Disabled motorcycle/trike riders

How often have you wondered, can I still ride a motorcycle/trike with my disabilities?? The answer is probably “Yes”! In this article, we will be reviewing common and some innovative modifications for your motorcycle / trike riders with paraplegia that will assist a disabled rider to rediscover the freedom of the road .

Disabled motorcycle/trike riders

Getting started
Getting your motorcycle ready for riding is not normally too difficult. You need to understand how the controls on the motorcycle operate and how to modify them
to work with your disability. A disabled rider’s best friend is the local motorcycle shop or competent mechanic who is able to modify your motorcycle for you. You may need to add adaptions to your bike to suit your particular disability. Let’s take a look at how a rider uses the controls on a motorcycle and some common modifications.

Left Leg
The left foot usually operates the gear shift lever by pushing down and lifting up and with the toes. Riders with left leg problems could modify the shift lever by adding an extension under the heel area. This could enable you to change gears by both pushing down with the heel and pushing down at the toe position. The latest option is the Flatshifter Max electric shifter system. The Flatshifter Max is an electric gearshift system that uses push-buttons mounted on the handlebars, connected to an electric solenoid to operate the bike’s gearshift lever. Gear changing is done with the left hand, the complete kit can be removed and refitted to your next bike.

Disabled motorcycle/trike riders

Right Leg
Most motorcycles operate the real wheel brake with a toe lever on the right side. Modification options for riders right leg issues include, either operating a modified right brake pedal, or moving the brake to the left side, or mounting a second hand brake lever in tandem with the front brake lever on the handlebar. Again the Flatshifter Dualever is designed specifically for this problem ,suitable for motorcycle riders who are unable to use their right foot for rear brake operation, or have left hand arm problems. The modular design enables independent operation of both front and rear brakes using just one hand. Alternatively it can be configured for clutch and brake operation, hydraulic and cable modules offering total versatility

Other Options
Clutchless gear shift system Flatshifter in the UK specialise in clutchless gear shift systems for race and disabled riders. They manufacture a patented system that enables clutchless up and clutchless down gearshifts without any rider input at all. The clutch is only used to select 1st gear and take off. They have a totally unique new system in development that even operates the clutch for you on any size of motorcycle. Please go to www.motorcycledisabilityaids.com for further details on these products.

Disabled motorcycle/trike riders