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American National Unimotorcycle Museum

by ThomM
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My life long friend Sidecar Willie just uploaded this video of his little museum on the sport(?) he created, unimotorcycle racing.
American National Unimotorcyclists Society Museum - YouTube
  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    With music from Yanni, no less? I never heard of a one wheel cycle before - I've lived a sheltered life, I guess.

    They look cumbersome - but that's a nice yurt. Have you ridden one of those thingies? I'd fall on my bumberstuff.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      With music from Yanni, no less? I never heard of a one wheel cycle before - I've lived a sheltered life, I guess.

      They look cumbersome - but that's a nice yurt. Have you ridden one of those thingies? I'd fall on my bumberstuff.
      I haven't rode one yet Kay. Willie told me if I wanted to ride one I had to build one, lol. They aren't the safest things around so injuries are pretty common.
      He lives in a swamp and all his buildings are handmade based on a triangle framing system that is the base of the domes. He was on an episode of American Pickers where you get to see the raised dome he lives in. Everything is solar powered.
      Unimotorcycle racing is huge in some European countries, but not that well known in the U.S.
      Willie got the idea for the sport while drinking one night at the Cabbage Patch in Daytona. He drew up the original plans on a bar napkin. AS we know every idea you get when drunk is a good one
      Willie was in his early 60's when he came up with the idea and is still racing in his 70's. Did I mention he's on his second heart?
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        AS we know every idea you get when drunk is a good one
        I have a few napkins tucked way that have the ideas and plans from a few "happy" evenings on them. Usually, I wake up sober and the ideas don't look as good that way

        Your friend sounds like a neat person. The building does look like a yurt - I used to be fascinated by the idea of living in one of them.
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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          in his early 60's when he came up with the idea and is still racing in his 70's
          The most frustrating thing to me about getting older is that people seem to assume you get weak/stupid/scared as you get older. I LOVE it when I hear of someone focused on living instead of on aging.
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          • Profile picture of the author ThomM
            Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

            I'd never heard of a unimotorcycle either, and my spellchecker doesn't like the word. :p

            Rollie would have loved them if he were still around, and no doubt he'd try to talk me into riding one after he built it. Your friend seems like quite a character. So was Rollie. Maybe they get that from sucking in too many cycle exhaust fumes.
            Character is a good word Here's three more of Willie being Willie. First one he's talking about Gullinippers, next is the first test run of a CTRig and finally how WIllie transports a one man Helicopter.
            Gallinippers Field Report - YouTube
            CTRIG first run - YouTube
            Sidecar Willy Gyrocopter adventure - YouTube

            Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

            The most frustrating thing to me about getting older is that people seem to assume you get weak/stupid/scared as you get older. I LOVE it when I hear of someone focused on living instead of on aging.
            I really don't have many (if any) friends that aren't still focused on living even those in their 70's.
            The first couple minutes of this video shows Willie, one of my closest friends Spacer, and an X girlfriend and still close friend Tiny (to the left of Willie). Spacer rode up till the day he died in 2010. In fact for the last few months before he passed he would put his oxygen bottle in a saddlebag so he could keep on riding.
            SPACER.mpg - YouTube
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            Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
            Getting old ain't for sissy's
            As you are I was, as I am you will be
            You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    I'd never heard of a unimotorcycle either, and my spellchecker doesn't like the word. :p

    Rollie would have loved them if he were still around, and no doubt he'd try to talk me into riding one after he built it. Your friend seems like quite a character. So was Rollie. Maybe they get that from sucking in too many cycle exhaust fumes.
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