Learning to ride a motorcycle might seem impossible if you’re paralysed from the chest down. But not all of us are put off by ‘impossible’. That was the case for Jacob Davies-Pyke. Paralysed from the chest down after a road traffic accident, he was forced to adjust and reassess his life in every way. But Jacob refused to give up on his passion for motorcycles. With enormous willpower and determination, as well as tailored and dedicated training, Jacob regained his riding freedom as a disabled motorcycle rider.

As soon as Jacob’s hospital treatment was over, he began taking back control of his life. Part of that included researching how to keep doing the things he’d done before the accident. Relearning how to ride motorcycles was top of the list for rebuilding his life.

Getting back to biking as a disabled motorcycle rider

“Before the accident, I used my motorcycle not just for commuting, but it was a big part of my social life as well. I had made many new friends through motorcycling, and even joined various motorcycle groups who I went on rideouts with. My motorcycle gave me a new dimension to my life. It was so much more than just a machine; it made me very happy and gave me confidence to go out and meet new people and make new friends. I had learnt that the motorcycle community is fun and friendly, and this was something I simply did not want to give up.” Jacob shares.

Getting back into motorcycling isn’t straightforward when you’re in a wheelchair. But giving up wasn’t something Jacob was ever going to do. Instead, he knuckled down and started to learn about how he could keep doing what he loved.

After a lot of research into disabled motorcycle adaption, Jacob found that he could ride an adapted trike. So, he chose the Can-Am Spyder, which can be adapted for individuals with reduced mobility. With the bike ready to go, it was time for Jacob to get his licence.

Passing a disabled motorcycle test – CBT first

Jacob held a provisional bike licence, but no car licence, so the next step was to find a training school to pass his full motorcycle test (restricted to trikes). This turned out to be difficult with his disability. Some of the training would need to be adapted to suit his needs. A lack of nearby training venues with enough dedicated space for manoeuvres that could handle a trike, and staff with skills to adapt the training to suit Jacob’s needs were other hurdles to overcome.

“This is where it got very challenging for me. I was ringing around all the training schools in Kent, trying to find someone who could help me. Most places I rang simply could not help me because of the various restrictions with their training facilities or their ability to adjust their processes to accommodate my disability or the trike. I had almost given up hope when I tried one last place. I called Phoenix Motorcycle Training. They were very understanding and told me that they were more than happy to help me. Finally, a result!”

“I called Phoenix Motorcycle Training. They were very understanding and told me that they were more than happy to help me. Finally, a result!” – Jacob Davies-Pyke, disabled motorcycle rider

After establishing exactly what Jacob needed to get back on the road, Phoenix Motorcycle Training put together a package that mapped the way for him to gain his full motorcycle licence.

“I did my CBT with Phoenix Motorcycle Training in Sidcup as the training pad there was big enough to accommodate the size of my trike. I wasn’t allowed on the roads before the CBT. A friend from my biker group rode my trike up there so I could attend my CBT. The Phoenix trainer, Nik, who helped me with my CBT, was fantastic and really friendly. After the day was over I had completed my CBT. It was a great achievement for me as a disabled wheelchair user.”

Gaining CBT experience as a disabled motorcycle rider

With the CBT in the bag, Jacob was now a step closer to the full licence. But it was impossible for him to go out on the trike with L-plates by himself. The power of the trike is much higher than what learner riders can use. To get around this, he did a CBT Plus course with Mark Jaffe from Phoenix. The course gave him more experience on the trike, and honed his skills for the full licence training and test. With the added skills and confidence from CBT Plus training, Jacob was soon ready to take his full licence test.

“The guys from Phoenix really supported me with my training. They were friendly and helpful through the whole journey. They even sent an instructor to my house as I wasn’t allowed on the roads without an instructor because of the trike’s high power output. Phoenix made the process really easy and enjoyable. They would come to my house, and we would set up comms and then go out and practise ahead of my full licence training.”

Time for a full motorcycle licence

In just a couple of months, Jacob went from getting his CBT certificate to passing his full disabled motorcycle test. No mean feat for any biker, and especially impressive for someone who faced as many additional obstacles as Jacob did.

Jacob’s whole journey from suffering a serious injury to gaining a full motorcycle licence hinged on finding the right combinations. The right trike, suitable training facilities, a well-thought through training plan, and an understanding of what a disabled rider needs.

However, without Jacob’s unyielding determination and dedication to achieving his goal, all the support would have been in vain. There was only one person who did the hard miles on this journey. But he’s still grateful for the help he got on the way.

Inspiring other disabled motorcycle riders to find freedom on three wheels

“With the support of Phoenix Motorcycle Training I was able to gain a full category-A motorcycle licence. That means I can now ride my Spyder solo. I’ve regained the freedom and independence that I felt I had almost lost forever because of my disability.”

“I hope my story will inspire others with disabilities, and show that anything is possible if you know where to go and who to ask for help. Life does not have to end just because you have a spinal cord injury. This proves anything is possible. And I am very grateful to Phoenix Motorcycle Training for all their support helping me achieve my goal,” says Jacob.

If you have a disability and would like to learn to ride a motorcycle, get in touch today. We love helping people from all walks of life develop their love of motorbikes!