One man's determination to hit life's curve ball.
When you see Alan Kempster on his bike, you won’t believe your eyes. The very idea that someone with no right arm and only inches of his right leg could even sit on a sport bike seems impossible. Then you see him ride. And he doesn’t just ride, he’s fast. That he can even manage to stay on a road racing bike is astonishing, but even more so when you find that the man actually wins races!
But what makes Alan Kempster a real winner isn’t his place on a podium; it’s his attitude. He laughs about his disability, the result of a horrific motorcycle accident when he was only 28, after which he spent four weeks in intensive care and another year in a rehabilitation center, and which resulted in him becoming a complete double-amputee.
Even after losing an arm and a leg, Alan became a champion; not in motorcycle racing originally, but in water skiing. He competed in 5 seasons of the sport on the Australian circuit, winning three championships. But 20 years after the accident, Alan still missed the thrill of riding. He wanted to race, but he knew it would be a challenge; he’d have to modify a bike to use, completely relearn its operation, and then convince officials to let him compete. But this is not a man to be easily deterred.
There is no separate class for disabled riders, so Alan had to be creative in setting up a bike to ride in regular classes. Using a modified 400cc Kawasaki race bike – with throttle, front brake, and clutch on the left handlebar, and shifter and rear brake on the left foot control – Alan operates his bike using only his left arm and leg, and completely without the use of prosthetics.
After much practice, he knew he could ride a but convincing race officials that he could was a different matter. They scratched their head at the bikes’ setup, and even more so when he pulled out a well-used set of leathers with the right arm and leg sewn shut. He recalls being asked by race officials “what happens when you crash and break an arm or a leg?”, and replying that he already had a 50% lesser chance of breaking an arm or a leg than anyone else on the track!
The race officials relented, and Alan raced his first ever race as a double amputee. And he won. He went on to race competitively as a sponsored rider on the Australian road racing circuit, and even at 53 years old continues to race, now on a newer modified Suzuki GSXR 750. Even after switching bikes, Alan keeps the same number plate, which is by itself evidence of the great attitude he has toward his disability and toward life in general. His racing number: “1/2.”
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