Blood, Sweat, and Titanium

[Parepin]

So I'm sitting here in bed where I've been for over a week now. I've been propped up and surrounded by pillows like a newborn at a distant relative's house during New Years Eve festivities. On the end table beside me is a stack of syringes, several orange and brightly stickered bottles, and half a 3-liter bottle of apple juice. I'm in this situation after hitting the undo button on a lesson learned back in 2009. A lesson involving high speed, medium grade octane, and a low sense of danger.



As I said, I've since gone through the necessary steps to reverse what has been ram-set into my 20 year old dude-bone and left the hospital on a frigid February afternoon clutching a bottle of pills, half a chicken salad sandwich, and a large bag of hardware that looks to have come straight out of a Mcmaster Carr catalog.



Everything that is blue/green is titanium. Everything that is silver/chrome is stainless.

I'm posting this in The Garage because I'm looking for some input from you avid tinkerers and garage handymen out there. I'd like to do something with these pieces. They're way too cool to throw away, and hanging them on my wall serves no purpose as I don't often have a wall to hang it on. I'd love to turn these into something for the bike, or somehow incorporate it. I've considered everything from crash bars to suicide shifters, but nothing quite speaks to me. I could always just zip tie it to the frame or luggage somewhere and just consider it another piece of flair, but it would be really cool if I could make it functional.

My steed the last time I spoke with her:


Considering its finish and the material, I'd really rather avoid cutting, drilling, grinding, or threading the rod. There are several threaded holes at either end and all of the tools used were either flat head screwdrivers or hex/allen.

Let those creative juices flow, what've ya got?

[Benesesso]

Cut the Ti rod into short pieces and screw them to the heel of your riding boots. At night, just lower your heel to the pavement and there will be a neat shower of white sparks following you. Great way to pick up chicks.

Caution: Make sure the pavement is smooth, don't wanna get your foot ripped off.

[Langanobob]

My suggestion, and only since you asked, is to toss 'em into the bin and get on with the rest of your life.

- Bob

[Switchblade315]

The stainless piece could be made into a GPS mount or something like that fairly easy. i got nothing on the other.

[troidus]

Save 'em for next time? (Hopefully not.)

[Bigger Al]

I had a rod in my right femur for 19 years. It was removed to make way for an artificial hip, and I wanted to keep the rod, just for fun.

It ended up on the luggage rack of my KLR for use as a prop rod when doing flat repairs. Worked great, too!
It's the shiny thing running just below the rear fender.

[Parepin]

I've gotta say, I'm disappointed with what I've seen so far. I like the GPS mount, and the jack-stand would be useful no doubt. But overall, I thought there'd be a little more enthusiasm.

The sparks have great shits N giggles potential, I'll probably end up rigging something up with the titanium screws to throw some sparks. But the rod needs to be given some sort of purpose.

Then again, maybe I've just got too much time on my hands.

...sad face

[Switchblade315]

I was thinking a custom prop rod with the long rod maybe have it ingraved with the date of the crash the date it was installed and then removed.

[groundrules]

I like how they just safety-wired that all together. KLR rider to the bone.

[Motomedic]

At the risk of sounding a bit too much like JettinJim, you've already blown it by asking for ideas.

Those pieces of metal have a purpose in this world. Let go, and the energy within will find its equilibrium and present the proper usage, when the time is correct.
(although I'm diggin' the ti spark-makers! I usually just use my centerstand...)

Glad to see you are on the road to recovery, and I'm looking forward to hoisting a brew or two when you make your way back out here.

[Flashmo]

Use the titanium rod and the larger stainless piece to make a kickstart for Janis.


http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202331

[D.T.]

Originally Posted by Benesesso

Cut the Ti rod into short pieces and screw them to the heel of your riding boots. At night, just lower your heel to the pavement and there will be a neat shower of white sparks following you. Great way to pick up chicks.

Caution: Make sure the pavement is smooth, don't wanna get your foot ripped off.

Winner!!

[vtwin]

Post in JoMama for all sorts of suggestions.

[bwringer]

Dammit, they wouldn't give me my old hardware back when I re-broke my leg. No idea why. Maybe they get $$$ from recycling.

I didn't have any firm plans for it, other than I would have liked to make a chunk of it into a key fob.

[rapidoxidationman]

Originally Posted by bwringer

Dammit, they wouldn't give me my old hardware back when I re-broke my leg. No idea why. Maybe they get $$$ from recycling.

I didn't have any firm plans for it, other than I would have liked to make a chunk of it into a key fob.

The stick of titanium in my tibia was itemized on my bill as something worth more than 8,000 dollars... You might be on to something. That said, if I ever get it pulled out you bet your ass I'm getting it back.