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iamnightduchess · 4 years ago

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Hai Queen, can you make HC of ReiKasa's secret fetishes? (Lmao I'm so embarrassed) or if they uhm BDSM, what will they do?

Hello luv, thank you for the Ask! Happy belated birthday in advance. I am so sorry for the delayed wish 🙏 Here's hoping this will be a good belated gift for you 💖

Reiner x Mikasa (ReiKasa) Extremely Kinky Sexy Times Modern AU (R20+) Headcanon #12

(A/N: ‼️WARNING‼️Graphic/Explicit Description of very dirty smut with potentially provocative images ⛔ Please don't click Keep Reading if you're below 20 🙅‍♀️ Sorry kiddos! To my more adult readers, please absorb this post's content with appropriate discretion & maturity)

Ring the alarm because it's going to get extremely fiery in this zone 😳🔥🔥🔥 If i'm going to horny jail, I'm taking you guys with me haha

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Reiner & Mikasa have a very comfortable (and vanilla) sex life. However, they do have some secret kinks that they share behind closed doors. The kinks are only discovered after they've been together for at least half a year based on the trust they have built through their relationship. Reiner and Mikasa would at least go on between 10-15 dates before they become intimate with each other & exploring the more physical aspects of their relationship. These two don't f**k. They make love; slow, tantric, gazing into each other's eye kind of loving. When their bodies fuse, so do their souls.

BUT, after months of getting comfortable with each other's bodies, that is when they know they are both ready to bring in more colors into their sex life and ready to take it to the next level. It takes some time on Mikasa's end because this woman has some insecurities with the way her body is built. Yet Reiner helps her build her confidence a lot by giving her the space and the time she needs to truly let herself go with him and he is the kind of man that embraces HER body type the way she is. But if Reiner could describe Mikasa's body with one word, it'll be with heaven-sent.

Secret Fetishes

Muscle Kinks (Both)

No, not the literal muscle kink 🤣 Mikasa admires Reiner's body very much - his strong and sturdy shoulders and his large Nordic build reminds her of the statue of Ares she had once saw in Greece. His biceps are her most favorite go-to body parts of his (during sex especially) when she wants to sneak in quick affectionate touches, kisses or squeezes (apart from his butt!). Mikasa expresses her feelings better through touches. Let's just say she can't keep her hands away from his a$$ when they're in private. Reiner has also learned to know that the tighter her grip is on his biceps while he's inside of her, it means he's hitting her sweet spots just right.

Meanwhile for Reiner, he doesn't have a very specific favorite on Mikasa because he loves every part of her! Although he's developed an affinity for her breasts and abs. He'd jokingly say that he'll eat off her body if he could (like those kinky sushi bars haha) 😏 But, to Mikasa, Reiner knows exactly how to suck her soul out of her body through certain sensitive points of hers using his sinful lips.

Fellatio (Reiner)

Like most men, Reiner loves getting blowjobs. He finds himself in bliss yet being extremely defeated every time Mikasa goes down on him. This woman, apart from having a pair of strong grips, rather unexpectedly, has a strong jaw muscle and exceptional gag reflex control. She swallows too ;) He'd almost instantaneously comes when she pulls double jobs on him (mouth & breasts) at the same time. He also loves running his fingers through her hair and seeing the intensity in her gaze when they lock eyes while he's deep inside her mouth. Mikasa devours him like she would with her favorite ice-cream: lots of tongue, sucking and loads of slurping.

Cunnilingus (Mikasa)

Mikasa isn't a very loud lover but only Reiner is able to make her whimper helplessly with his mouth and fingers. Reiner sucks so well (pun intended) that she'll end up being a heaving mess when he's done with her. Mikasa has become an acquired taste for Reiner. He knows exactly the right amount of pressure to apply using his tongue and teeth on that sensitive spot of hers until he drinks her dry. These two love the receiving and giving aspect of their lovemaking. So, yes, they enjoy doing the 34+35 a lot ;)

Mild Kink - Foreplay, hair pulling, loads of biting & scratching (both)

As referenced in this post, Reiner & Mikasa are both biters. He likes pulling her hair if he takes her from behind and she'll grip his back or his arms so hard that her nails would always break his skin if he's taking her in missionary. BUT, the sweetest part of their lovemaking is always their foreplay. Reiner loves running his fingers along her thighs, hips and back and takes pride when he can make her shiver with tiny prickling goosebumps on her skin. That way, he knows he's making her feel really good. Also, when he gets her all wet and gushy. *Bixby, play WAP by Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion 😳

Asphyxiation (both)

We're almost getting into BDSM territory. Depending on their mood for lovemaking, Reiner and Mikasa injects a li'l bit of mild asphyxiation while they're in deep penetration mode; just a little bit & not too much. They have a strong level of trust between them that they've never accidentally gripped too hard on or hurt the other. Their safe word for this: ACE.

Roleplay (Both)

Even after years of being together (even after the children comes into the picture), Reiner and Mikasa enjoys frequent roleplaying. Usually takes place during their wedding anniversaries to keep their marriage fresh and spicy. From pretending to be strangers meeting in a hotel bar, to hot plumber and the sexy housewife and to reliving their highschool tropes, these two have no qualms in putting on some disguises while getting their freak on.

Public Sex (Reiner) / Risk-taker (Mikasa)

Now, Mikasa is an extremely private, introverted person and her definition of public is more of having the risk of being heard of than the location itself. At the beginning of their exploratory phase, the furthest location beyond the bedroom that she's ever been comfortable in would be their house kitchen in broad daylight.

Even then, she'd be the one who'd make the first move because Reiner once shared that it'll be interesting to try sneaking a quickie when/where they're not supposed to.

Reiner wears reading glasses when he works at home and Mikasa always finding herself feeling a little turned on when he does. There's just something inexplicably sexy when she sees her gorgeous man getting all engrossed in serious work mode.

