Feel Good Moment! Best Reason to own a Slingshot

    Thought I'd share, in case you needed another reason to love having a Slingshot..or were on the fence about getting one.


    This weekend we had a garage sale and I had parked the Sling out front to attract people to the sale, big sale sign, the works. A guy showed up and was asking me questions about the Sling, and we were joking that we were going to start giving our garage sale customers a ride for $5.00. The guy kinda flipped out and said he'd pay $5 easy to get a ride for his 11 yr old son, who loves riding with Dad on their motorcycle and the kid had seen the Slingshot at a car show and wigged out over it. I said there was NO WAY I was charging a kid for a ride, but if he came back with his son I would love to take him out for a spin. (And it meant I got out of garage sale duty!)
    About an hour later, Dad comes back with kid..who has his own helmet, and a big silly grin on his face. Dad takes our photo and just for fun (which I NEVER do) I peel out and we fly down the street. I can hear my passenger giggle hysterically. I explain we're going to drive slow down our main street, and to make sure when people wave, his job is to wave back. We immediately have people waving at us, including a set of bikers who were pointing and taking our picture. The kid asks me if I know them, I said no, they just want to tell you they like your ride! We got to talking and he tells me they are new to our town cause their house burned down in the big fire here a few months ago. This kid tells me they lost everything, but it's okay cause all his family is safe, they like their new place, and he likes his new school and they replaced his bike with a new one, so he's happy. I was amazed he was so mature about his life situation. We drove out to the freeway, people still giving us thumbs up and taking our photo - he's having a ball waving like a parade participant and we broke a few speed laws for a minute or two. We chatted about the new school, and the best place in town for pizza and then I returned him to his dad, who was also grinning from ear to ear when we 'landed". Kid was happy, thanked me profusely, and I was thrilled to be able to do something for them. The Slingshot has been the best/Silliest thing i've ever had and I'm just really enjoying the encounters I have because of it. Thought I'd share... :D

    Buckle up! I wanna try something...


    2009 HD Sportster Superlow
    1939 Knucklehead with Sidecar restoration project

    I myself was at home depot came out to a guy and his son. Started talking and found out they lived like a block away. I gave the kid a ride home he was freaking ecstatic. It happened again but it was at a target and the mom and her son were going next door to another parking lot to an aldies. I drove him over he was grins from ear to ear. I've struck up more first time convo's and met more people driving this thing. Honestly I believe they should send these things around the world to wear there's wars going on. They put so many smiles on peoples faces no one would want to fight.

    I've found the SS to be a "bridge gapper" if you will. I've had Harley riders (which I've been and continue to be for 26 years now) wave, sportbike riders wave, old people and young alike. Matters not the color of your skin (and it shouldn't), everyone that has a pulse seems to at least be intrigued. I've been told I should charge $20 a ride to help pay for it. I love how it brings people together. Well, that is unless I'm in a hurry to get somewhere and need gas..... (can't even get the cap off until there's people circling the SS)


    @JimsGirl, I can't take it any longer and need to ask. What's with the "1932 Knucklehead - restoration project"? That has to be the rarest bike in the world, seeing how they were only made from 1936 through 1947! I was guessing yours is either an EL or a VL, unless you typed the year in wrong.

    :SUPERCHARGERSS::REDSS::HEADERSS::FILTERSS::COILOVERSS::MOTOROILSS::OILFILTERSS:

    Edited once, last by Goats_Hogs: *Edited because spell check doesn't know I meant to type "unless you typed the year IN wrong" and not "unless you typed the year IS wrong".... ().

    People like you Jim make this world so much better. I am sure that little kids eyes were wide open with excitement and happiness. I personally thank you for bringing a happy smile to that young lads face, you da man! 8o

    Thanks!!!!


    The 1939 Knucklehead I inherited from my best friends Dad--my second family. When I told him I was taking the rider class/getting a bike, he told his wife (mom#2) I was now the son he never had. Every time I bought a bike he was like a little kid over it, bikes were something we shared.


    The 39 with sidecar is currently sitting on the bike lift waiting patiently to be restored. Extra parts & tins hang in the garage too. They say to paint the tins first, and go work on it an hour a day. We still go out and look at it and scratch our heads where to start.

