I have a very bad lumbar spine (irreparable damage so I just have to live with it and try not to aggravate my back too much) and I am also looking at 2 total knee replacements over the next year. I cannot ride my husband's FatBoy as it is just too painful on my back and knees. I am trying to convince him that a Harley Trike might be the answer so that we can travel together on a bike. My husband is skeptical. I cannot be the only spouse with this problem. Do any of you have suggestions as to what the answer might be? Trike with modifications - if so what might you suggest?

 

I've never ridden a trike, but I do understand the rear suspension can be pretty rough at times. That would be hard on the back.

 

The rear on the trike can be rough but there are some ways make it a little smoother. The front doesn't seem rough to me. You can check out DK Customs they have done work with Trikes and ride them. They are a sponsor on here as well.

 

 

Lady no offense but you may want to seriously consider a quality of life choice at this juncture in your life. A bike no matter the number of wheels or anything else you can do is going to aggravate your back and I suspect do more damage if you try. We all have this choice to make at some point in life, my best wishes to you in this.

 

This. Two weeks ago I consulted an ortho doc about my knee (tendinitis) and explained that my workout routine aggravates it. My lower body routine is treadmill, leg extensions and hamstring curls. He said the obvious answer is that if an activity causes pain, the solution is to stop the activity. He suggested I join the 'Y' and start swimming.

I didn't say it, but I wanted to tell him that they measure urine content in public pools by the gallon and there's no way I'm going swimming.

BTW, I still do dreadmill, but don't do the other lower body exercises. My knee still bothers me, just not as much.

 

My advice, buy a convertible... I had to do this for years due to a back and knee injury... If you back is 'out' theres not a bike on the planet that will be comfortable. Ask me how I know..

 

 

Welcome to the site.

Since your health situation is unique to you, I would suggest that you rent a trike and give it a go. This way, you can evaluate the machine for your suitability. You may find another model bike may work too. Rent any models you want to consider.
As far as modifications go, again, your situation is unique to you. What might work for someone else may not work for you. And vice versa. If you think a pneumatic seat pad would help, then Airhawk would be something to look at. Do you already have a lightweight helmet? (Soumy makes very light helmets, but they're NOT cheap.)
Bikes with floorboards seem to put increased stress on knees (ACL & MCL), especially passenger knees. Foot pegs seem to quell this anomaly.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

EDIT~My GF informs me that the Can-Am Spyder is very comfortable. Might take one of those for a spin too.
Also, I hate to recommend this as this is a very "pro" HD site, but the Honda Goldwing is the epitome of passenger comfort.
Look around at what couples are riding, long distance. It's usually Goldwings, BMW's or HD Ultras. It's never Fatboys.

 

The "laid back" sitting position on a softail is hard on a healthy back. Plus, softtails have very little rear suspension travel. Look for a bike where you can sit up with good posture. Also your feet should be under you so you can use your legs to absorb shock. Unfortunately, your knees may not allow that either?