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May 15, 2008 When motorcyclists have an accident they roll a dice, with escaping on one side and very severe consequences on the other. And for those unlucky enough to severe and permanent injuries like paraplegia, there's often one huge regret - that they may never ride again on a real bike. A chance encounter with a paraplegic ex-motorcross champion in a hospital carpark inspired West Australian Darren Lomman to put together an audacious project: a motorcycle for paraplegic riders - and his working prototype, a heavily modified Honda CBR250RR, is now road licensed and . With the right investment and profile, Lomman believes the Dreamfit bike isn't too far away from production potential - and after around 150 enquiries from all around the world, he would love to be able to put the bikes in the hands of more people for whom riding has become an impossible dream.
Started as a university project, the Dreamfit CBR250RR has been modified to riders paralyzed from the chest down, with thumb-activated pneumatic rams for foot-free gear shifting, a combined braking system, custom-moulded ergonomic cups to hold the rider in place without any lower body strength, and a set of steel-braced "landing gear" wheels that drop to provide stability at very low speeds.