My 2009 URAL Gear-Up Limited Edition Sahara

[FastDoc]

Originally Posted by SamM

Hey katoranger! I still have the Diesel engine and the KLR parts. There is just no reason for me to finish it. The Ural crash really took the wind out of my sails. It's been a rough year. It's best for me to cool my jets. I was going in to many directions and not finishing anything.

My knee is still in constant pain. After having withdrawal from 30 days of Morphine, I resisted taking the other meds the way I should have. But I never got hooked on the Percocets or Hydrocodon. I get a little better everyday.

The Ural was great fun. It just bit me. I was only doing about 20 mph but I didn't have enough ballast in the chair. Thankfully, I survived it!

FastDoc,
Left hand turns are awesome on a sidecar rig. The sidecar takes the g-forces. Right handers no so much. There is nothing there. Without a passenger the sidecar needs ballast. I did not use enough ballast in my chair. When I hit a pothole with the sidecar tire, it flipped up. I had to turn left to get the wheel down. It was a decreasing radius turn. The rest is history. The editor of Road Runner magazine died the same way. Sadly, he hit a truck.

I can clearly see what happened. You never had a chance. The laws of physics conspired against you :-(

[FastDoc]

It will take a long time but I bet you will have a good outcome.

How active were you before the accident? Were you normal or overweight?

You don't have to answer.... I'm a doctor, I ask questions ;-)

[katoranger]

I no longer want a sidecar rig.

[SamM]

No problem Doc. In 2012, I lost a few pounds, about 25 and got down to the 210 range. Still heavy for me. Right now, I stay between 205 and 207. I'm reading Dr. Crandall's book now and trying to eat better. Laying around recovering hasn't helped much. Getting back to work will be a big plus to loosing more weight. I hope to be down in the 170 range by Spring.

I do not drink soda anymore. If we are out, I'll sometimes have sweet tea. More often I just drink water. Sweets have never been a problem for me. I don't eat cake, cookies or pie with any frequency. Ice cream every so often. Not weekly. Once an month maybe. I do love my pasta and bread but I have switched to multi-grain, no sugar or low sugar. It's a life change and hard to get family members on board. I simply will not survive, if I don't change my habits.

EDIT: After my crash, I had a real problem with food. I barely ate when I was in the hospital. I lost something like 15lbs shortly after the crash. I didn't eat much for about 2 months.

Less red meat, more free range chicken, fresh salad, fish, vinegar, fruits and nuts in my future. Less processed food. A word to the wise, if you eat Salmon, make sure it says Alaskan, Fresh or Red Salmon.

katoranger,
Me neither!

[SamM]

FastDoc,
That's exactly what happened. It was so quick that I had no time to react. I did what I thought was right but it still happened. Speed was not a factor. Momentum was. Which is crazy! I have replayed it in my mind a million times. The off chamber road was the problem.

[SamM]

Hi Sam.

I am sorry to hear about all you have been through but grateful that you are basically OK. God is merciful.

I understand and respect your decision to stop riding motorcycles. Since you have a family that decision makes sense.

I think ATV's should be fine for you, it's all in how you use them. The main dangers are tip-overs, which can be avoided with good judgement, and collisions with other ATV'ers, which can be avoided by choice of riding area. Other than that I consider them safe.

Still, somewhere in my heart, I don't think you've taken your last motorcycle ride yet.

Maybe you'd enjoy something like my antique Honda CB175.

Just sayin', we kinda know you'-)

Did the doctor's save your original knee? Not a replacement?

I will admit that I have been looking at the new Honda GROM, the ROKON 2x2 Trailbreaker, and the Yamaha TW200. Or, I will buy a new ATV. It would be nice to have a small bike to bring on camping trips. The ROKON is probably my favorite right now. I'm leaning heavily towards it.

[FastDoc]

I can easily picture you on a Rokon. Indeed, it's a bike such as you might have designed yourself. Good hunting vehicle also. I'd prefer a Rokon 10 times to an ATV.

"I hope to be down in the 170 range by Spring."

That will help your knee immensely.

"I have replayed it in my mind a million times."

That's the problem with life. You can do everything right and till get a bad outcome sometimes. It would have been worse had you not done your best to get the wheel down.

WHEN I get to the point where I can't ride a street bike well, I will divest my collection except the Ducati which I'll make the centerpoint of my living room and Little Sweetie, who will sleep at the foot of my bed.

Everything else gets sold and I'd get a Can Am Spyder. I think that's probably the safest high(ish) performance non-4 wheeled street legal vehicle

[zingshoen]

SamM, best wishes for your ongoing recovery. Thank you for explaining some of the circumstances, it is very important for me (and probably many others who read your thread) to learn from.

[SpudRider]

Sam, it's good to have you back with us! I'm sorry to hear about your accident, but I am grateful you were not hurt more severely. Indeed, God is good!

I can easily see you riding either a Rokon or TW200. The Honda Grom is also a sweet little ride. I'm sure you will also enjoy an ATV.

[SamM]

FastDoc,
I have ridden the Can-Am Spyder. The power steering is odd. You can think it around a corner. And it's VERY fast.

I think that any of the bikes, I mentioned would be great to have. The ROKON is very cool and I could ride it year 'round.

zingshone,
It's important for me to share it as a testimony and to have closure with a bad situation in my life. Hopefully, I can help someone avoid a similar problem.

Spud,
It's good to be back and to still be among the living. I enjoy this site quite a lot and have missed being here.

The ROKON was almost purchased this Summer. It would have been to soon though and people may have questioned my sanity. The money from the sale of my Ural was used to buy a couple new rifles as I wasn't thinking about bikes. The family and I went to Disney Land on vacation too. I was in a wheelchair though. Still great fun!

[Weldangrind]

Only ride a TW if you want to giggle all the time. I'm in love with mine.

I've never been drawn to hacks, but I've wanted a Ural or CJ750 sans sidecar for some time. Perhaps I'll find the right deal eventually.

[katoranger]

Maybe the diesel engine will fit into a Rokon frame. Just giving you ideas.

[SamM]

That was my thought but it will not fit. It would be cool to have a diesel powered Rokon. That would require a custom frame.

If you do a search on Youtube for Sumac MT you will find a hydraulic motorcycle tractor that was made with a Rokon frame. He used a 7hp Subaru Robin engine. Very cool bike!

Here are links to see the motorcycle tractor. In the trike mode, he uses it to cut grass and do small jobs that a tractor could do. He also uses it to prospect for gold.

[Barnone]

SamM,
Sorry to hear about your crash. Sidecar driving is very different than riding a motorcycle but I don't think it is more dangerous.

I've been riding my Ural for about a year (12,000 kms) without any mishaps, knock on wood.

I did carry ballast in the sidecar when I first started riding it but don't need it any longer.

I also took the S/TEP class and did the exercises in Yellow Book which helped a lot in learning to handle the turns. Learning to fly the car and being able to react to it requires practice.

Did you have that load on the luggage rack when you crashed? Don't know the weight but that is outside the tip over line which is not a advisable situation.

Anyway, good luck in what ever you do ride in the future.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by Barnone

Learning to fly the car and being able to react to it requires practice.

I actually saw two cops flying the car 25 years ago, as I left a motorcycle show in Toronto. They had nothing to do with the show; they were simply goofing around on a side street. I imagine that the stress on the rear wheel bearings must be considerable.