Dreamfit's MissionTo help people with disabilities participate in recreational and leisure activities they never dreamt would be possible. Imagine you are driving to work one morning when BANG! you have been hit from the side by someone who failed to give way. The next thing you know, you are lying in a hospital bed and a doctor is preparing to tell you that you have been paralyzed and you will never have the use of your legs again. Just imagine how different your life is going to be. Could you still do your job from a wheelchair? Could you get yourself to the bathroom? Could you go up those stairs you have always taken for granted? Could you still play your favourite sport or participate in the leisure activities that you used to love doing on the weekend? Having a disability does not change who you are and what you want out of life, nor should it mean that you have to miss out on having fun like everyone else! This is Shane [shown left]. Shane has had a life-long obsession with motorcycles. Not only was he a passionate rider, he also owned a motorcycle shop, and was a national motocross champion in his younger years (see photos above). Even after an unfortunate accident left Shane paralysed and unable to ride again, his passion for motorcycles lived on. When I met Shane and we began excitedly talking about motorcycles, he told me if he had one wish, it would be to ride again. This sparked a new quest in my life. Evolution of the Quest
As a third year mechanical engineering student at the University of Western Australia, I needed to choose the topic of my next project. Therefore the timing of this new inspiration was perfect. I immediately began exploring the design of motorcycles and researching the specific needs of people with disabilities. After several months of investigation, I collated and reviewed the information, and from this came the concept for a motorcycle that could be controlled by a paraplegic.
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