Most of the members in this forum are men, so male ego responses encouraged and excepted. My husband is 66 yrs. old. He has been very active his whole life and still will put in a 12 to 14 hr day doing various activities, such as working on private airplanes, flying our plane, flying charter flights, riding his motorcycle, working on machinery here on the farm and in general helping out his fellow man with anything that needs to be done. But lately, the body is giving him warnings. He spent almost 2 months on the couch this winter with a knee and back strain that came from climbing around under a plane. He has almost dropped his Ultra a couple of times when his knee gave out. Well, today, he wasn't focused and was riding on a side street attached to a school parking lot. There was a chain up at the end of the road, he didn't see it until late and hit the brakes. The bike dumped him like a brick and of course he is now in a lot of pain in his left shoulder/collar bone area. Rescue squad saw him and he did not go to the hospital. My concerns are that he has beaten his body up so much over the years, that I am real fearful of him really getting hurt. He loves my trike, but so far no go on triking his. Is there any way I can help push him in that direction?? Any reverse psychology ideas? How many times will he need to get hurt before he considers it? He thinks what happened today was just one of those things! NOT! He was exhausted from a long charter flight that he flew yesterday and he shouldn't have attempted to ride. Stubborn man.

 

Yep. Men can be stubborn. Maybe this latest incident will sink in while he is feeling the pain of recovery. Maybe not.
At 61, a little younger than you hubby, I have learned my limits, and can swallow my pride and make the needed adjustments. One of the reasons I added the side car to my Ultra. I still love riding 2 wheels, but not with a passenger. It has just gotten more of a handful to have that extra weight so high up.
So,, when we go on vacation, like we're doing in about 4 weeks, it will be with the side car on, and I can relax for 2 weeks not having to worry about dropping the darn thing.

Good luck to ya. Hope hubby heals soon.

 

I can't believe that you think us man folks have an ego problem. I'm just a tad younger than your hubby, I still average 12 hour days at work and still have to maintain my home. I had both of my knees replaced last November. My wife has a troublesome hip and many times when she would be climbing aboard the Ultra she would lose her balance and almost pulled us over on several occasions.

I knew that I would not be able to hold us both up when she slipped so I decided that it was time to go with 3 wheels. I have the best of both worlds in that I can still ride M3 Ultra. I will not take my better half on two wheels anymore. Afraid of dropping the bike and her getting hurt. Since she only rides as a passenger 3 wheels was the only option.

I quess he will have to make that decision on what is best for him. This last episode should tell him something.

 

Joan; maybe you can express your concern in aviation terms; ask him if he would have any respect for a fellow pilot whose flying skills have diminished but refuses to ground himself. Or, how about this one for hitting a nerve: “honey; if you are exercising the same poor judgment in the cockpit as you are on the bike, I want you to quit flying” That should at least get his attention and demonstrate how concerned you are.

You refer to your husband as being a stubborn man; I know all about stubbornness because I’m about as obstinate as they come but yet I pride myself on good judgment and I exercised that good judgment when I sold my beloved airplane and quit riding my 2-wheelers because of medical reasons. Probably two of the most difficult self admissions I ever made!

It ain’t easy getting old and for some; it’s even harder to admit it.

Good luck!

 

You could let him know it would be a bummer for him to be laid up with something broken due to a spill and you be out riding and having fun. Not sure if it would carry any weight but you could mention someone younger even rides a Trike. I'm 45 soon to be 46 years old and still in decent shape yet own a Triglide which is what I prefer to ride when I'm traveling.

 

All good answers!
Jimer...I shutter to think of the day he has to give up his beloved plane. I did give him credit for telling his Blue Knight Buddies yesterday that he was leaving
and not going to do the ride because he was too tired. Then Bam! It freaked the guys out. But when one of them wanted to ride his bike home, it was a no go.
That took too much pride!

MSocko3, George loves to ride my TG!! I wonder if I am more worried about him wanting to take over my baby, and banishing me to the back seat! It's like.....we already have the trike!! He may be stubborn, but he is very realistic and I can hear it now......

So, perhaps herein lies the real issue..........

 

At 61 my motivation to trike my Ultra occurred when my foot slipped while at a full stop. Down my wife and I both went. Her injury was a serious (required surgery) rotator cuff injury. Some self imposed questions about my ability to have the same control that I've had for years convinced me to consider her safety. Sometimes it's easier for a guy to accept responsibility for others rather than himself.

 

You ask a very good question. How would you feel if he wanted to take over driving duties and you ride the back seat?? How about your ego?Either solution is not an easy one to take.

 

I guess you could say it is my egoLOL! The problem is, I am a terrible back seat driver.....not good. Yup, I am a driving control freak!
When i get on the back, this is the jest of our trips

 

Thank God he's OK. When he's ready he will go two to three or none thats up to him. Just don't hound him. Leave it up to him. It's not a man or guy thing. It's hard to say to yourself I can't do what I used to at any age. If it be Man or Woman. Try to relate.