HARDLEY ABLETO

Disability of any kind is a bastard: but one that robs you of doing the things that you love to do the most, be it quickly due to an accident or slowly through disease, defies description. The D.O is an unfortunate member of the second category.

In the first half of the 90's she decided that she wanted to have another crack at getting her bike license. We found a suitable bike from the ads in the local paper. A GS125, made it safe to ride; and she booked in for her CBT. Which she passed no sweat. Not so the DSA test which took training in all types of weather through the winter and spring months. A bout of pneumonia and three goes before the green ignition key to a larger capacity bike was handed over.

The first "proper" bike was a Suzuki GS650GT which was duly lower to accommodate her "ducks disease". It was during the ownership of this bike that the symptoms of what we later found out to be Arthritis started to show. The GS became to heavy for her to maneuver; so it made way for a 535 Virago and a GS750 engine'd trike (see trikes). These too slowly became to heavy to maneuver at low speeds.

They had to go, the spec for it’s replacement was it had a) to be light b)fairly low. so out of the local evening paper was purchased a Suzuki GN250. (finally about this bike!)

The only mechanical thing wrong with the bike at the time was the pads in the front brake sticking on. So before work the next morning I stripped and cleaned and reassembled the front caliper and to be on the safe side the rear drum brake as well, so that if she wanted she could go and tax it and then could ride it as was till the winter. At lunch time I arrive home to be met by bike parts all over the back yard. "Taken it apart to give it a good clean. Eh?" I said "No! The seat is a bit to high, so I thought you could lower it. Shouldn’t take you long." Says the D.O. And so it began.

The seat was lowered in the time honored way by lowering the seat rails and starting off the chain reaction of other mods. Firstly a new battery tray was made from a piece of stainless cut from an old canteen work top. Then an 8" trailer mudguard was cut and shut to replace the plastic and chrome one that no longer fitted, and a small trials bike type tail light fitted. The fuel tank rear mounting was moved up and under the tank. The badges and mounts removed and filled.

A new seat base was cut from an old fridge door, which under the paint is galvanized. The foam was cut glued and shaped. The D.O then made up the seat cover, which was a right bastard due to the ridge at the back of the riders part. the side panels were cut from the same fridge door and are held on by plastic twist locks from a Ford truck.

The original ignition switch was u/s, as any flat item inserted into it and twisted would turn it on. ( I've heard some girls are like that but with something round. OW! It's a joke o.k) A replacement, along with some stainless fasteners, broom stick bars and sports air filter were liberated from Custom Fasteners, and repositioned on the L/H side panel. The indicators had their mounting stalks removed and new short ones made and the wiring loom remade. The clutch cable was dumped in favor of a fluid conversion, done using a VF1000 master cyl, a modified GS750 rear brake master cly and connected together with a Harley softail rear suspension hose, to make the clutch action lighter.

By the time of the dry build the D.O had been sent to a specialist unit, which after many visits said she was suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis. As a result of the dry build, the broom stick handle bars were dumped and replaced by some drags, which proved to be more comfortable. Another problem highlighted was the indicators that worked with the engine not running, but as soon as the motor was started up transformed into useless ornaments. The fault was soon traced back to the power pick up in the loom: which was easily relocated and the indicators flashed happily than a flasher in a convent.

After pulling the bike apart again the frame went to be powder coated by Powder Coatings of Tysley, Birmingham. The tank, mudguards and side panels were given a coat of Vauxhall "Baccararot " basecoat with Blue pearlescent ghost flames and sealed in with several coats of 2 pac clear lacquer, all done outside on the back yard. The vinyl graphics designed and made to the D.O's spec by Martin at Shropshire Engraving and signs The ally and s/steel bits were polished using wet & dry, elbow grease and finally a buffing wheel on a drill stuck in the vice.

The screen was an afterthought to help take the strain of the wind blast off Helen's neck. The screen blade was found by a mate at Telford Breakers. The s/steel frame was plasma cut from same old canteen worktop, the material and welding for the mounts came from Stainless Steel Fabrications (Shrewsbury).

The D.O has despite her problems a terrier's hold on life and likes to give it a good shake when ever she's able. Even tho' "Hardley Ableto has now been sold, after sitting unused in the shed for the last 18 months or more, she now has another trike. 'Cyclops' which she will shortly be out and about on, when I've made one or two small alterations (HA!)

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that inflames and destroys joints and the tissue around them, giving constant pain. Sufferers tend to classify days as good or bad. Bad days are when you want to end it all but it's too painful to move to do it. Good days are when the pain is tolerable because the "pain killing" drugs at least have some effect, if only for a short time.