Polio has crippled Chris Christ Tavantzis since he was three months old, but six decades later, the disease can't put the brakes on his need for speed or desire to share it with others.
"I was completely paralyzed," the Miami motorcycle lover said. So he decided to come up with his own idea to help handicapped people like himself be able to hit the open road.
Tavantzis developed his handicap accessible motorcycle ten years ago, and now he wants to market it to other disabled adults who want to ride.
"You just like the physical sensation of what’s happening," he said. "It’s the entire feeling of the air against your face, raw emotion."
To make his three-wheel "trike," Tavantzis outfitted his Harley Davidson with a powertrain ramp and safety features that lock him in the driver’s seat.
After attending a conference last month, Tavantzis says he now has 28 vendors interested in his product.
"This is a kit," he explained. "It will bolt in to any Harley Davidson motorcycle from 1990 to present, softail motorcycle."
Tavantzis gets 40 miles to the gallon on his trike, and the price tag starts at $15,000 for the kit. It’s a price Tavantzis says is worth the feeling you get behind the wheel.
"I kinda like just cranking it on, just getting it going," he said. "People cannot comprehend that they can have a full life, when they get behind the handlebars, they feel like they're back in control of their life."
To check out Tavantzis’ trikes, go to christrikes.com.
