NABD charity serving to bikers with disabilities get again on the street

Greater than 30 years in the past, six bike lovers from Stockport and Manchester made a stand for bikers with disabilities who have been successfully banned from the street as a result of nobody made machines that they may experience safely.

They merely didn’t settle for that bikers with impairements may now not experience their bikes, scooters, sidecar outfits, trikes or quads, they usually determined to do one thing about it. 

They started a undertaking to adapt a motorbike for a rider who had had his decrease left leg amputated after an accident.

Bikesure encourages bikers with disabilities

Bikesure goals to get folks – younger, outdated, ready bodied and disabled – on the street and celebrating their freedom

That’s why Bikesure sponsors True Heroes Racing, the UK’s solely bike race group devoted to supporting wounded, injured and sick UK Service personnel and veterans.

Rob Balls, Bikesure basic supervisor, stated: “We’re delighted to work with True Heroes. These bike-mad ex-servicemen are a really inspiring group of individuals and Bikesure is proud to be related to them.”

The True Heroes’ goal is ‘to interact, empower and encourage’ the disabled and deprived neighborhood by way of coaching, mentoring and help to allow them to take a full and energetic half in aggressive motorsport.

The Nationwide Affiliation for Bikers with a Incapacity (NABD) can be serving to bikers’ desires come true. Right here we take a more in-depth take a look at the sensible work they do.

A trike tailored for a wheelchair consumer. All photos courtesy of the NABD.

NABD: the way it all started

The six buddies kicked off their undertaking by forming a charity, the NABD, and a fundraising occasion was organised. Different bikers with disabilities heard about it, bought in contact, and requested if they may experience specifically tailored bikes too.

Inside 12 months, the NABD had greater than 100 members and had helped three bikers with disabilities get their machines tailored to allow them to experience independently and safely.

In these early days, every adaptation needed to be designed from scratch, and lots of engineering issues needed to be mastered.

Trike tailored for a double leg amputee.

Motorcycle charity has now helped 12,000 bikers with disabilities

From this humble starting, the NABD was quickly a world chief within the discipline of motorcycling for folks with disabilities. 

At this time, membership has grown to greater than 9,000 members and there may be an ever-growing variety of affiliated golf equipment and companies all through the UK. This contains us – we’ve a scheme providing members a reduction on their insurance coverage.

Thus far the NABD has helped greater than 12,000 bikers with disabilities to benefit from the freedom and independence of motorcycling.

The NABD has additionally been instrumental within the creation of motorcyclist help teams for bikers with disabilities in Norway, Sweden, France, Japan and the USA and is commonly consulted on points referring to disabled motorcycling by the DVLA, Division of Transport, the Driving Requirements Company and the Highways Company.

Kliktronic gear changer adaptation for left leg amputee.

Grants supplied by the NABD

The NABD affords grants starting from £250 to £2,000 to assist with the price of particular adaptation work to bikes, scooters, bike/sidecar combos and trikes. 

The place obligatory the NABD may present grants to adapt bikes and trikes to swimsuit the wants of pillion passengers with disabilities. 

NABD Chairman Rick Hulse is happy to help Bikesure’s Experience On marketing campaign.

‘In relation to motorcycling, a incapacity needn’t be a handicap’ 

NABD chairman Ruck Hulse stated: “There are only a few disabilities that can’t be catered for with the right mixture of management diversifications and/or automobile modification. 

“From paralysis resulting from brachial plexus accidents to amputations, paraplegia, incomplete quadriplegia to cerebral palsy, MS and/or paralysis resulting from stroke – with the right diversifications and somewhat ingenuity, in the case of motorcycling, a incapacity needn’t be a handicap.”

The NABD continues to be a profitable campaigner for the rights and security of disabled bikers. 

He added: “We’ve additionally been very profitable in making certain motorcyclists with disabilities are usually not unfairly penalised by automobile and/or licensing laws. 

“The NABD negotiated the Europe-wide exemption from MSVA testing for autos which are particularly constructed for the usage of disabled folks. 

“In 2019 the NABD negotiated an exemption that permits folks with disabilities to experience trikes and/or sidecar outfits on provisional licences. This happened because of an NABD report for the Driving Requirements Company.

“Extra not too long ago the NABD, as very energetic members of the Highways England Bike Security Group, have been on the forefront of enhancements to the Strategic Street Community in England to make the roads safer for motorcyclists.”

An NABD learner loner bike.

Big selection of diversifications for bikers with disabilities

There are a selection of diversifications accessible for bikers with disabilities together with:

• Thumb operated brake techniques: permits rear brakes to be operated by hand for folks with leg amputations/disabilities. They’re additionally used extensively in ‘one handed’ controls for riders with an arm amputation, damage to the brachial plexus (the community of nerves that sends alerts from the spinal wire to the shoulder, arm and hand) or another incapacity that limits the usage of a handTwin lever items for bikes and trikes
• Hydraulic to cable conversion kits
• ‘Straightforward clutch’ kits for riders with decreased power or mobility of their palms
• Electrically operated ‘push button’ gear-changers, for riders with leg amputation/incapacity
• Specialised sidecar items and ‘full hand management’ diversifications for wheelchair customers
• Specifically constructed ‘full hand management’ trikes for wheelchair customers and bikers with disabilities affecting their steadiness
• Remotely operated side-stand diversifications, seating/again help diversifications, modified pillion seat diversifications, throttle diversifications
• Experience from the wheelchair bike/sidecar mixture for wheelchair customers who can not switch from a wheelchair to a motorbike or trike

You possibly can go to the NABD web site to apply for a motorbike adaptation grant. The charity additionally has a learner loaner scheme that may present bikers with incapacity tailored 125cc bikes to assist them take a Obligatory Fundamental Coaching (CBT) course

Clutch lever adaptation for left arm amputee.

Peace of thoughts cowl to your tailored bikes and trikes

Whereas the group at NABD might help and advise along with your bike diversifications, the group at Bikesure can be delighted to seek out the appropriate insurance coverage cowl to assist defend your machine. 

As a specialist insurer of bikes and trikes with diversifications for the disabled, we are going to discover you an insurance coverage coverage that can match your wants. 

Name 0330 123 1028 for a swift no nonsense quote or request a callback at a time that fits you. NABD members have their very own devoted Bikesure quantity to name: 0800 089 0340.

Experience On