Hello,
This is my FIRST BLOG. For those who have taken the time out of their very busy day to read my thoughts about My Trike, I thank you.
In the 1990’s I knew NOTHING L about “Trikes”. I came back to California in October 1998. I was introduced to a very strange Sub-Culture just by happenstance . I felt like Alice tumbling through the rabbit hole. There are so many different ways to fabricate a trike. Let your imaganation be your guide The only limit is the MONEY. Very powerful limit, MONEY.
I began gathering other peoples JUNK in 1999. Between then and now I have assisted in building 4 trikes and this last one I did 90% of all the welding, cutting, bending, and paint. I was quite proud of this one.
I bought a NEW 1995 Harley Davidson Heritage, Springer front fork‘.. I got a solid, 21“, highly polished aluminum, “Centerline “ front rim and a pair of 17” x 10” Crieger SS chrome rims on the rear. I had just installed a newly rebuilt 1776cc VW Bug, air cooled, motor. I had “APE HANGGER” handle bars. The TRIKE was painted “Mat Black” and had yellow Flames, every where. I have uploaded 5 or 6 pictures of the trike before the wreck.
June 4th I was driving my trike to a Custom Bike show up in Corcoran, CA. It is about 150 miles from my home in Tehachapi. I was headed north on hwy 58 in Bakersfield, CA doing about 65mph, at the Fairfax Road over pass when, BANG. The right rear wheel snapped off. There was A LOT of traffic. The Big Rig driver that I was just passing , told the story to anyone with ears.
I held on tightly to my hand grips and muscled the Trike to the right with a lot of sparks flying. The right brake disk hub hooked the 8” curb. I flipped, end over end up the embankment 3 times and rolled over 1 and a half times back down the 75’ embankment. I just missed a 18“ steel light pole.
There was so much dust, it stopped the traffic in both directions for 15 to 20 minutes. It was the third time that I had worn a full face helmet. There were 11 impact points on my new helmet. I looked like pig pen when I was walking around with these clouds of dust at my feet. I was wearing full leathers from chin to toes. I didn’t even get a scratch, But had a hell of a head ache for two weeks.
There were 12 to 15 different emergence vehicles, it was quite a sight. The EMT’s were tiring very hard to take me to the hospital. I would NOT go.
The Trike was totaled.L It was twisted close to 18” , but none of my welds broke J.
I had the mangled towed back up to Tehachapi and dumped on my storage space and covered it up. I removed every stitch of my clothing outside my shed. Stuffed boots, chaps, jacket, vest, pants and helmet in a plastic bucket and pounded on is lid.
After all the incidents in my younger days, that should have made the normal man QUITE. That wreck scared the hell out of me, it is the first time in a very long time, Being SCARED is a hard emotion to get rid of.
Some young guy offered be a 1954 Chevy ¾ ton, 4 wheel drive, step side pick up. It is in fair shape. It has a blown motor.
I thought it could be the next chapter. I just can’t pull the energy together. I have put a for sale or TRADE sign on it. I need something running. My imaganation seems to be dried up.