One time, Reiner was in a Zoom call with Magath and his Warrior unit and suddenly his woman just walks out of their bedroom with nothing but his tshirt on, sans underwear. Mikasa intentionally reaches for things in the top shelf and bending over the kitchen counter a little bit more than usual just to tease him. Well, it worked and he had to maintain a straight face when his vidcam is still on with his raging hard-on or while she's sucking him off from underneath their kitchen table. As soon as the Zoom call ends, Mikasa's getting the pounding, I mean, the punishment that she deserves.

There was also that one time when he was in an online gaming party with Armin, Jean and Connie, while an almost naked Mikasa was riding him hard at the same time. The boys still couldn't explain why Reiner was suddenly silent in-game (he said his mic was being weird) and why he was voluntarily sacrificing his character repeatedly while they're in the middle of a boss fight during that session haha

If they're in the kitchen, expect some edibles to add on a little more spice such as ice on his pecs and abs as well as whipping cream all over hers.

BDSM (Both) - including Blindfold, Bondage, Spanking, Dom & Sub subtext

Reiner is a man of strict discipline and Mikasa is a woman with a fixed routine but their sex life reflects both authority and flexibility that balances with their pre-planned kink-exploration techniques. Reiner and Mikasa both take turns to be the giver and receiver. Seriously, the level of trust and carnal attraction between these two are phenomenal.

When she's the one receiving, Mikasa would surrender all of her self control to Reiner's hands and hot damn, when this man is in his dominating mode, Mikasa would end up screaming and biting into the pillow because Reiner can be extremely firm in delaying her gratification. Playing with her like a skilled musician would to his instrument, Reiner knows how Mikasa's body works and responds to his touch. He likes raising her limits higher every time.

This man can be scary manipulative when he's the dom and he will leave her begging for his mercy. He has amazing hands made for comforting massages and well, orgasmic spanking. Their safe word when he's the Dom: DIAMONDS.

Reiner tried addressing himself as 'Daddy' with Mikasa one time before spanking her. Needless to say, she ended up rolling on the bed laughing. That session failed gloriously. She'll made a point, however, to use that specific endearment years down the lane as their secret keyword in front of their kids when Mummy's in the mood for some heavy bonding with Daddy 🙈 In the end, she still calls him 'Daddy' for sex? 🤷‍♀️ orz

When he's the one receiving, he will be the most hard-to-break sub and lucky for him, Mikasa is a persistent dom. He loves it when he can let go and just be fully vulnerable with her. She will make him kneel, she will make him beg and Reiner loves it when she takes control over him.

He pretended to resist against his restraints even more just so she would inflict on him harder. Although, Reiner has some underlying emotional issues and has some repressed self-aggression with innate desires that need to be 'reprimanded' in a sense. He's a physically strong figure in the public eye but he is emotionally and psychologically vulnerable due to some issues that began in his childhood that was only addressed professionally later on in his young adult life. He also has some attrition to pain that needs to be channeled safely and Mikasa is the only woman who he can be open and honest with, who has strong impenetrable limits to receive and hard resolve to inflict on him when he truly needs it. Their safe word when she's the dom: SPADES.

Usually, after a very intense session, these two would soothe each other with a long, warm embrace or just hold each other for far longer in the showers before pulling themselves back into their neutral zone. They'll usually slip into something much more comfortable afterwards with some comfort food, weighted blanket and streaming services. Reiner and Mikasa both are physically and emotionally built perfectly for each other that it's so surreal. Their bond, love and trust just run even deeper with each passing day that he believes when they sleep, their souls would still be looking for each other.

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Sorry it got even longer than I expected but I had super fun thinking & working on this! Thank you so much for the Ask & I hope you've had a memorable celebration this year ❤ xoxo

#ReiKasa #ReiKasa asks #ReiKasa smut #ReiKasa reimagines #ReiKasa headcanons #ReiKasa sexy headcanons #ReiKasa unadulterated #reiner x mikasa #strictly ReiKasa #reiner braun #mikasa ackerman #ReiKasaverse #ReiKasa modern AU #ReiKasa kink!time

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painandinjury · 3 years ago

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How I Got Trigger Finger and What I Did to Treat It

In my case, I have trigger finger in the middle and ring fingers of my right hand, mostly in the A1 and A2 pulley, and less in the A3, with the middle finger being more problematic. Pain is most pronounced in the middle of the night and upon waking, then gets better rather quickly in my case, in the first waking hour of the day. This is because as you sleep, there is less movement of the joints and less synovium produced, causing them to be stiffer.

I have the classic symptom where there is locking of those fingers when I move them from the natural, half-open relaxed hand to fully extending the fingers. As I force them past the locked angle, they snap at the A1 and A2 pulleys, then straighten out. It’s momentarily painful, but tolerable. But for some people, it’s a lot worse. All those weeks of sustained power gripping and twisting caused the flexor tendons and synovium to rub excessively against the ligaments holding them in place, causing microtears and initiating the inflammatory response.

TREATMENT FOR TRIGGER FINGER

The medical standard of care for trigger finger is corticosteroid injection below the affected ligament. This quickly knocks down the inflammation, and in some cases, symptomatic improvement happens within seconds. However, some patients report pain following the injection, and slower or no results.

Splinting is sometimes attempted. The idea is that if you immobilize the tendon, inflammation will stop and the tendon will shrink and heal, bringing things back to normal. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes inflammation takes a life of its own, and prolongs long after the injurious event ceases.

If neither corticosteroid injection nor finger splinting fail to correct the problem, surgery is an option. Direct, open surgery and percutaneous (minimal incision, special surgical tools) surgery are the two options, with direct surgery usually having better results. This is where the ligament is cut to provide more room for the tendon to move. This is possible because the adjacent ligament serves as a backup; for example, the A2 can back up A1 if A1 needs to be cut/ split apart. However, as you can imagine such destruction of a functional component means some strength and stability are sacrificed. I’m sure those having this kind of surgery lose some power in their grip.

