friend was amputated below the knee today (bike accident), any experince/advice?

Anyone know how to contact Tom Fournier ?

 

Email Addy and Business Phone in your PM box.
He took one of his older legs and sawed off a couple of inches to get it comfortable on the bike. The foot is attached to the peg with some heavy duty rubber bands, they might be made from inner tubes, you'll have to ask him. Don't worry too much about the foot dragging on the track, you won't feel it.
Tom picked up a couple of wins and a 4th at the AHRMA races at Daytona last spring. Here's a picture from Daytona, along with a closeup so you can see the shirt I gave him for Christmas. Later on that day, we ate at Chi-Ling's. When we were leaving some guy waiting for a table was doubled over with laughter after seeing the shirt.

 

Glad he can laugh at it, cause the shirt is funny

 

Thanks JohnnyB ! I'll definitely have lots of questions for Tom. Very much appreciated, and oh yeah, love the shirt ! LOL !!!

 

Geez I can't believe I just found out about this post tonight. Oh and don't worry boys he will be on that bike soon enough. :up: I had the new R1 out for a test run last week. At least he knows it will wheelie! :wow: I came back and he's like :tut: :tut: :tut: Track school is in August Dave, and I am sure I will be dragging you along for Friday practice sessions when I go to the track for my races!

 

Well guys, I've been riding the R1 now since mid May, and it's going well ! A little sore after a while of having my leg bent past 90, but it's a great feeling still. I've attended 2 rounds of regional races, just helping Caper out in the pits, but I tell ya, I got the bug again, so I'm getting the R6 ready for next round ! Just a Friday practice for now, but who knows, maybe next year I'll race a round or two, we'll see how it goes....

Dave

 

Good for You. Mad Props................and of course....

 

Thing like this sure put life into a different perspective, don't they?

 

I remember when Tom Fornier first lined back up on the grid (correct Me if Im wrong) at Bridgehampton, His buddies put a handicap sign at His grid position while He was on the warm-up lap.

Thats what friends are for.

 

Hell nothing stops the guy who wants to do it. My friend Bill Riviello is paralyzed below the waist and still rides. An Electically operated out-rigger setup allows him to start from a stand still and come to a complete stop in the pits. Foot boards and velcro on the boards and boots. Someone has to assist him on and off the bike but he still gets out there and goes like hell.

 

O.K., I'll correct you. At his first race back at Loudon, we had the handicappped sign at pre grid waiting for him. Linky (I didn't hot link the picture to here because I want the the permission notation from RRW to show.) If you read the text, you'll note that he won the race. He first rode a bike at his track day on Oct 4, 1993. (I remember the date because I blew off my mother's birthday to be up there.) He didn't have his prosthetic leg on yet, he just pinned the leg of his leathers to his hip. He subsequently raced at the spring CCS races at Daytona, earning several top 10 finishes, then he returned to Loudon and had his first win. He's taken up racing a TZ250, running mostly AHRMA events. He won the "Dixie Cup" in Open Two Stroke last year, and started this season with two wins at Daytona.

 

:up:

 

i just wish i was up there to watch ya go big fella!

 

Well hurry the hell up and get yourself back where ya belong in the Cape ! Cause if ya don't do it soon, I'll have enough practice in to lap ya !

 

Best of luck to you, Dave! Way to go

 

Does this guys ride an RC-51?
I saw a guy on a setup like that and was awestruck. Kids not slow either...

 

young kid in the gym i go to lost his leg do to a bike accident last year as well... had his leg amputated from the knee down as well and he still bodybuilds, does legs to.... he also still rides, said it took some getting used to but he is out there doing MX stuff.....u gtta make him see the positive, his life isn't over its just changed!

 

Sounds very similar to myself ! I was a competitive bodybuilder as well, competed several times placing 4th my first year, 2nd the next, and I won the middleweight title in 2001, even made in MuscleMag International, they called me "MiniHulk" lol !!! I haven't tried any leg excercises yet at the gym, but on a brighter note, I can now fit into my one-piecer a lot better in that area, damn legs were outta control !!! Tell the young guy to give me a shout if he's interested, he can email me, I'd like to hear how he does his leg workouts !

And Thanks a lot guys for all the positive reinforcement, it really helps !

Dave

 

Yeah he does Buck. That's how I met him through our RC51 owners group.