The Direction of my Bonne

[otherwise]

Many years ago I saw some photos and read a short report on a bloke from Germany who lost an arm at the shoulder, he then went road racing and at club level did very well. He was far worse off than you so use him as inspiration. Not as dramatic but I also remember when Mick Doohan was world champion and was carrying a hand injury he raced with clutch and front brake on the same side. We can overcome most things with determination.
Good luck.

 

[ssjones]

Your service is definitely appreciated. I'm glad your back home and recovering and hope that your arm continues to improve.

I'm not sure where you or the bike is located. But, if you need help making changes to the the bike, I'm sure a lot of folks here would love to assist.

 

[Gretsch]

thanks all you guys, unfortunately ive lost all function of my right hand. we're all hoping its temporary but i can function just fine and im doing everyday things just fine. I do have a few surgeries to go through but no matter how these next few months turn out, I have some ideas running through my crazy head of possibly getting another one and converting everything to left hand operation so i can ride again. this means:

Jockey shift, foot clutch, left hand throttle and brake.

ill probably have to clinch my right hand down to the handlebars somehow so i can still use my arm to turn. what do you think??? am I crazy?

on a good note the military is giving me great care through all this and they have awarded me a purple heart which i am very proud of.

As always keep riding and rockin!

There's got t be a way to connect the front and rear breaks so they could be foot operated. If you had that and a clutch-less shifter you're back in business.

You are fucking awesome dude.

 

[Nick Morey]

:headbang2: I think your ideas are great! Too many people have it wrong, losing function of a limb is not a disability, it's a challenge to be worked around. Dogs have it right, they lose a leg and carry on like nothing happened. Sounds like you are well on the road to recovery! :cheers:

 

[Speed3Chris]

thanks all you guys, unfortunately ive lost all function of my right hand. we're all hoping its temporary but i can function just fine and im doing everyday things just fine. I do have a few surgeries to go through but no matter how these next few months turn out, I have some ideas running through my crazy head of possibly getting another one and converting everything to left hand operation so i can ride again. this means:

Jockey shift, foot clutch, left hand throttle and brake.

ill probably have to clinch my right hand down to the handlebars somehow so i can still use my arm to turn. what do you think??? am I crazy?

on a good note the military is giving me great care through all this and they have awarded me a purple heart which i am very proud of.

As always keep riding and rockin!

Hope is what keeps all of us going. I prey your hand function will be restored.
Try to research the best surgeons available.

As to motorcycles, they are fun but by no means the end all to motoring.
An open top sportcar can be great fun and also a great project as well.
Finding something equivalent to a Triumph in 4 wheel motoring from Lotus to Porsche or even a Porsche speedster kit car or restoring an old Corvette would be a great fun... If your hand heals sufficiently than maybe get back on a motorcycle but the good news is there are lots of fun ways to enjoy the sport of open air motoring.

No doubt you think about the alternative of being injured even more than you are. I understand we are taking heavy casualities in Afganistan because of the risk of infilitration of villages to root out the enemy who hide among innocent people.

You are my hero for protecting this country and I wish you the best and a complete recovery.

 

[ssjones]

There's got t be a way to connect the front and rear breaks so they could be foot operated. If you had that and a clutch-less shifter you're back in business.

You are fucking awesome dude.

In the last month's issue of "The Horse" a trike is featured that was build/owned by a fellow who lost one leg. He has the brakes linked and the detail describes that component. I'll have to look that up.

 

[otherwise]

I've been thinking about this. As long as holding on, or a method to hold on with your right hand is sorted out, the rest isn't too hard. Left hand throttle is easy to set up, clutch is already on left, I think front brake also on the left. Brake set up a little high and clutch set down a bit. Linked brakes from the rear lever is doable but I think unnecessary.
Sorry if I am making too little of this, I'm still in reasonable shape, you have to put in the hard yards. Good luck mate.

 

[strokerlmt]

Led........with your attitude you will come back. My opinion don't give up the Bonneville. It seems to me you can convert the rear and front brakes to ABS using the rear foot pedal. Throttle to left side and clutchless shift. There is a way somewhere. Meanwhile do the operations.....stay well and all this will work out. You should be proud of The Purple Heart.......
"Press on"......
LMT

 

[koifarm]

Man o man Ledzep, awful sorry to hear about your injury....
Keep dreaming of that bike, make it a goal to heal well enough to get back on and ride, you can do it!
Thank you so much for your service to our country, glad to hear the military is taking care of you and helping your recovery.
You might have a look at this program, maybe it will help you a bit.
http://woundedwarriorproject.org/
Hang tough, you will overcome all this and get to riding again!!