MY TREATMENT STRATEGY

As I write this article, my trigger fingers have improved about 75%, from their worst presentation. It could be that my connective tissues are in pretty good shape; my healing capacity is strong; my injury was not very severe; or my treatment regimen is helping accelerate healing. Some sufferers don’t see such a quick pace of resolution.

Here is what I’m doing: as I mentioned, the symptoms are most pronounced in the middle of the night (when I get up to use the bathroom) and upon waking. In the middle of the night, I simply don’t move my fingers, and go back to sleep.

In the morning, I run cold water over my hand for 2 minutes, and gently move my fingers. I get the snapping, but it dissipates shortly after. I still feel some stiffness and soreness in my knuckles throughout the day, but no snapping.

I get localized cryotherapy done on my fingers. Cryotherapy is extremely cold air, as in sub-zero, for 3 minutes. The cold not only slows inflammation, it is said to cause a shock to the sensory nerves, which causes the central nervous system to respond by increasing blood flow, fibroblast activity, and nutrients to the area.

Note: the image above is a localized cryotherapy session on my hand, for a previous complaint. The red dot is not red light therapy; it is a laser thermometer the technician uses to measure my skin temperature so that it doesn’t too low (his hand is visible in the picture). Localized cryotherapy can reach temperatures of -30 degrees F.

Lastly, I apply red light therapy. I’m an advocate of this therapeutic technology and have written articles about it. Red light therapy is actually an electromagnetic waveform (600-880 nanometer wavelengths) that appears red to the human eye. It’s not the red you get from shining a light through a red lens; it’s a specific waveform in the electromagnetic spectrum generated from an LED (light-emitting diode). The device I use uses three LEDs, one of which emits a waveform closer to infrared and therefore does not appear to be red as it is invisible. The electromagnetic energy is at a frequency that gets absorbed by cell mitochondria and other structures, which can result in changed oxidative states that lead to cell signaling that initiates reparative processes, such as increased ATP production and increased membrane permeability. This lessens inflammation and stimulates healing.

I anticipate my trigger fingers to fully recover, to pre-injury status. I will continue to do these therapies, as I feel they are partly responsible for my good results.

BOTTOM LINE

Prevention is the best cure: if you know you are going to be using your hands a lot, such as starting on a do-it-yourself project involving power tools and hard gripping, know that this can cause trigger finger. Do what you can to minimize the stress to your hands—take frequent breaks; don’t overdo it/ don’t hold a power grip for more than a few seconds; and rest and stretch your hands often. Don’t rush it. Trigger finger creeps up on you, and by the time you notice it, it is too late. The presentations are different from person to person, depending on age, health, fitness and so on. I am lucky as my condition is resolving; others are not so lucky and wind up getting surgery and permanent percent loss of hand function. So make sure you keep prevention in mind. If you do get it, try the treatment methods for trigger finger described here that have worked for me.

It’s been a while since my last article. Between the weekly-changing COVID restrictions in my area and major house renovations, I have been delinquent with my life mission of helping others manage and heal their pain and injuries, on their own. But today, I’m back on track. Today, I’ll talk about a peculiar condition known as Trigger Finger.

But first, a little background:

For those who ever engaged in do-it-yourself home renovations such as landscaping, fence building, paver-laying and bathroom and kitchen remodeling you know how much stress it can put on your body. This is my story of how I developed trigger finger for the first time in my life, and serves as a “lessons learned” opportunity for others so that they can be spared the inconveniences of this condition..

For the last 10 years, I would categorize my daily physical activity as “moderate.” I would go the gym and lift free weights (reps over max); do various cardio fitness classes such as the Les Mills classes and Bootcamp; and run 3 miles about 3x/week. My average time in the gym I would say was 60-90 minutes, with about half of that actual exercising. At home, I would be working on my website and producing videos. This did require prolonged sitting, but I would get up every 30 minutes or so to walk around to relieve pressure to my lumbar spine.

Starting the second week of this past July, I started the aforementioned home renovation projects. I basically went straight from moderate activity to short bursts of sustained intense activity, daily for over four weeks. Since I didn’t have any major musculoskeletal impediments other than a chronic right AC (acromioclavicular) joint sprain, I moved freely as though I was in my 20s, which wasn’t such a good idea. The combination of the intense movement patterns my body wasn’t used to, plus my age, took a significant toll after four weeks.

Here are some of the heavy labor activities that I engaged in:

Carrying heavy lumber from Home Depot and loading into a pickup truck, about 10 trips

Carrying 50 and 80 pound bags of concrete mix and sand, for my paver project, about 5 trips.

Used a 2-person auger (about 120 pounds; gasoline powered) to drill several 3’ deep post holes

Shoveled piles and piles of dirt (pickup truck loads—about 10x)

Hauled away bulk trash to the dumpster

Carried 100 clay 12”x12” paver squares (bricks) from a truck to my yard and positioned them carefully

Used hand tools that required hard gripping and/or twisting including various types of saws, wrenches and screwdrivers

Used vibrational tools including a miter saw, reciprocating saw, drill, and nail gun

By the third week, I was starting to feel pain at my right AC joint, my left wrist, and both hands especially my right, dominant hand. Thankfully, despite frequent bending at the waist my lower back wasn’t affected. I attributed the AC join pain to aggravation of the old strain (I rate it a Grade 2 or 3 sprain – partial tearing, but intact). What happened is the heavy lifting placed a repetitious load on that unstable joint, causing the acromion and distal clavicle to aggravate surrounding soft tissues, particularly the supraspinatous tendon, and the insertion points of the ligament. My doctor suggested my pain was impingement syndrome—compression of the supraspinatous tendon where it passes below the acromion– which could be occurring, but I’m certain most of the pain is emanating from the joint itself because I can reproduce the pain simply by pressing it with my fingertip. I’ll tell you how I’m treating this in the next article.

