My 500 after the wreck

[burkbuilds]

Well, I've been working on the 500 for the last couple of weeks now. Working on a bike from a wheelchair is challenging and slow but I've finally gotten it back to a point where I'm ready to sell it. She's still got some scratches and all but mechanically she's fine and I replaced or removed most of the badly damaged stuff. The wreck took out my windshield, floorboards, crash bars, right mirror, grip and lever. So I replaced both grips, the right lever and both mirrors and just removed the crash bars and windshield and put the OEM footpegs back on. Then I started cleaning and polishing everything else until I got it about as good as I'm gonna be able to do. I had a dent in the tank the size of my left knee but I was able to pull it out using a bolt and super glue without drilling any holes and it came out pretty good. I had to paint that patch and later this week I'll buff it down with some polishing compound and wax it and it shouldn't be very noticeable. Well here are some shots of her.

[GeorgiaRider]

Looks pretty good to me. Hope you get out of the wheelchair soon.

[burkbuilds]

Thanks Georgia Rider, I am tired of being in the chair, it's been over 2 1/2 months, but at least I can look forward to getting back on my feet. A lot of folks out there do not have that option to look forward too. I've had three friends born with birth defects that spent their entire lives without being able to walk and to their credit I never heard any of them complain about that only about things not being made to accommodate wheelchairs. I will have to admit that this experience has really opened my eyes to how inaccessible or at least very inconvenient most things are to someone in a wheelchair. My wheelchair won't go thru the stiles at my grocery store, I can't see the credit card machine because they don't always pivot down for someone sitting down. My Physical Therapists office only has two handicap spots and my guess would be most of us that need to go there need one. Ever try to reach something on the top shelf from a wheelchair, it's difficult if not impossible and I could go on. I'm not complaining for me, I'm just saying how much I've suddenly become aware of all the obstacles.

I'm hoping in a week and a half, when I return for more x-rays, they'll tell me I can start putting weight on my leg again and learn to walk once more.