Hi, my name is roadrash!

roadrash

I am am disabled motorcyclist and diagnosed with MS in 1991. I can still ride my bikes even though my right leg is very weak and foot dropped. I recently had my car license restricted to hand controlled only. I stopped driving cars over 10 years ago when i knew i was starting to have difficulty using the accelerator and brakes. I have a small trailer i have to pull behind my bike with my 2 wheel mobility scooter or wheelchair in if i am going somewhere where there is a lot of walking involved. I made my 2 wheel scoter way back in 1993 before electric mobility scooters existed. I do everything in my power to fight this MS and keep on my feet and keeping busy restoring motorcycles to keep me active although my MS nurse always says i over do it. Being a motorcyclist i have had to take all sorts of abuse and discrimination and told many times by people i cannot park in a disabled space and i shouldnt have a blue badge for a motorcycle because if i can ride a bike i cant be disabled. Also my local authority will not make anything easy for me while i am on a bike. I still will not give up or give up something i love doing.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @roadrash, welcome to the community. Thanks for telling us a bit about yourself! It's lovely to hear how passionate you are about your biking, but I'm sorry to hear the council aren't making things easy for you.

It's very cool that you made your own two-wheel scooter. Did you have a background in mechanics or did you learn as you did it?

I hope you'll enjoy being part of the community ☺️

Chris75_

I am not judging i hope, but how can you retain Cat A if you have such a restriction on Cat B? I had every category, but now only Cat B (78) - restricted to automatic.

roadrash

I can still use gears, clutch and rear brake on some bikes and others i own with slight mod. Only problem i have is lifting right leg onto footrest. I do it by hand and on some bikes with low seat i can shift my **** off the left side of seat to get it on. I went touring last month in the west country & wales with my wife on my honda deauville with trailer carrying my wheechair etc. Also few weeks ago rode my ZZR1400 to a Weatherfield airfield museum via the twisty back roads. Rode over to Ipswich copdock bike show and back yesterday. Ive been riding over 53 years and have no problem riding whatever speed solo or two up and ride almost every day as its my only transport.

roadrash

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1066267#Comment_1066267

I was a motor mechanic before and had a engineering background working for my father when young.

Rosie_Scope

Oh brilliant @roadrash, those are such useful skills to have.

roadrash

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1066306#Comment_1066306

I can still use gears, clutch and rear brake on some bikes and others i own with slight mod. Only problem i have is lifting right leg onto footrest. I do it by hand and on some bikes with low seat i can shift my **** off the left side of seat to get it on. I went touring last month in the west country & wales with my wife on my honda deauville with trailer carrying my wheechair etc. Also few weeks ago rode my ZZR1400 to a Weatherfield airfield museum via the twisty back roads. Rode over to Ipswich copdock bike show and back yesterday. Ive been riding over 53 years and have no problem riding whatever speed solo or two up and ride almost every day as its my only transport.

roadrash

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1066399#Comment_1066399

Here is a photo of my sad mobility scooter been siiting since my dog died. It has been used almost every day taking my dog for a run since i bought it in 1993 for just £60 off ebay. Just a few mods to make it stronger and more powerful and it could do anything. Its still registered as invalid carriage as well as two other scooters i did too. Its been used in europe and around woolworths etc when they were arround. I couldnt do without it. Hope you find something for yourself but you need to register it as a invalid carriage.

Chris75_

What about strength in your legs for sitting at traffic lights, parking up etc. I can still drive an HGV or PCV im sure ( if there is a cherry picker to lift me into the cab), but the DVLA took away my entitlement. They deemed me unfit to drive those vehicles.

You may not care to answer, but have you informed the DVLA of your condition? My younger brother has MD too, but he won't report it, says none of their business! I have told him they will throw the book at him if he hurts another road user or pedestrian.

roadrash

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1066453#Comment_1066453

My legs are amazingly strong seeing that my right legs is so affected by the MS. I do my best to keep my strength up by walking everywhere no matter how painful or how many times i fall. Believe it or not i pull my big ZZR1400 out of the shed and move across the grass onto some slabs. I cant get on or off a bike unless its on a stand. After a longish journey i feel fine until i try to walk away from the bike and my legs wont move. I have to try walk pigeon steps slowly to get to the house. After a rest up i am ok. I have no touble on the bike at all but its awful when i get off. I have 11 bikes little,large,slow,fast newish and very old. They are all it sheds and i have to pull them all out and if the bike i want is at the back i might have to pull a coupe of others out first to get to it. Can see why my legs are so good considering. Regards DVLA yes they know about my disability and i have to renew my license every 3 years. I stopped driving a car and its now restriced to cars with hand controls only. Here are 2 of my bikes. 07 ZZR1400 and 2022 BSA650 Gold Star.

Chris75_

I love your bikes I really do, but it isn't up to us to say if we are safe or not. That decision rests with the DVLA. Btw, i hope they continue to let you enjoy such a fantastic hobby. I know a Satan's Slave who would rather not be here than lose his bike. I always wanted a SuzukI GSX R 750.

Chris75_

My old man had a Lambretta, anathema to a biker like you! I like the scooters, but all those mirrors look di ckish!

roadrash

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1066467#Comment_1066467

I would stop riding myself if i had any difficulties which would mean I was unable to control the bike safely. I did the same with the car when I stopped driving it some 8+ years before DVLA restricted my license. I have told DVLA I would be quite prepared to have a assessment of my riding at any time.

roadrash

I had a Lambretta Li150 in about 1976. I didnt like the way it changed gear on the handlebar and the **** broke its throttle cable in the middle of nowhere outside the city of Bath. Luckily I had a mate on the back so i managed to pull out the throttle cable I got him to open and close the throttle on my command while i did the riding, He also carried the side panel under his other arm. it was really awkward but it got us about 10 miles back home. Got shot of it after that.

roadrash