Falklands hero Simon Weston fulfils lifelong dream to take up biking

Falklands veteran Simon Weston CBE has taken to the road on a bespoke Triumph trike paid for by crowdfunding.

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He was presented with the machine just days before his 60th birthday by former Triumph engineer and world speed record holder Norman Hyde, who initiated the £25k project a year ago.

“I’m living my dream,” Simon said. “When I was young my late mother made me promise never to have a motorbike, but I had wanted a trike for years. I cannot thank Norman and the many people who made this happen enough, for their kindness and generosity.”

Triumph donated a new 2020 T120 Bonneville and Hyde chose Trike Design of Caerphilly, South Wales to execute the conversion.

While serving with the Welsh Guards during the 1982 conflict in the South Atlantic, Simon suffered 46 per cent burns at the age of 20 when the ship he was on was bombed.

“When I met Simon two years ago, he told me of his passion to drive a trike,” Hyde said. “Knowing what he had given to our country and what good people there are in the bike world, I immediately said ‘leave it to me, I’ll fix it’.” 

Ingenious work by Trike Design’s Robin Davies adapted the controls for Simon. A right-side pedal applies the brakes via two master cylinders, with automatic front-and-rear compensation. Another pedal provides fly-by-wire throttle control. On the left, a pedal works the clutch.

“I soon worked out how to drive it and especially how to stop,” Simon told MCN. “It helped that I have never ridden a two-wheeler, so I didn’t have any preconceptions.” Once fully confident, he hopes to entice his wife Lucy onto the pillion seat.