 

[T-boy]

Hang in there, Zep...where there's a will, there's a way! Thanks for your service and heal fast, my brother.

 

[monty]

thanks all you guys, unfortunately ive lost all function of my right hand. we're all hoping its temporary but i can function just fine and im doing everyday things just fine. I do have a few surgeries to go through but no matter how these next few months turn out, I have some ideas running through my crazy head of possibly getting another one and converting everything to left hand operation so i can ride again. this means:

Jockey shift, foot clutch, left hand throttle and brake.

ill probably have to clinch my right hand down to the handlebars somehow so i can still use my arm to turn. what do you think??? am I crazy?

on a good note the military is giving me great care through all this and they have awarded me a purple heart which i am very proud of.

As always keep riding and rockin!

Led,

A good friend of mine lost the use of his right arm and hand as a result of a crash over twenty years ago. He carried on riding and has converted many bikes over the years and now rides a pair of Ducati's, a 748 and a 900ss.
If it will help you I can track him down and maybe photograph the left side of the handle bar on his bikes to see what he has done.

I wish you all the best in your recovery, God speed.

Monty.

 

[strokerlmt]

Right on Monty........
"press on" Led.....
LMT

 

[ledzeppelin13k7]

Its nice to know that at least someone has done that before and I'm not crazy to think of something like that. it will be a while before i can even sit on one though. I have a shrapnel wounds on my lower back among many other places that will a take a considerable amount of time to heal. As for the hand, its nerve damage, I'm hopeful but its not likely it will ever operate correctly again. My arm functions perfectly fine though.


As for the bike Ive decided to keep it and my brother(and retired army engineer maybe I shouldve done that instead of Marine Corps Infantry lol) has already installed a majority of the parts I purchased for it. Ill post some pics as soon as I can. Its looks sweet. I also drew out some ideas for the left hand set up(Im left handed so it kind of works out haha) I think Im gonna steal the idea from licks cycles as they put a mopar pistol grip shifter on a bonneville. Ill have to fabricate most of the set up with the help of some of my family. Hopefully it all works out.

 

[Speed3Chris]

If your arm is OK and nerve damage to your right hand, you will ride again to be sure. You could even fashion up a velcro glove for grip pressure...until such time you restore your hand function. Don't give up on nerve damage being irreversible. Technology continues to march forward and only a matter of time before nerves can be restored...including spinal cord restorations. You will work around the controls to be sure....including mounting twist grip on the left. The honda VFR has linked braking front and rear and maybe other bikes with this feature as well...you could either adapt this to the bonnie or get another bike with linked braking....or move the brake lever to the left and do something else for the clutch.
Good idea to keep the bike and consider how to modify it while you mend up. See you out on the road.

PS: A pilot friend of mine was flying a plane over Iraq when his plane took enemy fire and had both of his feet shot off and now has titanium prothetics fitted. He says there is no reason now to wear shoes other than the noise he makes when walking. What happened to him was hard for him and me to accept. He is an amazing person as are all the brave men like yourself that put their lives on the line for a cause bigger than any one of us. We fitted special foot controls to his BMW...he is a car nut like many of us...so he could continue to drive...moved the accelerator to the left and with positive engagement of his metal feet because they would always slip off...something we all take for granted...we can feel with our feet.
A person's will is what guides us and always overcomes any limitation each of us have.
God Speed.

 

[otherwise]

As for the hand, its nerve damage, I'm hopeful but its not likely it will ever operate correctly again. My arm functions perfectly fine though.

25 years ago I almost severed my right index finger, microsurgery and physio got it working again, but I had no feeling in the top half of the finger, the nerves were too damaged. After about 2 years the sensation slowly returned. Today I'd say I have lost only about 20% sensation IE 80% returned. My biggest problem is in cold conditions, because of reduced blood supply to the finger it gets very cold when the others are still warm, I can live with that. Take encouragement from this little story and the others because the body can work away in the background while you're unaware of what it's doing for you.

 

[strokerlmt]

Led....I'm really glad u didn't sell The Bonne. Your friend has done some modssss......send us some pictures....
LMT

 

[koifarm]

Don't forget the possibility of a sidecar either....those rigs can be easily modified to fit just about any limitations.

 

[monty]

Led,

Will try to get the photos this weekend for you.

Apologies for the delay.

Monty.

 

[DIRK]

we have a customer who with a hook for the left hand still manages to keep riding for many years now.

 

[Gretsch]

Heal up Led. We want to see pictures of you on the bike soon.