The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I had right rotator surgery two years ago and from the date of the surgery to my release nearly three months later, the phono projects seemed to pour in. Fast forward two years to the parking lot at the local YMCA. I rode my little Honda 70 to the Y for a swim. The easiest way to start the bike is to push, jump on, and put it in gear, and the engine will catch. This time when the engine fired, the front wheel came off the ground. Now imagine a 63 year old guy chasing a glorified mini bike across the parking lot. When I was able to force the front down and jump on, the bike came down on the side of a curb. I was thrown down to the left and all my weight landed on my left shoulder. The damage to the bike was only a broken turn signal lens. I was not as fortunate. I tore three out of four rotators and shredded my bicep muscle.

It's not all bad... Since that accident the good phono projects have poured in. Im my garage there is a Victor P, II, and III. There's two Edison Homes, a B and D. Lastly, there is a Victrola 50 and an oak cylinder record cabinet. Every one is to some degree a project that will have to wait until about Thanksgiving.

Please forgive the photos. I think both have already been on the Forum. I'm just coincidence that these great projects came following my accident but it makes you wonder.

I have room for other projects. Anyone want to trade for a Honda 70. I'll include a new turn signal lens.

Happy Collecting, Jerry Blais

Jerry, having been through a couple of shoulder injuries and my left bicep with tendons torn on both ends, I can only say I hope you have a full recovery!

Healing takes too long as we get older.

Good luck!

Fran

Folks,
I just had right rotator cuff surgery yesterday! Arm numb all night and now the pain has set in! I guess cranking phonos all these years has taken it's toll! Waiting for the projects to roll in.

My left shoulder "grinds" and gives me stabbing pains when I move that arm certain ways (almost any old way, lately) ... is that the rotator thingy?

Jerry, I am sorry to hear about your accident and sure hope you will be completely well again soon. The new phono projects sure help kill the time and I am sure you will give them all a great new life.
I had a similar Honda with 50cc when I was young. I would love to take that Honda 70 off your hands, but alas I am thousands of miles away...

Andreas

Getting old isn't for sissy's. I had an accident on my bicycle a few years ago. I rode into an intersection too fast and when I saw a car coming, I locked up both brakes. I did my best super man imitation as I flew over the handle bars and on to the ground. I broke one wrist and sprained the other. It took weeks to recover, but I kept moving. Sitting around will kill you so get up and move regardless of the pain. Good luck for a quick recovery.

John Jennings

Invecchiando è brutto, Jerry.

I love the Honda 70 and I'd snatch it from you if I didn't already buy a bike two weeks ago.
Can you image the damage I'll do to myself with the little scooter I recently bought?
900cc's of hold the hell on.

Hi Jerry.

That's a painful way to get good projects! That's just the kind of thing that keeps me on four (or more) wheels. Feel better soon!

Martin

After talking to you on the phone about your surgery and recovery, at least you can wind up a phonograph . You mini bike incident reminds me of a story when I was 13 years old. Mini bikes were the rage in the late 60s early 70s. I kept bugging my Dad to let me get a mini bike with the money I earned. I tried every ploy, but it didn't work. I said I can do errands for Mom, and have my own transportation, but it didn't work. I had a good friend who was mechanically inclined. He wanted a mini bike, too. We decided to build our own. He had an old, beat up stingray bike. I don't recall what brand it was, so we took it apart. Sorry Jerry He had all kinds of parts and great stuff that belonged to his Dad. We took an old lawn mower engine and fitted it to the bike. It went together smoothly. The bike was a coaster brake one, so when we assembled it, we didn't realize were were missing an important part. Yes, you guessed it, the brakes Well I had first ride, and thank goodness it was on a grassy field. It ran good until I had to stop. I went into a ditch and landed on the soft grass and dirt. When I got up, were were both laughing. I guess my Dad was right, after all.
Harvey Kravitz

Jerry,

Here's hoping for a full (and rapid) recovery.

Two wheel mobility can be lots of fun and rewarding, but as Martin points out, there are indeed risks. Back in the 1970s Barbie and I bought mopeds, and we rode them quite a bit. They'd only do about 20 mph. We figured they were petty safe; after all how much trouble can you get into at 20 mph?

After about 10 years of that, I bought my first motorcycle (at age 35). Only at that point did I realize how dangerous those mopeds really were. Traffic whizzing by while we'd been perched on those lightweight little motorized bicycles... Helmets weren't required, so we hadn't worn them. It gave me the willies thinking about it. We sold them shortly thereafter. I really couldn't go back to a moped after a motorcycle.

In 1989 I traded in my first motorcycle (a 1979 1000cc Harley Sportster) for something even more substantial: This was a 1981 Harley Sturgis; 1345ccs of solid two-wheel enjoyment. But I'm a collector at heart, and the Sturgis was a historic motorcycle: the first Harley since 1914 to use a belt drive rather than a chain (they're all belts now). I removed the ape-hanger handlebars and other odd accoutrements that the previous owner had installed, and hunted down the parts to return the machine back to its original 1981 showroom configuration. And I spent more time wiping off the bugs and washing it than I did riding it! I sold this Sturgis to a Harley collector in 1993 in order to finance a Class M.

Our son got me back into bicycling in 2006. I thought I had a pretty decent bike at the time, but I soon learned that bicycles (like most everything else) had come a long way in 25 years. At at my age, every advantage is a good thing. I worked my way up through three bicycles over the next 5 years. Later on this morning, I'll be riding a 38-mile loop through Letchworth State Park on this: Believe it or not, I'd rather have this Trek 700-series Madone than the motorcycle. But I stick to back roads whenever possible, and I still heed the advice that an old biker gave me back in the 1980s: "Ride Like You're Invisible." I've hit 50mph on this bike (climbing uphill, naturally! ) and admittedly there's very little between me the the road. Still, the biggest risk is motor vehicles, and I avoid high-traffic roads.

The moral, Jerry? Get a bicycle!

A speedy recovery to you, my friend.

George P.