A Bloody Paraplegic's Story.

 
   

A Bloody Paraplegic
A Ding Bob Trike (2)                                                                                          

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We had the odd argument when I wanted to open the throttle and Bob thought we should pull up, or when I wanted to slow down and he didn't, given that I had the power handle thing and he had the brake, but otherwise it was very smooth triking. Oh, I also remember lots of "stay to the left- stay to the left, no not that bloody far".

Just a note about the brakes. When the back brake was applied with a little arm force the thing pulled up straight and quick every time. If I wasn't ready I finished up with my nose squashed against the wind shield and my bum in Bobs face.

Of course we got into trouble when we finally got back to the house because tea was starting to rot.

But we knew where our priorities were, and they weren't in the kitchen. I hadn't ridden anything with handlebars for 40 years but I now knew that getting my trike license was a probability.

Next day Bob bought a complete 1970 VW automatic fastback. So we now had the running gear. I knew that the Leading Link front end that Ding Bob designed, worked beautifully but "I want a raked Harley front end" I dribbled during another drink and dream session. Apart from the front end I wanted a skinny front wheel and really big ones at the back. Basically I wanted everything that wouldn't work properly once you got out of the car park.

Bob threw his arms around Italian style and said "OK, if you aren't happy with the handling when it's finished, we can change the Harley front end for one of ours''. He builds his kit frame to fit the Harley front as well as his Leading Link. Secretly I think he was glad that I didn't want the proven design because it gave him a challenge.

Next day (January 02) Bob rang and told me that I was the proud owner of a Harley front end raked 5 degrees at the tree purchased at the right price through a newspaper add. "Now that's 5 plus how many on the frame". I said to Bob.

In my mind I had the front finished so that is ok. Bob came up with a King and Queen type seat arrangement in his mind - (but you have to remember that there's a lot of shit in there) - so let's look at that...

Bob cut the frame weight by getting rid of the heavy VW torsion bar thing, which means that I could put bigger tyres on the back without losing any more power.

It will be kind of balanced out. Heavy Trike with skinny wheels v Light Trike with fat wheels.

A heavy Trike with big wheels will now be blown away at the lights. I can handle that idea.

As far as looks. We were trying to stay away from the 'recognised - accepted' trike chop (or can opener) look.  In other words we don't want it to look like a bent banana with foot pegs with a front seat that's designed to squash your balls and a rear one to do your back in.

Most of the main stuff had been done to the Frame and Body version of the Trike but now we had to put the controls on the handlebars and modify the seat for me so I don't fall off the thing.

Handbrake. Aluminium fuel tank.
Automatic gear shift Rear power brakes.
Right hand works the throttle and front and rear brakes - and the left has the handbrake.

continued Trike 3
 
A Bloody Paraplegic John Dwyer