The End Of An Era

UK Trike Builders Closure – A Major Turning Point

The recent UK trike builders closure has marked the end of a golden era for adapted trike manufacturing.

On 17 January 2025, Trike Design Ltd of Caerphilly ceased trading. Shortly afterwards, The Trike Shop in Cardiff also announced its closure. Later in the year, DTB Panther Trikes followed.

For the NABD and the wider disabled motorcycling community, this represents a significant loss.

Trike Design Ltd

Trike Design had operated for over 25 years as one of the UK’s most respected trike builders.

Hank and Robin built countless award-winning machines. More importantly, they worked closely with the NABD to design and produce adapted trikes for riders with disabilities.

Their work included amputees, paraplegic riders, and people with MS and hemiplegia.

The Chair Rider Project

In recent years, Trike Design became the sole producer of the Chair Rider RFW (Ride From Wheelchair) outfit.

This specialist sidecar system allows riders to remain in their wheelchair while operating adapted handlebars mounted to the sidecar.

For some disabled riders, this was the only viable route into motorcycling.

The Trike Shop and Long-Term Collaboration

The Trike Shop opened in Cardiff in 1996. At the time, very few UK companies built adapted trikes.

They quickly began working with the NABD to expand the availability of custom-built adapted machines.

Their independent rear suspension (IRS) system became widely respected and influenced later trike design developments.

Impact on the Adapted Trike Sector

The closure of these UK trike builders creates a serious gap in:

• Custom adaptation engineering

• Wheelchair-accessible trike design

• Specialist independent rear suspension systems

• Low-volume bespoke manufacturing

The loss of production for the Chair Rider outfit is particularly concerning.

What Happens Next?

The NABD is actively seeking a new engineering partner to continue production of the Chair Rider RFW outfit.

Hank has agreed to share technical information to assist this transition.

Despite the UK trike builders closure, several reputable companies remain active:

• Casarva Trikes (Peterborough)

• Grinnall Trikes (Worcestershire)

• Selected Can-Am dealerships offering adaptations

The NABD continues to welcome introductions to skilled adaptation engineers.

Conclusion

The retirement of several major UK trike builders marks the end of a remarkable chapter in adapted motorcycling.

However, innovation continues. The NABD remains committed to ensuring disabled riders retain access to high-quality trike adaptations in the UK.

Rick Hulse
NABD Chairman