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Post by JR on Oct 20, 2015 3:43:38 GMT -5
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 20, 2015 19:04:02 GMT -5
Leo, I figured all the regs here knew. My feet are still healing from the double-surgery. Well, technically triple-surgery (two on the right, one on the left) Left is doing pretty fine. I think it's reaction to this time was "That's it? No bone-cutting? Really? That's all?? WOOHOO!!!" Meanwhile the right which did have a bone cut is all like "I've been violated." I'm still not allowed to walk far (although I blew that in the hospital after Mom's pacemaker surgery, sigh--didn't mean to). And must use my crutches outside the house. And no scooting 'til next Spring. As long as I wear boots and protection per dr's orders (I assured him I always do anyways). >'Kat
Kat,
I didn't know about the surgery. BOTH feet at once? Whew, THAT is tough! Have a bone on the old chopper guy to lean on!
Here's a true story to cheer you up... Way back before I got a scooter, a client and I were arriving for a business dinner at a great Mexican restaurant. Near the door, in the first handicapped spot was a NASTY Harley chopper... sporting a handicapped plate!
My friend and I both said at once: "I've GOT to see what THIS is all about!"
Sure enough, pretty soon, a big fellow came out. He was a DOUBLE-AMPUTEE above his knees, and "walking" on a pair of crutches!
He strode up to the Big-Twin, grabbed the bars, tucked one crutch under his arm, turned on the gas and ignition and sat "side-saddle" on the Hog, and pushed it VERY briskly down the parking lot with the other crutch. He picked up the pushing-crutch, slapped the bike into gear with it, and it fired instantly.
No electric-start for that boy!
He BLASTED out onto the street, banging gears with the crutch. Last we saw, he had to stop at a light, and deftly balanced the bike with the right crutch after using it on the rear brake, holding the clutch in with his left hand... then took off with traffic... Up came the right crutch, under the arm, and hand on throttle, with NO delay at all. He'd been doing that for a LONG time I think!
I remember thinking at the time, he'd be much better off on a scooter with twist-n-go... Nahhh... NOT him... Not on his WORST DAY!
He was SO at-home on that chopper, that it appeared he didn't even miss his legs! Same confidence as when he "walked" FAST with the crutches. Of course, he had arms like Popeye...
We were duly impressed!
There's always a way... What an example for us... And I gripe about ARTHRITIS? I'm ashamed of myself... Oh well, I guess I can give myself a "pass"... This guy was around 25 and made of STEEL. I'll be 69 Wednesday, and my "man of steel" days are WAY behind me...
Get well SOON! Next season will be here before we know it!
Leo (still happy to step through on the old mouse) in texas.
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 20, 2015 19:28:08 GMT -5
Leo--  See, it's stories like that that make me feel like such a whiner. There are SO many others out there way worse off than me! I will admit though, if I end up a double-amputee, I will sell Peej before I attempt driving him with crutches! Egads!! >'Kat |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 20, 2015 22:52:44 GMT -5
Leo-- See, it's stories like that that make me feel like such a whiner. There are SO many others out there way worse off than me! I will admit though, if I end up a double-amputee, I will sell Peej before I attempt driving him with crutches! Egads!! >'Kat
Kat,
We ALL hope THAT never happens, but when you sell Peej, just get a trike! It's no feat to ride that with no feet... LOL! EEEWWW!
Leo
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 20, 2015 23:57:55 GMT -5
EEEWWW indeed. Bad bad pun.