I believe my left wrist pain is a Grade 2 strain of the flexor ulnaris tendon where it inserts into the distal ulnar’s styloid process; caused when I lost control of the auger. The auger is a very powerful machine that requires two people to operate (see picture above). Not being familiar with using one, I wasn’t prepared for the powerful torque it generated, and lost control of it, hurting my wrist.

The third problem that I’m dealing with is trigger finger. This is the first time I’ve had it and let me tell you, it’s not very pleasant.

Trigger finger is so named because as you attempt to straighten out your finger after closing your hand, the finger “catches” mid-way, and pain is felt in one or several joint capsules usually on the palmar side. Then, as you power through the restriction the pain increases and a popping/snapping sensation occurs right before it straightens out, just like how a gun trigger offers gradual resistance then suddenly releases at a point. See the short video below of my actual trigger finger taken this morning that explains this.

Trigger finger is a stenosing tenosynovitis disorder. Stenosing means narrowing of a passageway in the body; tenosynovitis refers to inflammation of the tendon and synovium. The synovium is a specialized layer of tissue surrounding the tendon in areas where it rubs against other structures in the body. Synovium secretes synovial fluid, a biological lubricant that helps reduce friction where the tendon moves. Synovium also lines the synovial joints of the body which include the hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, spine and joints of the hands and feet.

There are three, main populations of trigger finger sufferers: young children (up to 8 years old); trigger finger as a comorbidity to a primary disease; and adults experiencing trauma/ stress to the hands, typically in the 40s-50s. It tends to affect women more, and the most common finger is the thumb although it can occur in any finger, and in multiple fingers at the same time.

In children, trigger finger is believed to be due to uneven growth rates of the hand flexor tendons and the ligaments, where the tendon growth outpaces the growth of the ligaments that hold them against the finger bones.

Trigger finger is observed to often occur alongside certain other diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, hypothyroidism, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and amyloidosis; each probably having different etiologies involving the dysfunction causing the primary disease. Diabetics seem to be affected by trigger finger at a higher rate than the regular population, and it is uncertain why. With diabetes mellitus, there are high levels of glucose in the blood, and usually high insulin levels. Insulin is considered an anabolic hormone associated with tissue growth, so this may be a possible explanation for the increased incidence of trigger finger in diabetics, if the growth leads to tendon hypertrophy (enlargement).

For the third group, which the rest of this article will address, trigger finger is caused by hypertrophy and inflammation of the finger flexor tendons at the synovial sheath, typically from repetitious hand movements, especially those involving power gripping and vibration, making them chafe against the ligaments that hold them down to the finger bones (phalanges). (Remember, ligaments connect two bones, while tendons connect a muscle to a bone; both are components of all moveable joints). Imagine these ligaments as slips of Scotch tape forming a tunnel over the bone. As the hypertrophied (enlarged) section of the tendon enters the narrow tunnel during extension (straightening out of the finger), it gets stuck in that tunnel momentarily; much like how a big person trying to climb out of a small bathroom window can get stuck before being able to make it through. Then, as the tendon makes it past that entrance, it causes the popping sensation.

Orthopedic specialists identify the tendon-ligament structures involved in hand movement as pulleys. Remember from basic physics, a pulley is one of the simple machines (the others being a lever, plane and gear). This is an appropriate name because the tendons and ligaments accomplish work just like the cables and pulleys used in cranes.

Image courtesy of OrthoBullets.com

The A1 pulley is at the metacarpo-phalangeal joint, commonly called the knuckles. It’s where the proximal phalanx connects to the respective metacarpal bone. This is where trigger finger usually occurs. Those who have it here feel the pain and popping/snapping on the palmar side of the knuckle.

The A2 pulley encircles the proximal phalanx, or first finger bone, from the knuckle.

The A3 pulley is at the PIP, or proximal interphalangeal joint—the first joint from the knuckle connecting the proximal and intermediate phalanges (first and second bones of the finger). This is also a common area of trigger finger.

The A4 pulley encircles the intermediate phalanx (second bone of the finger from the knuckle).

The A5 pulley is at the DIP, or distal interphalangeal joint, the furthest joint of the finger connecting the intermediate and distal phalanges (second and third bones of the finger, from the knuckle). Although triggering can happen here, it is less common.

Since the thumb is comprised of only two phalanges, it has an A1 and A2 pulley only. Trigger finger affecting the thumb almost always occurs at the A1 pulley. Unlike the other fingers, your thumb can move in multiple planes, much like the shoulder joint. It has a unique pulley called the oblique pulley that allows it to touch the pinky, a movement called thumb opposition.

TREATMENT FOR TRIGGER FINGER

MY TREATMENT STRATEGY

I anticipate my trigger fingers to fully recover, to pre-injury status. I will continue to do these therapies, as I feel they are partly responsible for my good results.

BOTTOM LINE

#Musculoskeletal disorders #Musculoskeletal pain #PainandInjuryDoctor #Low Back Pain #Muscle Pain

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usamotorscycle-blog · 8 years ago

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Morgan 3 Wheeler Review

Your eyes aren’t fooling you. Yes, this is Motorscycle.com and, yes, the thing you’re looking at has three wheels, a steering wheel, bucket seats, seat belts and three pedals on the floor. It’s called, simply, the Morgan 3 Wheeler, and because it’s missing a fourth wheel, the Department of Motor Vehicles classifies it as a motorcycle (yes, even in Texas). And so, since we are Motorscycle.com afterall, it’s our duty to give the 3 Wheeler a whirl.

A Brief History Lesson

In the early 1900s, Harry Morgan, the company’s namesake, set out to build a fun and affordable motor vehicle in his English factory in Malvern Link, England. His idea was to fit a powerful motorcycle engine (usually J.A.P. V-Twins) into a lightweight chassis. The invention was called a “Cyclecar,” and subsequent iterations of Morgan’s first design went on to win numerous races and set records. In its day, it was a popular two-seater to have if you were serious about your motoring.

