free website stats program I Have To Ask About Pacemakers and Scoots | Harley Davidson Forums

I Have To Ask About Pacemakers and Scoots

RickyBobby

Active Member
I just had one installed a month ago. Sort of an ECM for humans. I haven't healed enough to ride. However, I got a list of things to stay away from and one of them is a running engine. The list does not state if the concern is alternators or spark plug wires. It does not have motorcycles on the list.
Since I am thinking more and more about getting back on my bike, I thought I would ask and see if anyone has any experience along the lines of is it OK to ride or not. I don't know anyone that even has a pacemaker, let alone anyone that rides. I have to learn about things that are good and not good.
 
My Stepson has just-yesterday-had a Defibrillator fitted.Made by Medtronic in the U.S.A. You could contact them for info.
I know from reading the booklets that he bought home that you have to keep certain distances from items that radiate EMF's.Not a Motorcycle per se,more like the IGNITION system when the engine is running.

So that will include the Alternator,the Ignition system(spark plugs and H.T leads)the ends of any Antennas and more stuff i can't offhand recall.

The distances are all small;most things are 6";however some are 12" and a couple were 24".Note,2 stroke Garden tools are also included in these 6" clearances.Any High Voltage ignition.
Bear in mind,these distances are to THE DEVICE,not your body.

He can't do any physical activity for 6 weeks;this is more to allow the internal wiring to his Heart to settle in place, rather than anything else.I should imagine you'd be much the same.There was no ELECTRICAL reason why a person can't ride;more for the healing capacity of one's body.

It appears that you can have a pretty normal life living day to day with an I.C.D in your chest.

Best of luck.
 
If there is concern of EMI (Electro-Magnetic-Interference) one thing to check it is to get an "old fashioned" battery operated AM portable radio. Fire up the motorcycle and have a friend walk around the bike, and especially in the rider position at chest level, listening for telltale buzz from the ignition system.

If real loud, you may want to consider using noise filter caps and try to shield the ignition wiring areas. I would think that the medical electronics if known to be sensitive would be housed in something a bit more resistant to EMI type noise emissions...
 
Rickybobby; I had never thought of the electronic signal problems possible with a pacemaker. Please keep us posted of the items, problems and solutions you find. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
 
Electro magnetic fields another strange animal, Hope you can get the information you need and get back in the wind, I have seen first hand an electric fork lift operate itself due to a large diesel generator running near by. Would not have believed it until we had a service tech check it and tell of these problems. Hope you are on the road to recovery, Best of Luck, Capital Jack
 
Biscuit, it sounds like your sons defibrillator is just about like a pacemaker. I have the same instructions. I am closing in on 6 weeks and my appointment to have the programming adjusted and my go ahead to resume usual activities.
I am getting real itchy to get back to riding as soon as I am able to use my left arm. The wires should be getting held in place by tissue growing over them by now. Since I have not much else to do but wait it out and so I have been wondering about sitting close to the engine while riding.
Newhd74fan has a great idea with the AM radio. I hope I can find one somewhere. I remember in the good old days (yes I am that old) that you could hear a motorcycle pull up in traffic on your dash radio in a car and even hear the bike go through the gears. That would have been the culprit EMF right there. I guess my trucks radio has a button for AM, I have to go out and see. I have never used it, but it should.
Thanks guys for the input. I guess I am looking for an OK any way I can get it, because now that the weather is cooling, I want to get my knuckles into the wind. :)
 
I think some pacemakers are programed with a device that sends a signal through the skin with an electro-magnetic device, that way the doc can change the parameters that cause it to function without doing surgery. These programs can be altered by a random electro-magnetic field it encounters.
 
I am doing some checking this morning. I have found some online outfits that sell material of silver thread that can be sewn into garments to shield wearer from RF and EMF. This could be a great answer to any radiation of EMF from ignition or generating system on motorcycles. I am thinking if I took and had it sewn into a vest to protect the pacemaker from outside signals, I might be in real good shape. I am off to check on this further and will report back in. You never know, someone else might need info on this too. It is getting to be a fact of life and modern science/medicine is advancing at leaps and bounds.
 
I am doing some checking this morning. I have found some online outfits that sell material of silver thread that can be sewn into garments to shield wearer from RF and EMF. This could be a great answer to any radiation of EMF from ignition or generating system on motorcycles. I am thinking if I took and had it sewn into a vest to protect the pacemaker from outside signals, I might be in real good shape. I am off to check on this further and will report back in. You never know, someone else might need info on this too. It is getting to be a fact of life and modern science/medicine is advancing at leaps and bounds.

Wow, think of how much thinking has gone into all of this, good luck on your quest to ride again,maybe we can all learn from you:D
 
EMI is a silent but black art regarding mitigation. Good to hear RickyBobby doing a bit of study on the subject. Very important to think about such things if you are using high tech electronics NOT made for being around a noisy environment. A motorcycle lives a harsh life, and the V-Twin technolgy has gone through some paces regarding EMI. When I was at a local test lab, they actually had a Harley in for testing the EMI emissions...so remember that all manufacturers are required to be compliant with FCC Rules and Regulations regarding electronic equipment. But if you are riding an old restoration, you might go thru RickyBobby's study a bit if you have sensitive electronics nearby...just saying, as Jack I believe said in another thread... "Knowledge is power".
 
Back
Top