It's the reason I ride a Spyder
I was thinking that I would start this thread to help other people like me that have a physical limitation but want to ride and I will update this thread as I work towards finding my next Spyder, but let me start from the beginning:
In 2010, I had this crazy idea that I could ride a motorcycle despite the fact that I had Multiple Sclerosis. My husband thought I was a little off my rocker, but he is a great man and went with it. He gave me a $10,000 budget and said if you can find one, you can get it. I searched craigslist for months and every person I spoke too, said "No that is too low", then one day I woke up and about a 3 miles from house a 2008 Premier Edition Spyder appeared. I email the gentleman selling it. He explained that he received his Spyder for free as a Can Am Spyder Ambassador and if I was willing to keep people informed about the Spyder he was happy to accept my price. So Billie was born..... and my screw you MS and the customization began. Here is what we did:
1. We installed handle bar risers to bring them back to comfortable level so my legs wouldn't hurt
2. Mirror extenders so they were usable with my decreased vision
3. Heat redirection so all the engine heat was not hitting my legs
4. Add clips to the side for my cane
5. Installed throttle boss for hand weakness
6. Added blue tooth to my headset so Erik could tell me if I was in trouble
7. We used truck bed liner and repainted her flat black (OK this was just for looks and it turned out great!!!!!!!!!!!! Step by step instructions can be found in the forum some place with pictures). Stealth Billie was born.
It didn't take long before I had my motorcycle license and I was on the road!! But then summer hit and the heat started to kill my ability to ride. We tried evaporation vests, ice vests, an iced buff to cool my head, but nothing worked. Then my daughter was diagnosed with convergence insufficiency (that is a long story all its own, basically her left brain and right brain didn't know about each and she was having problems functioning) and we considered selling Billie to pay for her 48 weeks of Vision Therapy. I have always believed that when it comes to money, that I will help anyone that is truly in need, because when I am in need God always provides for me and this was not an exception, I actually won two jackpots at the casino that paid for her Vision Therapy in full. To keep her going in vision therapy we used Billie as incentive, if you do your home therapy and work really hard, you can ride on Billie with me and we can both say "you can't stop me!" together. Thanks to wonderful people on this forum we were able to make the following accommodations to make that possible:
1. Added a sports rack and back rest for little bylemi to keep her save
2. Added arm rests to keep her safe
3. Full gear and a blue tooth helmet so she could let me know how she was doing.
4. A fun trip to Kings Dominion on the Spyder that killed my legs for 3 days, but was so worth it!!!!!!!!!
In the end, she completed her 48 weeks of therapy and has actually become the poster child for the Vision Therapy group. It is still funny seeing her face on emails and mailings. LOL
So anyways, in 2013 because of the MS, I found that I was riding less. I would wake up saying no not today, I'm not up to it. In 2014, there was no riding at all, my legs hurt, I couldn't hold the clutch in, I didn't have the energy. I lot of excuses I know, but riding just stopped being possible. So we decided to sell Stealth Billie, she was going to waste in the garage. I was contacted by a very nice woman, who was deaf that wanted to ride, but needed some accommodations. Stealth Billie was perfect for her, so to pay it forward, we sold her for a price that the woman could afford and I gave her instructions and guidance on how to ride and directed her to this forum, she may be reading this post......
Well now we have figured out that the medications that were suppose to make the MS better, were actually making it worse and I told Erik, I want to ride again. He agreed but said we have to make some adjustments first. Here is what he said we need:
1. Has to be an RT, he feels the comfort will make it easier with my degraded spinal cord.
2. Has to be an SE, since my hand cannot hold the clutch in.
3. We have find a solution to keep my core temperature down.
So this weekend we did the following:
Went to Coleman's and I sat on one of the new RTs, he was the right, that back of the seat hit the perfect place, to relieve the pain that shoots down my legs due to the spinal damage. The handle bars were perfect and I could see out of the mirrors. The bike was setup perfectly for little bylemi to ride with me. The floor boards were a nice touch and I never had to worry about verifying where my feet were. The salesman looked at Erik like he was joking when said "we just have to attach an AC unit to her and find a used SE and it will be perfect!". He explained that I had MS and the salesman apologized. In the end, I knew more about the Spyder than the salesman and I told him "I am the living advertisement for Spyders and I talk to anyone that will listen about them".
So we ordered a Cool Shirt System with vest and cooling unit (this is the same unit the race car drivers use to say cool during a race) and it will be here by the weekend. Erik is going to take me out on his Harley and we are going to test the cooling system and make sure that it works. After that, I have my budget and I know what I am looking for, 2014 or new RT. I will be back on the road in no time.
Sam Mac, we have not forgotten you. We are waiting on the cooling vest, if it works, you will receive a PM and we will come and get that beautiful bike you have for sale. If it is meant to be, it will still be available, if not the search shall continue.
So the adventure has fully begun.
A very inspiring message.I too ride with a disability,mine is Muscular Dystrophy.It doesn't affect the spine like MS,
it just weakens the muscles, and balance. It has taken most of my leg strength, I looks like I'm drunk when I walk.
Falling is my biggest fear. If I do, I can't stand up, I need to crawl to find something to prop a knee up high enough
to regain standing. I've had this for years, but only in the last 8 years it's gotten bad. I was unable to work, my job
required me to to climb stairs, stairs are tough but ladders, impossible.
I rode a BMW R 1150 RT that I loved. It became a chore to come to a stop and put my feet down. I couldn't lift my
legs to get the feet off the footpegs. I dropped it in the driveway and couldn't pick it up. I tried for 2 hours and finally used
the winch off my ATV. At the BMW dealer in New Philadelphia Ohio they were selling a BMW K1200LT that was converted
to a trike with a Hannigan kit. I rode it for 3 years and 80,000 miles. In march of 2014 I got a flyer in the mail from BRP.
They finally had what I wanted, a 6th gear and a better engine. My insurance agent owned a 2012 Spyder RT-L. He told
me ne was only getting 25- 28 miles per gallon. As much as I was planning to ride I couldn't afford the gas. But the new one
got me thinking. I took a test ride on a RT-L at a dealer and was hooked, but a serious problem. The footbrake. As with
the BMW, I couldn't get my foot off the floorboard to use the brake. I needed a handbrake. They said it couldn't be done.
So I just almost forgot about it. But on a ride one day in June of 2014 I happened to ride past a Honda dealer in Jackson
Ohio that sold Spyders. I stopped and explained my problem to Vinnie, the salesman. He said he they had a handbrake kit
and as an option could be had. So a deal was struck.
The Spyder was totally different than a trike. It handled strange, especially in corners. My insurance agent said it took him
1000 miles to feel confident. Well, I now have 100567 miles on my Pearl White beauty. I come to a stop next to a motorcycle
and ask the rider why he has his foot down.
Love this bike.
I hope everything works out for you too. If riding through the Zanesville Ohio area and see me, give a wave, I always wave back.
Good luck,
Buckeye Chuck
pps
My legs actually have no strength. When I walk I walk with my core muscles or I need to touch my legs to get my brain to recognize them, LOL. Its entertaining if nothing else. Riding is my way of the say NO not yet, I am in control not you!