Albert Ball with his Morgan “Grand Prix” Cyclecar. Albert Ball was just such a man. An English pilot who would later perish in battle during the first World War at only 20 years old, Ball was the modern day equivalent of an adrenaline junkie. Not long before his death, he took delivery of a special Morgan Cyclecar with sportier bodywork, dubbed the Grand Prix. So enamored he was with it, he once said, “To drive this car was the nearest thing to flying without leaving the ground.” Morgan would later create the Aero (of which the namesake still exists in the company’s four-wheelers), a more sporty, mass-produced three-wheeler inspired by the Grand Prix. The Super Aero came next, and its lowered stance covered with streamlined bodywork influenced future Cyclecars and 3 Wheelers to this day. Throughout the years, the basic architecture of the 3 Wheeler remained the same, and later more powerful Matchless engines replaced the J.A.P. units. Morgan ceased production during WWII, but resumed again in 1946. However, steel supplies were limited at this time, and the popularity of the 3 Wheeler was waning. Morgan decided to discontinue producing the 3 Wheeler in 1950, with the last one rolling out the factory doors in 1953.

The Morgan Super Aero, of which you can see many styling cues that have carried over throughout the years.

Modern Revival

Contrary to what some believe, the Morgan Motor Company never went out of business, instead focusing its efforts on its four-wheelers. Meanwhile, at the start of the new millenium, Pete Larson, of Liberty Motors in Seattle, decided to build his own Cyclecar based on the Morgan 3 Wheeler. His version uses a Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 88 or 103 (depending on customer preference) but otherwise looks nearly identical. Charles Morgan, grandson of HFS Morgan, learned about this and was so inspired that, in 2011, nearly 60 years after the last 3 Wheeler left the factory, decided to return to the company’s roots and revive the legendary 3 Wheeler, modernizing it for the 21st century. Morgan and Larson negotiated a buyout of all ACE designs, and the ACE was transformed into the Morgan 3 Wheeler. Now Larson is one of a select few Morgan 3 Wheeler retailers in the U.S.

Inspired by the Morgans of old, Pete Larson set out to build his own 3 Wheeler, called the ACE Cycle-Car. At first glance it’s difficult to distinguish between it and a Morgan, though the Harley Twin Cam engine is one clue. Despite the fact our particular tester is a 2013 model, the only thing modern about the current day Morgan 3 Wheeler is its fuel-injected S&S V-Twin and the 5-speed Mazda Miata transmission bolted to it. The 1983cc, four-valve S&S X-Wedge engine is the perfect combination of old and new. Its 56-degree vee angle is wider than the 45 degrees used on Harleys, and it uses three belt-driven camshafts – one central intake cam, two outer exhaust cams – with pushrods running nearly parallel to the valves. A one-piece forged crankshaft with plain main and connecting rod bearings help the X-Wedge cope with the added weight the 3 Wheeler (published reports claim curb weight at 1268 lbs) presents over a lighter motorcycle. The engine proudly sits on its rubber mounts at the front of the vehicle, a smart positioning considering it’s air/oil-cooled. The rest of the 3 Wheeler is of steel-tube frame design with aluminum sheeting making up the body panels. Double A-arm suspension up front is car-like in its design, while the single rear wheel is suspended via trailing arm and fed power through a belt. Skinny 19-inch front wire wheels are just 3.5-inches across and add to the vintage appeal of the Morgan. The hidden rear wheel is a slightly more standard 16-inch variety, wearing 175/55 rubber.

Analog speedo and tach from VDO are complemented by digital readouts for odometer, tripmeter, voltage and fuel percentage remaining, though the latter’s accuracy is wildly off. One particular trip indicated 0% fuel remaining, and after stopping at a fuel station, only 5 gallons were needed of the 11 gallons it is claimed to hold. Note the engine-turned dash, polished accents and toggle switches, including the center start button. The steering wheel with wood trim is optional equipment.

The Experience

Morgan claim 82 hp at 5250 rpm and a peak torque of 103.3 lb-ft at 3250 rpm. On paper, those don’t sound like remarkable stats, but once you get behind the steering wheel, it all makes sense. First, however, it helps to detach the steering wheel to aid ingress. Once inside, soak it all in. Admire the hand-stitched leather seats, center-mounted dial gauges, toggles to control the various lights and horn, the polished parking brake lever, the nicely weighted shift knob, and especially admire the starter button, hidden behind the “bomb release” cover as Morgan calls it, many of us wanted to yell “Contact!” before pressing it. They are all quality pieces that contribute to the experience. Clutch in and starter button pressed, the X-Wedge takes a few cranks to come to life, after which it settles into its lumpy, unmistakable V-Twin rumble. It’s not a quick-revving engine, but it sounds oh so sweet with each straight pipe running down the length of both sides. You can see it slightly vibrating way out in front of you, but you don’t feel any of that at the wheel or the pedals. Shift into first, let the clutch out, and the appeal of the 3 Wheeler is immediate. The engine carries plenty of torque to chirp the rear tire as you shift to second, though there’s a sizable gap between the two gears, says E-i-C Kevin Duke. And because you’re riding so low, the sensation of speed is elevated as the ground whizzes past. Manual steering means “communication is direct but lacks precision,” says Duke, attributing this to the skinny and tall-profile front tires. Braking, too, is not power assisted, but a meaningful push with your foot delivers, as Duke puts it, “pure feedback during threshold braking.”

