From a distance this SX 85 Big-Wheel looks just like any other but when you get up close and personal you can see that it’s a real one-off.
And that’s because the youngster who rides this bike in AMCA motocross and WOR hare scrambles action is a real one-off himself.
James Travis was born with cerebral palsy which affects the right side of his body but from a young age he wanted to follow in his father Nigel’s tyre tracks. Fortunately for James his dad is a bit of a mechanical genius and quickly figured out how to get James out on the track.
The biggest headache for Nigel was creating a left-hand throttle – but after a bit of jiggery-pokery in the Travis home workshop that problem was soon overcome and James could finally start his riding career on an automatic KTM. Happy days!
The biggest trouble with kids, though, is that they tend to grow and in James’ case this meant making the transition from an automatic machine to one with gears and a clutch.
This move is scary enough for any youngster but struck fear into Nigel too – it meant more even mods to for him to get his head around.
The first step was to order up a Rekluse automatic clutch from the States and then sort the brakes so a handlebar-mounted lever on the throttle side would operate both the front and rear brakes in unison.
The rear is also independently operable by the standard foot pedal while the clutch lever – which overrides the Rekluse system if need be – is mounted where the front brake would be on a regular bike.
These modifications have been run ever since and as James moved to a 65 and then through two sizes of SX 85, Nigel has specifically adapted each model of machine.
The end result is that this SX is now perfect for James’ needs, although it baffles the hell out of any marshals who might pick up his bike following a spill and it’s not uncommon to see them disappearing into the distance flailing behind like a piece of hi-vis laundry.
James is now under strict orders to NOT let anyone pick up his bike – ain’t that right, Nigel?
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