You know, I did look at the MP3 after slobbering all over Peejers. But at about double the price, there really was no considering of it. Plus Peej was just so dang pretty in his shimmery orangey-reddish, sitting there amongst the lineup of mostly black, grey, and dark bikes. I didn't even consider his big brother the 250 that had the factory hardsides, 'cause it was a plain dark maroon (plus quite a few $100s extra)
>'Kat
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Post by spandi on Oct 21, 2015 9:19:32 GMT -5
EEEWWW indeed. Bad bad pun. You know, I did look at the MP3 after slobbering all over Peejers. But at about double the price, there really was no considering of it. Plus Peej was just so dang pretty in his shimmery orangey-reddish, sitting there amongst the lineup of mostly black, grey, and dark bikes. I didn't even consider his big brother the 250 that had the factory hardsides, 'cause it was a plain dark maroon (plus quite a few $100s extra) >'Kat You would go for the pretty boy wouldn't you.  |
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 21, 2015 22:15:57 GMT -5
What can I say, spandi? Wimmen do like eye-candy you know.
Why I liked Pierce Brosnan best as James Bond. Mmmmmm. Just film him looking out at the audience, I'd pay for that. A dear friend would go to every Bond movie with me, not because she liked the action (which actually I do and is why I go see them still) but only because PB was the star. Oh baby yes. Stare at us, pretty boy!
>'Kat
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 21, 2015 22:23:54 GMT -5
Kat,
I understand the "cosmetic" issue! Appearance sells more vehicles than technology, I think! But you can't go wrong with any Italian ride...
I made a "pilgrimage" to Wally World for RX tonight, and fell in with an old geezer and his daughter on a vintage Kymco "Like" 200. Doggone, that old Kymco looked SO "Lambretta" to my old eyes.... NOT "Vespa" but totally "Lambretta". How COOL!
It was no slouch, either, with a BIG, BEEFY daddy and somewhat shall we say "zoftig" daughter (OK, she was a real heifer, but being a tad more than "stout" myself, I can't say a word...). But the old 163 cc "200" on little wheels hauled the mail with aplomb! And looked SO Italian while doing it! LOL! A very good-looking scooter!
Me thinks these old "Likes" would make affordable, speedy and MARVELOUS Italian-style RAT-SCOOTERS for the hooligan in all of us! OOHHH! Gimme one with whitewalls, red wheels, a can of flat-black paint and day to pull off all the extra plastic... Brings out the rat in me!
The "Like" is a scooter we just don't see or hear much of, but what a retro-ride they seem to be. Used, they MUST be affordable, and built like a tank. Certainly PRIME material for the rider wanting 60+ mph and a vintage Italian-scooter flavor. And great raw material for the customizer!
Yup, looks ain't everything, but they DO count!
Hope you get well SOON!
Leo
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Post by rockynv on Oct 22, 2015 8:41:31 GMT -5
The Lambretta fell out of favor with many Italians due to the fixed front fender which made it harder to maneuver in tight city traffic since it stuck out so far and would hook the bumpers of the vehicles you were trying to scoot around.
They were built like tanks though and the basic power train from the scooters would also power the scooter trucks with a 2 ton payload. The beefier Lambretta scooter was used for a few three wheel trucks rated for an 8,000 lb payload. And we brag about having a Super Duty with a V10 or a Ram Tough with a Hemi 8.
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Post by urbanmadness on Oct 22, 2015 11:32:52 GMT -5
Leo-- See, it's stories like that that make me feel like such a whiner. There are SO many others out there way worse off than me! I will admit though, if I end up a double-amputee, I will sell Peej before I attempt driving him with crutches! Egads!! >'Kat Anytime I think about how hard I have it at work or my life just plain sucks, I just think about our military guys and gals out in the desert and all of the sudden my work doesn't seem so bad and life not so hard. Hardest work I've done in a while, was Sunday and that was working on one of my toys. I swapped wheels and tires on my 4x4. While it was hard work, it was still done on a day that was about 80 degrees (instead of the 110 plus degree days that our boys and gals deal with). Each wheel wights about 30-40 lbs and the truck weighs 3 tons. Saturday I pulled a motor out of a 150cc scooter to change all of it's mounting bushings. That wasn't too bad. Leo, That dude on the crutches.... dang! Talk about nothing slowing a person down or getting in the way. |
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