Though its handling limits are low, exploring those limits is incredibly fun. Note the inside tire coming off the ground. Rowing through the gears is a delight, as the Mazda Miata 5-speed positively engages each gear, its throws nice and short. On downshifts, the brake and accelerator pedal are nicely spaced for a bit of heel-toe action (well, more like a modified version of it with the sides of your foot). The car behaves like a well-thought-out 60 year-old sports car because, well, that’s what it is. However, when the pace picks up, its limitations expose themselves quickly. The skinny tires mean you can’t pull enormous g-loads through a corner (not that you’d want to), and the V-Twin runs out of breath up top. The chassis does exhibit a little flex, which Duke surmises, “likely aids suspension compliance and, when cornering hard, helps keep its tires in contact with the road.” The 3 Wheeler’s limits are low, but it never claims to be a performance-oriented machine. All of our testers agree, driving it slow is equally as fun as exploring its limits, and probably more rewarding – at least you’ll have time to notice all the passersby checking you out. We were pleasantly surprised with its highway manners, too. The ride was fairly smooth with the suspension communicating bumps in the road, but the bumpsteer effect some journalists decried of early-production 3 Wheelers was nonexistent on our tester.

Even at a much calmer pace, it’s hard not to grin when operating the 3 Wheeler. This view shows the limited cabin space for two passengers.

A Niche Within A Niche

Without a doubt, the Morgan 3 Wheeler is a unique and very special vehicle, and while your humble MO staff are motorcyclists through and through, we’re unanimous in our affection for the Morgan. Editorial Director, Sean Alexander, simply said, “I love it,” and Kevin called it “the coolest trike on Earth.” It’s not without its faults, however. Without any doors, it takes a little practice to get in and out. The challenge level rises when factoring in the added obstacle of a hot exhaust pipe. Once in, the Morgan is cramped. “It needs about one more inch in every cockpit dimension,” says Sean. Each side of the 3 Wheeler features a padded leather cover over the body panel as a concession from Morgan that your outside arm will rest on it. If traveling with someone you particularly enjoy talking to, the intimate seating arrangement lends itself towards conversation with your passenger. However, wind noise brings talking to an end at over 40 mph. And though it looks to have spacious bonnet and boot areas, there’s hardly any storage under there.

Pricey? Yes. Unique? Absolutely. Then there’s the price. Morgan West, of Santa Monica, California, who lent us this car, quoted a base price of $44,743 at current exchange rates. To get one like our tester, you’ll have to add the special order Harley-Davidson Candy Black Cherry paint job ($944.04), quilted leather interior ($400.70), Mohair based dark red tonneau cover ($421.08), ignition immobilizer ($224.13) and Factory Bright Pack, which includes chrome roll bars, polished exhaust, polished lower engine case, and chrome headlight buckets ($3,796.47). Tack on another $4418.03 for airfreight, Customs and delivery charges from Malvern Link, UK to Santa Monica, California, and you’re looking at a total of $60,734.37. For our tester, once it arrived at Morgan West, the $12,660.63 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee package was added, which includes: A pair of Ruden Meister Swiss/German Mechanical stopwatches on engine turned dash mountings “Raptor” chrome air cleaner assembly S&S fuel injection system adaptor for “Raptor” Stainless Steel badge bar “In celebration of the new Morgan Three Wheeler” badge Triple earred Morgan knock offs on front wheels Pair of stainless steel/chrome wire wheels, including mounting of factory tires MotoLita wood rimmed steering wheel, exclusive for 3 Wheeler Pair of chrome turn signals Polished stainless steel rear tail light surround Silver center body racing stripe with red highlights on edges Morgan winged logo in center of steering wheel Engine turned dash panels Seat belt extensions UK front license plate MOG/RAF graphics Shark Graphics When all is said and done, a Morgan 3 Wheeler like our tester will bring you back a lofty $73,395. Even keeping in mind that each one is built to order, that’s a tough pill to swallow (I’ve seen used examples in the $40k range). However, if price is no object and you truly want a vehicle unlike any other to enjoy the open road, look no further than the Morgan 3 Wheeler. + Highs Incredibly fun to drive Build it how you want it You’ll always be the center of attention – Sighs Shallow wallets need not apply Cramped interior You’ll always be the center of attention Click to Post

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thesnootyushers · 8 years ago

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The British public loves a good police show. Here are some of the best!

The TV police procedural has been a stalwart of British television since Dixon of Dock Green first walked the beat in 1955. The genre has evolved and developed over the years, but the British TV bobby has never been too far from our hearts as we have tuned in en mass to watch their adventures.

With the recent death of Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter, and the highly anticipated 4th series of the amazing Line of Duty starting later today, Snooty Ushers Dave and James have put their heads together to make a list of our favourite British TV cop shows. The only rule was that it had to be about actual British police (so no Sherlock, Cracker, or any of those amateur sleuth shows). So, in no particular order, let us begin

Just missing out: New Tricks, The Fall, Ripper Street, Between The Lines, Rebus (with Ken Stott, not John Hannah), Maigret (because it is French!), A Touch of Cloth

Line of Duty (BBC, 2012-)

Dave: What better place to start than with the original inspiration for this list, the brilliant Line of Duty. The show focuses on AC-12, a special team of elite officers who investigate the police. While this echoes the similarly themed Between The Lines from the 90s, it stands on its own as one of the best British police procedural dramas. About to enter its 4th season, each series focuses on a different, but interconnected case, fronted by a high profile British actor. The AC-12 team recur throughout. It is grounded firmly in reality and it so brilliantly written, intricately plotted and tightly directed that something as simple as 3 people sitting in a room having a conversation can deliver such incredible tension. The cast to deserve so much credit, the AC-12 officers led by Irish stalwart Adrian Dunbar’s damaged every-man Superintendent, Martin Compston is instantly relatable as the terrier like DS Steve Arnott (although I do take issue with him not using his Scottish accent), but it is Vicky McClure as DC Kate Flemming who is the real star. The 3 series so far have weaved such a tight web of intrigue and tension that I wouldn’t dare revel any plot points here, I would just implore you all to catch up before the new series starts. If you need another reason, Keeley Hawes, in Series 2, gives one of the most devastating, intense and down right brilliant performances in recent memory.

