Double above-knee amputee considering a Can-Am — looking for advice on hand controls/adaptive setup
Hey everyone,
I’m seriously considering getting a Can-Am and wanted to get some advice from people who actually ride them, especially anyone with a disability or experience with adaptive setups. I’m a bilateral above-knee amputee and walk using prosthetic legs. I have no interest in riding a traditional two-wheel motorcycle, but a Can-Am seems like it could be a really good fit for me because I wouldn’t have to balance the bike at stops. My biggest concern is the controls. I’d ideally like to have both the throttle and braking controlled entirely by my hands, so I wouldn’t have to rely on either prosthetic leg for any critical controls. I know hand-brake conversions exist, but I’m completely new to Can-Ams and motorcycles in general.
I’m currently trying to figure out:
Ryker vs. Spyder for someone in my situation
Recommended hand-brake kits or other adaptive controls
Whether anyone here rides without using their legs for any controls
Shops/installers experienced with adaptive Can-Ams
How secure/comfortable the foot position is with prosthetics
Any modifications that would make mounting, riding or longer trips easier
Training recommendations for someone starting from zero
I’m in NYC and would also love to hear from anyone who knows an adaptive riding instructor or shop in the NY/NJ area. If there are any amputees, wheelchair users, or other disabled riders here who have adapted a Ryker or Spyder, I’d really appreciate hearing about your setup and what you learned along the way. Pictures of your setups would be awesome too. Thanks in advance — I’m just starting to research this and want to figure out the safest and most practical way to make it happen.