WL Buddy Seat

[RvP]

I have a WL with a buddy seat and my girlfriend is having trouble getting her leg up and over the seat. This is more pronounced when she is on chemo as her hip joints hurt and she doesn’t have the leg extension to raise her leg high enough or the ability to rotate her hip joint much. Once she is on the seat she is comfortable, it’s just getting on or off.

The buddy pegs are mounted to the rear strap support rod which will not support much weight since the rod has no support out that far plus the buddy peg is only on the last ¼” of exposed thread.

What solves the problem is a small step about the same height as the left buddy peg located right where the derby is the widest. Unfortunately it is impractical to carry a small step around and there is nothing solid to mount a small step to in that area.
Anyone have a suggestion that can be easily implemented to resolve this?

Ron Papasso

[Rubone]

Footboard extensions? They would allow the footboards to carry the weight and extend back almost to the same point as the pegs.
Robbie

[flthead]

give me a call ,we can fab something up

[RvP]

Foot Board Extensions

Before buying a buddy seat I borrowed one and the foot board extensions. The foot board extensions are a little far forward for her short legs. Since they clamp on I don't think they can take the weight of a person standing on them, about 140# (hope I don't get in trouble for that!). Thanks for the suggestion and keep them coming.

I will see what can be Fab'd up.

[1945UL]

what if you were to pick up a set of folding highway pegs and mount them somewhere convenient on the frame. then, when they arent in use, you can just fold them out of the way.

[RvP]

Folding highway pegs

I had thought about that and with some experiments last night the 45 just doesn't have much frame available to mount anything to. I have attached 2 pictures of the left sife, one with Kathy on the buddy seat and one of just the left side. Not much frame available back there.

[RvP]

Where did my pictures go?

I exceeded the max file size, reposting.

[chibobber]

I exceeded the max file size, reposting.

Ron,quick question,does your gal get on after you are on?If she does ,i can see it would be a problem clearing the seat.If she can raise her leg staight out at the tip of the seat she can slide on with your help and move back and you can then mount up,the same getting off.I'm sure you have tried all different ways.Sometimes we over look the simple.Good luck to you and yours and keep fighting for the answer.
Bob

[RvP]

I've fallen and can't get back up!

Bob,
Right now she gets on after I do. The reason for this is that after I get on I lean the motorcycle about 30 degrees off center to the left. This makes it easier for her to get her leg over the seat. As she gets her leg over the seat and starts to sit I move the bike back to vertical. It’s a smooth coordinated motion and does not put a lot of strain on me doing this.

Getting off the reverse process does not work. I don’t have the strength to lean the motorcycle over to the left 30 degrees with both of us on it without teetering close to dropping it.

I have tried getting off before her but it’s not a pretty sight since I am sort of trapped between her and the tank with no room to swing my leg back and over the seat. I firmly plant my left foot on the ground and then take a hop to the left to have my right leg clear the seat. It’s not pretty and sometimes my right leg doesn’t clear the seat and I almost fall down (and can’t get back up!)

Thanks for the tip, no suggestion goes untried and I appreciate all the ideas Keep ‘em coming!

[Dave Minerva]

Ron If you want to try a set of footboard extensions I have a set.

[RvP]

Foot Board Extensions

Dave,
I appreciate the offer but will pass on it. Kathy and I tried different places where she can easily reach with her left foot to stand up. The optimal place where she doesn’t have to rotate her hip much and lift her leg too far is just behind the left foot peg where the primary covers is the widest. Thanks for the offer, much appreciated.

Ron Papasso

[RvP]

First mock up

Last night I played around with some cardboard and a glue gun to mock up an idea. Under the seat is a flat plate with rectangular stock attached to it. The plate mounts to the sidecar holes. The step is also of rectangular stock and slides in the rectangular tube under the seat. It is held in place with a pin on the right side so the step can be removed when I put the solo seat on and the step is not needed. The rectangular tubes made for both parts should lock and prevent the step from rotating when weight is applied. This is all I have so far and I will meet up with Mike tonight and run it by him and get additional ideas and some fabrication possibilities. Thanks again and I will update this for those that are interested in following this.

[Chris Haynes]

All this fuss for something that is a bolt-on? What you need are a set of genuine H-D Buddy Peg brackets. These mount on the rear foot board mount and bring the buddy peg up and to the rear. I have seen two different lengths. These will place the buddy pegs is about the same position as your Rube Goldberg arrangement.

[Erdos]

I don't think the pegs fit a 45. I thought they were big twin only.

[RvP]

Outside of the norm

I know this is not the norm and “Rube Goldberg” does aptly apply. In order to reduce the strain on her hips, a temporary condition due to the chemo, I need to get the step farther back than the foot peg is located currently or with extensions. We have tried different placements using a small stool on the ground to find the optimal placement to reduce the strain. I am hoping to extend her ability to ride with me for the warm months and we are optimistic this is just a temporary setback. Thanks for the suggestion and I will keep this in mind if we have to drop back to explore more traditional solutions.

Ronald V. Papasso