[Eck]

Well they say bike riders ride all day long with no brains........

BUT, to answer your question...yes..

I met a gentleman who had a claw for his left hand and he was riding a Harley.

We met at a stop light and I just had to ask him how he is able to shift and ride using it.

He said: Heck, after using it so long it becomes like a habit just as yours do with your normal limbs............. sounded good emough for me to accept..

[SaltyDawg]

With all the advancements in industry these days I see no reason why you couldn't ride with a handicap like missing a leg or arm. Automatic transmissions are great and steering with one arm isn't that hard, the only real time you need it is at slow speeds. Higher speeds you lean to turn the bike.

 

I see an older gentleman a couple times a month riding with this system on his bike. Believe me, with my gout problems I have seriously considered purchasing one myself. Check it out. There are others out there but this one seems pretty good.

 

http://www.trikealternative.com/ghostwheels.shtml

 

They also have this:

 

http://www.trikealternative.com/retractatrike.shtml

 

I'll say this much for them. They sure are proud of those suckers. Maybe I better consider a Hack!!

Edited May 28, 2009 by SaltyDawg

[TEW47]

Met a guy just before Christmas who had no arms below the elbow and no legs below the knees. He had claws on both arms and had like short skis for feet and he rode a standard bike. Was I impressed, he rode just like everone else. Really have to admire amyone who can overcome trials in life like that!

 

tew47

[Ozark]

Thanks for all the good feed back. It is amazing what some are able to overcome just because they set their mind to it. I can't imagine how hard it would be to ride without one arm or one leg, but I know a man born without any arms and he has been a shadetree mechanic for a lot of years. Again, thanks for the good postings.

[sadicarnot]

There is a dude on the Space Coast here in Florida that missing his right arm I think (one of them in anycase) right at the shoulder. He rides a Valkyrie of all things. Has the hand controls on one side of the handlebar. Otherwise it looks like a stock bike. He is one of the best riders I have ever seen. Can do all of the moves like in the Ride Like a Pro videos.

 

Last time I saw him was a few years ago. Had a passenger on back of that big Valkyrie. Amazing to see how good of a rider he is.