{"id":36740,"date":"2023-02-28T19:29:51","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T18:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.motorprosa.com\/?p=36740"},"modified":"2025-03-12T10:36:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T09:36:01","slug":"robert-friedrich-the-racer-in-the-wheelchair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.motorprosa.com\/en\/robert-friedrich-the-racer-in-the-wheelchair\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Friedrich \u2013 The Racer in the wheelchair"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Robert<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At this year’s Motorradwelt Bodensee I met Robert Friedrich. I watched in fascination as he rode his Supermoto around the track \u2013 leaning, fast and with a big smile on his face. Unbelievable: a few minutes earlier Robert had been sitting in his wheelchair. I couldn’t help myself: I asked Robert for his story \u2013 it is both depressing and inspiring.
This is a guest article. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Das<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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My name is Robert Friedrich, I am 41 years old and was born in Rosenheim, Germany. In October 2002, through no fault of my own, I had a serious motorcycle accident and have been a paraplegic ever since.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

My passion for motorcycling began when I was a little boy. When I was 15, I borrowed a mate’s motocross bike and I knew I had to have one. A Honda cross bike was on the doorstep soon after, but unfortunately it didn’t last as long as I would have liked. At 16 I got my 125cc licence and bought a Yamaha DT. Since then I have never been off the road. At 18 I got my full motorcycle licence and bought an Aprilia RS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 10 October 2002 I was out with my horse. While mucking out, I remembered that I needed some two-stroke oil for the Aprilia. It was still quite warm for October, so I took advantage of the weather. Besides, the tyres still had good grip. On the way back from the petrol station I had to stop at a level crossing with another motorcyclist. After the gates were opened, we staggered off. On a bend, a car came out of nowhere and overtook two trucks \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The
 accident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The rider in front of me swerved to the right and fell. I braked hard to avoid running him over. I fell too and the oncoming car ran over me and dragged me along for a few metres. I tried to hold on to the exhaust pipe to avoid being run over by the rear tyres, but I immediately burnt my fingers and lost my grip. I got caught in the wheel arch and my head was under the wheel. My pelvis turned 180 degrees, my vertebrae broke and I suffered serious injuries to my kidneys and lungs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After about 50 metres, the driver finally stopped. It turned out that he did not have a driving licence and that the car did not belong to him. So he tried to get away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the first helpers arrived at the scene and stood around the car in confusion, I politely asked for help. They were very surprised that I was alive. I told them I needed a helicopter because I had already noticed that my back was broken and I couldn’t breathe. Then my lights went out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert won’t
 be defeated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I spent ten days in intensive care in Murnau, four of them in an artificial coma. I could only remember fragments of the accident; the news of my paraplegia was not easy to come to terms with. While I was still in intensive care, I was assigned a psychologist. With the best of intentions, he wanted to prepare me for a life without motorcycling. He was not to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I spent a total of 10 weeks at the clinic in Murnau. As soon as I was discharged, I went out on a dirt track with a friend who was sitting behind me on my motocross. From that moment on, I knew I could ride a motorcycle again. To get fit, I spent a lot of time on karts and quads, training hard. My passion for motorcycling never waned, on the contrary, it drove me on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2004 I bought a Yamaha R1 and had it converted to air suspension by Willi K\u00f6ltgen. From 2005 I went to the track and learnt how to ride a bike again. I soon realised that the supporting stabilisers were too heavy and useless on the track. So I built a second R1: without stabilisers, but with electromagnetic gears. This bike was much easier to ride \u2013 and faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Robert

Robert on his Yamaha R1<\/h3><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Later I took my bikes, the Yamaha R1 and the KTM Supermoto, to a Spanish circuit. The track owner showed me a newspaper article about a paralysed American who rode motocross. Being a cross rider at heart, I tried it the next day on my KTM. Even though the chassis wasn’t suitable and I couldn’t get a grip on the seat, which was too hard, I knew I wanted to ride motocross again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At home I bought a KTM SXF and, after the necessary adjustments, made my first attempts on a motocross track. It worked surprisingly well \u2013 now I had three hobbies at once: ring riding, supermoto and motocross. Every now and then I would get out my old Yamaha R1 with the props for a Sunday ride on the road. On the other hand, I managed to do a few races, such as the G-Cup (Supermoto), the Kini Alpencup (Motocross) and the Metzeler Cup (Track).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Robert's

Robert’s great passion: Motocross<\/h3><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The next
 challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2015 I took a short break \u2013 I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Unfortunately, it was very late, the cancer had spread throughout my body and the doctors’ diagnosis was devastating. But I thought to myself: “I’m already in the bonus round \u2026”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chemotherapy started immediately. I was admitted as an in-patient and spent my time researching motorcycle news. That’s when I first came across the European Handy Bridgestone Cup. After my fourth round of chemotherapy I was down to 50kg, but I still wanted to ride my Supermoto again. I only managed one lap, but I did it! From then on I felt better and better and my body recovered quite quickly. It wasn’t long before I was actively riding again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Racing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I have always enjoyed racing. Unfortunately, I can’t keep up with the “healthy” ones \u2013 so I thought about the European Handy Bridgestone Cup again. In 2021 I contacted the organisers. After a long odyssey to get the necessary racing licence, I started my first racing year in 2022 in the European Championship at Le Mans and Spa as part of the EWC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A

A dream: Racing<\/h3><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Motorcycling is my passion. I spent 90 per cent of my youth on a motorbike, spending every free minute on the road or tinkering with my machines. It was, and still is, my way of coping with misfortune \u2013 if I knew I’d still be able to ride afterwards, it wouldn’t be so bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course I’m nervous before the start, I have a thousand thoughts. I go through the braking, turning and acceleration points, concentrating on the perfect lap. The adrenaline is pumping \u2013 but as soon as the lights go out, the elbows touch, I am riding with others so close together, then I am lying behind my windscreen and enjoying that race week feeling. All thoughts are gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Robert

Robert in the curves of the Salzburgring<\/h3><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I can’t put into words what it is about racing <\/a>that fascinates me so much. It is my world, my life. It belongs to me just like my wheelchair belongs to me now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I am grateful
that I can do this without compromise.<\/p>\nRobert Friedrich<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a9 Text & Images: Robert Friedrich \/ Visit Robert also on Facebook<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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