James: This is a show that proves that British TV can match anything from around the world. It’s also my favourite ongoing British show of any genre. One mistake seemingly ruins a promising young police officer’s career, and he is shunted to the AC-12 (“Internal Affairs” if we were in America), in an attempt to push him out of the force. But instead, DS Arnott truly finds his niche, as does the show itself. There are loads of police shows with conflicted and morally ambiguous lead characters, but Line Of Duty focuses almost entirely on their feet of clay, yet never falls into witch-hunt territory. Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, and Daniel Mays have given three different performances as heroic cops who come under AC-12’s gaze, and the three series so far have all taken different paths, never covering the same ground. And the interrogation room scenes are the high point of the show as weeks, sometimes years worth of story lines are brought together. A truly great show.

Life on Mars (BBC, 2006-07)

Dave: If Line of Duty is grounded in reality, this is something different all together. Sam Tyler (John Simm) is a DCI working in Manchester. When he is involved in a car accident, he wakes up in 1975. He is still a cop, but a rank lower and finds himself working for the oafish DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister). This just worked on every level. The ambiguity surrounding Sam’s predicament kept us guessing. Is he dead? crazy? In a coma? Or has he actually traveled back in time? The world of modern policing contrast with the good old days of the 70s made for some thrilling moments and some genuinely funny moments too, with the chemistry between Simm’s straight laced, lateral thinking, by the book cooper and Glenister’s blunt instrument works a treat. The ambiguity continued after the conclusion of the series, with the story continuing on the 80s set sequel series Ashes To Ashes, which saw Gene Hunt move to London and paired with a female detective (Keeley Hawes). While never hitting the heights of Life On Mars, it ran for 3 seasons and gave us a satisfyingly heart-breaking conclusion. This will be forever remembered for giving us immortal and unforgettable DCI Gene Hunt.

James: Whether it was their intention from the very beginning or not, the makers of Life On Mars got to cherry pick all of the best bits out of 70s cop shows. We got a modern piece of television – Sam Tyler struggling with the nature of his reality and Gene Hunt getting into car chases and punching criminals. And as someone who lived in Manchester it was great to see how they shot around the city to get that Seventies feel.

Also, the third series of Ashes To Ashes also deserves a mention, as Daniel Mays (who featured in Line Of Duty as well) gave a fantastic performance that shepherded the whole saga to a great conclusion.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #711 – The American version of Life On Mars (with Harvey Keitel as Gene Hunt) ended after one season, and being years away from wrapping their own version, the original writers gave their US counterparts free reign, and they came up with a doozy. Both the “modern day” and 1970’s realities were both just a simulation to keep astronauts minds active on a mission to Mars, and a glitch had causes Sam’s program to jump from one simulation to another.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #712 – There are currently Czech and Russian versions running in those countries that take their Sam Tyler character back to Soviet-era police, giving another level to the show.

Inspector Morse/Lewis (ITV, 1987-2015)

Dave: Based on the novels of Colin Dexter, Inspector Morse ran for 33 episodes across 13 years, becoming one of the nations favourite detectives. He was the epitome of the gentleman detective, a middle class bachelor with middle class interests, he drove a classic Jaguar, listens to opera and has a fondness for real ale, this was contrast in his relationship with his partner DS Lewis, a working class family man from the North East. Set in the beautiful city of Oxford, with the various colleges and classic architecture used as a stunning back drop. Now, the term national treasure is banded about a little too often for my tastes, but is there a better way to describe John Thaw? His gruff nature embodies Morse with an every-man quality that masks his vast intellect. Kevin Whately’s Lewis is perfect foil as his put upon Sergeant. Their relationship is central to the show’s success and longevity. The series ended in 2000, when Morse collapse and died of a heart attack, his legacy would live on however when in 2006, when Kevin Whatley’s Lewis would return.

Robbie Lewis is now a Detective Inspector, he is widowed and his kids are grown. Paired with a new DS, James Hathaway played by Lawrence Fox. Hathaway is a chain-smoking, emotionally detached intellectual. Lewis is Colombo like, in as much as his scruffy appearance and the fact that is not an Oxford man, means he is constantly under estimated by the high brow university community. While he relies of Hathaway’s classic education at times, he is more than a match for Oxfords criminal element. Lewis and Hathaway’s chemistry would rival but not quite eclipse that of Morse and Lewis, but was the driving force behind this shows success, it was baffling when after 7 series and a natural conclusion, they brought the show back for 2 more years, changing the dynamic of the leads and for the first time in nearly 30 years, the show began oustay its welcome.

The conclusion of Lewis was not the end for the franchise. In 2011, ITV turned back the clock with the prequel series Endeavour. Set in 1965, it focuses on Morse’s early years as a DC. Shaun Evans does a great job of honouring Thaw and giving us a believable young Morse and Roger Allam adds a touch of class as Morse’s noble DI, Fred Thursday.

James: Morse is a national treasure. It really is the gold standard that all detective shows are aiming for. The character work between Morse and Lewis was brilliant, and they knew when to inject some levity and humour into what was a serious drama. Decades before Sherlock, theses were basically films that were shown on ITV, and we got thirty three of them. Although Lewis is slightly in its predecessors shadow, it featured a nice change of dynamic with the two leads, and in a nice touch of symmetry, there were also thirty three episodes of Lewis.

I would echo Dave to say that Endeavour really does uphold the quality of the shows that came before it. There’s the same sheen of quality, and Shaun Evans portrays Morse’s traits without simply mimicking John Thaw.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #713 – Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter made a cameo in all but three of the Morse episodes.

