Adapting motorbikes for independent use by people with disability

Abstract

In much of the world motorbikes are the dominant means of transportation. In the developing world motorbikes are often the only form of motorized transportation affordable to the majority of the population. Unfortunately this method of transportation has not been widely exploited anywhere in the world for use by people with severe mobility impairments, especially those who must use wheelchairs. To provide affordable transport for a wide range of mobility-impaired people I have developed an inexpensive sidecar adaptation for motorbikes, capable of transporting a wheelchair user (Figure 1). This adaptation is referred to as the SideScooter. The SideScooter can be operated independently with hand controls from the sidecar or from the motorbike seat, depending on the needs of the operator. Given the vast number of motorbikes in the world and the scarcity of independent transportation for wheelchair users this device has the potential to improve the quality of life for many disabled people in developing as well as the more affluent regions of the world.