|
As one privileged to enjoy perfect health until the age of 55 (when shoulder repairs were required) I had a good spell enjoying motor cycles, starting as a lad on the pillion of my father’s ‘Big 4’ Norton combination.
When I grew up (at seventeen!) I got my own bike, an MOV Velocette. (A 500cc Rudge was vetoed by my parents!) A Mk2 KSS Velo replaced the MOV as soon as it seemed decent. National Service called for a less complicated machine, so an MSS (with springing) took over. After doing my bit in the RAF a Velo Venom (in 1959), a Norton Dominator 600SS (1960), and a 650SS (1961), graced an extravagant period in my life, financed by a reasonable job and still living at home. In 1963 a Singer Convertible (not new) ousted the Norton but late 1964 saw a 1960 600 Dominator (with skirt) shipped off to New Zealand courtesy of the New Zealand emigration scheme.
1966 saw my wife, daughter and self back in UK. Family transport (an ageing Vauxhall Velox) seemed very mundane so a ‘fun bike’, a 500cc featherbed ‘Inter’ Norton, joined the Vauxhall in the garage. But the ‘fun’ ran out after too many ‘exciting’ moments dicing with my mate on his 1000cc Vincent. A second daughter and a review of family responsibilities meant the ‘Inter’ had to go!
When the kids had grown (but not flown) a BSA Golden Flash requiring TLC crept back into the garage. But TLC had to wait a long time due to family crisis and the BSA was eventually sold to help finance my eldest daughter’s wedding.
When life was more settled and retirement beckoned a 1955 Ariel 500 KH twin and membership of the VMCC promised a new era of ‘wind in the face’. But life isn’t always like that; 9 months after early retirement (at 61) and after a re-build of the Ariel, the fingers and knuckles were red hot. The start of Rheumatoid Arthritis! When the pills got the measure of the problem after 6 months or so, I could manage the Ariel again but within a year I was too weak to handle the weight and it was replaced by a 200cc Ariel Colt ‘lightweight’. I only managed to ride the Colt a few times before I was obviously too weak to be in charge of a machine needing to be balanced and man handled. About this time I was also diagnosed with ‘Polymyositis’ (a very rare 1 white male/per million/per year a muscle wasting nasty) and put on a massive dose of steroids, which stabilized the situation and got me climbing the stairs again.
So could anything be done to restart biking? A sidecar was considered, but my left arm was now too weak to ‘pull’ a combo about so a ‘sidewinder’ banking ‘sidecar wheel’ was acquired and fitted to the Colt; but then the balancing problem was back and the legs were too weak to deal with that! So, for the next 2 years the Colt languished in the garage whilst I hoped for a ‘miracle’ cure.
Then about a year ago, as I was making a ‘zero minus’ recovery my specialist took another muscle biopsy, which, with state of the art technology re-diagnosed my muscle wasting as ‘ Inclusion Body Myositis’ (symptoms are the same as Polymyositis). The good news is it doesn’t shorten your life, the bad news? There is no cure and its downhill at an unknown speed.
But, having got a stair lift for house mobility and an electric scooter to get about the shops (and bike shows) I ‘bumped’ into the NABD at the Bristol Bike Show early in 2003.
A chat to the guardians of the top corner of No 1 hall and ‘Mr Pete’ who built trikes, and a copy of ‘Open House’ set the grey matter a moving. After reading the NABD magazine and seeing the way each trike was built to overcome an individual’s disability, I was sure solutions could be found to mine! So I joined NABD and scoured the magazines for ideas and inspiration.
Drawing on my engineering design background I started a ‘project file’ examining all possible options of configuration, engine type, gear change and control layout.
I then produced an outline drawing and basic spec, based around a Honda VF750 Donor Bike. Then the question; could it be done and at reasonable cost? It was after all a complete special.
In May I got in touch with Pete House of Howling Banshee Customs (who only lives some 30 miles away from me) and arranged to meet him for a project feasibility meeting. Pete’s obvious ability, Motor Industry background, and enthusiasm soon convinced me I was talking to the right man for the job. He was confident he could meet my budget providing I was flexible on the major components used, so a deal was struck. Pete had my sketch and basic spec and I left him to it. After a week or so CAD drawings began to appear of a revised layout! In the meantime I worked on my spec to cover all major features I needed (or would like!). Pete made ‘suggestions’ and said what was and wasn’t possible and gradually the final design was fixed (almost!)
I then approached ‘Billy’ of NABD telling him of my disabilities and plans for the trike and was there a possibility of a ‘helping hand’ from NABD. Within a week there was a cryptic message on the answer phone ‘At the last grants meeting it was decided to award you a ‘Kliktronic’ gearchanger and some cash toward the special ‘disability parts’ needed for the trike. What a response! What an organization! Thanks NABD!
Now the serious stuff started, Pete collected the donor bike, the 1982 Honda VF 750cc (V4) from my garage; he just took it apart and chucked it into the back of a battered VW Estate!
The major trike component, the chassis, was put in manufacture: I obtained a pair of leading link forks from a friend in the VMCC and ‘the die was cast’ as it were.
After many phone calls ‘progress reports’ and a few panics I went for a ‘fitting’; i.e. a seat fitted to the chassis, engine front forks and wheel in place.
It was pretty good, just some ‘minor’ mods and additions. At this session the 3-seat arrangement was finalized with a frame for carrying my electric scooter between the rear wheels.
Work progressed with much head bashing by Pete and at the end of August I went for an ‘almost final’ fitting. All wheels, controls etc were in place and the trike was painted red and black. The handlebars, which had previously seemed ok, needed a new position to suit my inability to raise my arms high; but what progress! And a promise from Pete that it should be finished in about 2 weeks.
Well it was finished and as you can see it was a very ‘interesting and challenging’ project for Pete! (Pete tells me the challenge is ongoing to get it just right!)
Hopefully this trike configuration may also be suitable for other disabled riders and help them to get ‘the wind in their faces’
I have it in my face again, thanks to Pete of Howling, Banshee Customs and a ‘helping hand’ from NABD!
This NABD grant of £830.00 was sponsored by a
donation raised by
Roy Hampson’s sponsored walk of the Penine Way
|