    Quote from JimsGirl

    Thanks!!!!


    The 1939 Knucklehead I inherited from my best friends Dad--my second family. When I told him I was taking the rider class/getting a bike, he told his wife (mom#2) I was now the son he never had. Every time I bought a bike he was like a little kid over it, bikes were something we shared.


    The 39 with sidecar is currently sitting on the bike lift waiting patiently to be restored. Extra parts & tins hang in the garage too. They say to paint the tins first, and go work on it an hour a day. We still go out and look at it and scratch our heads where to start.

    That chopped '39 would have me scratching my head also on a good start for restoration! If it were mine, I'd likely look to restoring it after the mods. Frame is altered, missing some hard to find and expensive parts to go back to stock. I do have a friend that's restoring a 52 Pan, and he has over $40k in it and it's not done yet. Good luck with whatever you do with it when you get started! (Loving that side hack!)


    In your signature, you have it listed as a 1932 Knucklehead. After seeing that.... 1932 was all I could see! I'm just OCD like that.... :thumbup:

    Taking kids for rides in "cool" stuff is as much fun for the driver given the enthusiasm of the kids. In aviation EAA (experimental aircraft assoc) has a program called Young Eagles which has flown over 2 million kids. I did 108 of them and generally had a blast.
    If you've got kids (I think they have to be between 8 and 17), you can look this up online and it will give you info to participate...totally free.

    I had an old fellow who used to ride Harley's talk to me for an hour about the SS. His family were concerned about his ability to hold the bike at his age, and forced a sale.


    His wife was with us and after a while this fellow had talked himself into a SS. His wife stated that he wouldn't be joking either. Knowing him, he already knew where a Polaris dealer would be found. They would likely have one by weeks end, lol.


    The Slingshot is without a doubt a conversation piece as much as it is a toy, a ride, a simple vehicle. This thing really is it's own Beast. Which is why I love it.


    Great story @JimsGirl


    You know...... is there a thread that we can place stories like this into? The most unique ones, so we can keep track of them.


    If the Slingshot is hear to stay, perhaps we should share how they are making their mark.

    Quote from MBMedic


    You know...... is there a thread that we can place stories like this into? The most unique ones, so we can keep track of them.


    If the Slingshot is hear to stay, perhaps we should share how they are making their mark.

    Good idea! Why not just use this thread?!

    Slingshots: making children out of adults since 2014

    Great story, thanks for sharing, several lessons in that story... kids are amazing and they can overcome many tragic events and look on the bright side quicker than us many times. Again thanks for sharing!!





    WE WERE ALL HUMANS UNTIL
    RACE DISCONNECTED US,
    RELIGION SEPERATED US,
    POLITICS DIVIDED US,
    AND WEALTH CLASSIFIED US.

    Took a Friend and his Son out for a ride tonight for a few hours.


    The young guy has Muscular Dystrophy and can no longer walk. So we used his Sling, and an old Hoyer arm (medical lift) and attached it to a Block & Tackle. Hooked that to a loader, and presto....he is loaded into the Slingshot and grinning from ear to ear. Took him out for about an hour & 1/2 run through a local park. He loved every minute of it.


    Note to self....wouldn't be able to do that if I got a top put on. Would have loved to post a pic on how this all played out, but he is a bit self conscious about it and didn't want it taken.


    His Dad was so very appreciative. His Son gets so few opportunities to experience the fun things in life. But, the Slingshot wasn't one he had to miss :)

    Nah, that's just something you simply do for friends right? Besides, he's been following me since I first took a test drive back in the early summer of 2015. Fell in love with a Titanium Base model in Devils Lake, ND. Have been hooked ever since.


    He had this whole ride planned on how he could get into the Slingshot since then. :)

    Quote from Shatneyman

    That's awesome. Any time you can make someone smile,..kids, adults, family or strangers, it's all good. Thank you for making me smile. :)

    AWESOME JOB @JimsGirl! and yes...anytime you can make someone smile is a good thing-especially if it's yourself.
    This wasn't a lil kid, but I let her sit in the drivers seat and it sure gave her a smile... :D