Snooty Usher TV Trivia Fact #714 – In the pilot episode of Endeavour, Morse questions a newspaper editor. The editor asks if they have met, as he seems familiar to her. The editor is played by John Thaw’s daughter Abigail. She recurs throughout the series

Luther (BBC, 2010-16)

James: Neil Cross wrote for Spooks and Doctor Who before being Luther, and his writing deserves a lot of credit. He has created a conflicted detective haunted by his past, and set him in a harsh, yet real-feeling London. However, in this could be the set up for almost any detective show – Idris Elba makes Luther into a great piece of work. His performance really nails the complex character, making him sympathetic but still hard as nails. He will make a great next Bond… or Doctor Who!

The show also stands out by giving Luther a full-on nemesis. Ruth Wilson play Alice Morgan, a character who comes in and out of the show. Cross has always said Luther is inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Columbo, and by giving the detective his own Moriaty, Luther raises the bar again.

I truly hope that we get more episodes of Luther. The most recent series was only two episodes, and surely it would be possible to squeeze another couple into Elba’s (and Cross’) increasingly busy schedule. Perhaps just even a one-off to finally wrap up the series, although the end of the third series seemed to do that quite well – coat and all – before it was brought back. Maybe Netflx or Amazon Prime could throw enough money at it to get another go around.

Taggart (STV 1983-2010)

Dave: Now, I am a Scotsman who has lived in England for the better part of 10 years and this show has a lot to answer for. The amount of times I have been asked to utter the phrase “Thurs bin a murder”, well let’s just say it is more than once.

Set in the Maryhill area of Glasgow, Taggart was and remains the UK’s longest running TV police series. The show survived the death of its title character, when the great Mark McManus died in 1994.

Jim Taggart, was a gruff no nonsense Glaswegian, with little time for sensitivity. The show was just so brilliantly Glaswegian, the best part of watching this growing up was trying to spot the locations where it was filmed. The show declined in quality following McManus’s death, relying on the more gruesome elements to attract viewers, (I recall one episode where 6 people were murdered, too much!!). Those early years though gave us something so intrinsically Scottish that DCI Jim Taggart will forever be one of my all time favourite TV cops.

Heartbeat (ITV, 1992-2010)

James: Trips to Aidenfield were a staple of Sunday nights when I was growing up. It started out with Nick Berry was Nick Rowan, a London police officer who moves to North Yorkshire with his wife , Dr Kate Rowan (Niamh Cusack). The two of them have to deal with small town life, as well as some pretty hard hitting storylines. Bill Maynard’s turn as lovable rogue Greengrass provided the light relief, and the policing team of Ventress, Bradley, and Blakeston were always welcome.

Later series broadened the focus from a single lead character when Rowan transferred to the Mounties in Canada after Berry decided to leave. Jason Durr came in as Mike Bradley, and it became more of an ensemble show, with the storylines moving into the more usual Sunday night territory that. But those early shows left and indelible mark on this Snooty Usher.

Messiah (BBC, 2001-2008)

Dave: The first series of Messiah was one of those shows that just blew me away. It was dark, it was scary, it was gruesome. Ken Stott is DCI Red Metcalfe, he and his team are faced with series of brutal killings. As they delve deeper, they find that someone is killing people, mimicking how Jesus’s apostles died. Now, I am a sucker for serial killers with a religious motive and this is one of the finest examples of it.

Red and his team returned for 3 more series and new cast taking over in 2008 for a further 1 series, with Marc Warren taking over from Stott in the lead. While they were suitably gruesome, it never quite hit the heights of this ground breaking first case.

James: My sister and I used to buy cheap books from charity shops when we went on holiday. One of these books was about a series of gruesome murders that wove religious themes into plot. We talked about how it would make a great film or TV show – and when we got home we found out that it did! Ken Stott was just perfect as the detective trying to get to the bottom of these horrific crimes. He played the role like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, like he constantly had a splitting headache. The supporting characters were excellently cast as well.

A Touch of Frost (ITV, 1992-2010)

Dave: I love Del Boy Trotter as much as anyone, but for me at least, this is David Jason’s finest hour. The gruff, empathetic Detective Edward ‘Jack’ Frost. Based on the novels of R.D Wingfield, A Touch of Frost was a firm favourite in the McKee household. This is set in the fictional town of Denton, in the south midlands and while they are completely different, it is difficult not to compare Frost with ITV other long running Detective series Inspector Morse.

Frost never had an established DS like Lewis, working with a series of different sidekicks which really worked. The humour in the show came from Frost’s interactions with his boss Superintendent Norman “Horn Rimmed Harry” Mullett.

James: A Touch of Frost was great. David Jason knew just how much comedy business to put into his performance. I think everyone was surprised just how good he was in the more serious role, and I remember trying to find out if Denton FC was a real football team.

Prime Suspect (ITV, 1991-2006)

Dave: While I enjoyed the early episodes of Prime Suspect, I was never a massive fan of it, mainly down to the fact that I don’t really like writer Lynda La Plante’s work.

Having said that, the quality of this show and the performance of Helen Mirren demands attention. Ground breaking and harrowing at times, this gave us a really believable, flawed female lead. Tennison has been oft imitated and never, to date, bettered.

The Bill (ITV, 1984-2010)

Dave: And finally, no list of police shows would be complete without this long running series. Set in the fictional Sun Hill Police station, this gave us a load of memorable characters. Remember PC Reg Hollis? WPC June Ackland? DCI Frank Burnside? The list goes on. It lost something for me when it changed from the 30 minute episode format, but I still hold many fond memories of this show

James: I love shows that are truly episodic. Whether it is the monster of the week episodes of shows like Buffy or The X-Files, or the half an hour episodes of The Bill that were on every Tuesday and Thursday. The ongoing tales from Sun Hill lost something when it went to an hour long, but those early episodes will last a long time in my memory.

Until next time, thanks for reading. Stay gold Ponyboy, stay gold, and catch ya later on down the trail.

10 Of The Best British Cop Shows The British public loves a good police show. Here are some of the best!

#best tv shows #British cops #british police shows #British tv #police #police shows

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