Mobility Conquest Expands Locations Offering Wheelchair Accessible Motorcycle

(PRWeb) Akron, Ohio, August 23, 2010: Mobility Conquest has expanded throughout the west coast with wheelchair accessible motorcycle demo bikes in key markets to meet the demands of increasing interest.

The new locations to view the Conquest include Ability Center stores in Phoenix, Tucson and NV, Mobility Works in Van Nuys and San Jose and Performance Mobility locations in Oregon and Kersey Mobility in Washington.

"As we expand to meet the needs of customers on the west coast, we sought out leaders in each market that have a strong overall service to their customer model, NMEDA members, QAP and a focus to serve their customers," Mark Allen Roberts of Mobility Conquest said.

Performance Mobility in Portland, Oregon has experienced a great response since offering the bike to customers about a month ago and will be having an open house on Saturday September 11 from 10 to 4. Demonstrations of the Conquest will be given by Roberts. "It's been a great customer awareness item, Mike Nehr at Performance Mobility said. “Lots of people have come to test drive it and they love the concept and idea."

In 2010, Mobility Conquest was chosen to be the exclusive supplier and assembler of the motorcycle in the United States. The design allows consumers in wheelchairs to enter the rear ramp of the motorcycle and go up the ramp, locking the chair in place behind the steering wheel. This bike was designed for consumers in wheelchairs with strong upper bodies but physical challenges from the waist down and is surprisingly powerful with a 1200 CC BMW engine and can go from 0 to 60 in 7.5 seconds.

As inquires for wheelchair accessible motorcycles continue to grow so has a need for finance programs. Sixty month programs are now available for consumers who qualify. Mobility Conquest is now working with one of the leading consumer finance partners in the mobility industry to provide a consumer finance program that helps customers passionate about riding, get back on the road again.

"I can’t explain the feeling I get when I do a demo ride with someone who thought they could never live their passion for riding again," Roberts said. "Once they experience how easy it is to operate the Conquest and feel the performance, their faces just light up. Our mission to help all those with a passion for riding motorcycles but didn’t think they could do to their disability a way."

For more information about the Conquest visit http://www.mobilityconquest.com/.

Kersey's showroom Depicts Road To Independence

Kersey Mobility, a mobility dealer of Sumner and Spokane, Washington, is much like any other leading dealer that Mobility Conquest chooses to carry their new wheelchair accessible motorcycle. What makes them different, however, is Kersey’s emphasis on the customer’s shopping experience.

A few years ago, Kersey won a $5,000 showroom remodel (in the form of a Home Depot gift card) at the Vantage Mobility International (VMI) conference. VMI took attending dealers to a Coleman dealer that had a "life style" showroom, representing the camping lifestyle. The group discussed what lifestyle attendees represent and came up with lifestyles that represented customers: active, independent, family and more.

Upon entering the building, customers walk through a tunnel and into the showroom that is designed like a street with a coffee shop, basketball hoop and vehicle displays indoors. Continuing on the "road to independence," you will see popular lifts on display that can be used in demonstrations.

"We focused the sections of our showroom on those lifestyles and said our showroom represents the road to independence," Owner Mike Kersey said. "The road is black carpet with yellow carpet inserts for the center line. The middle is a roundabout intersection with a stop light that is always green. The road leads through a parking lot (gray carpet strips) with our functional wheelchair lift displays and then ends at our outdoor, covered van display area."

According to Mark Allen Roberts of Mobility Conquest, Kersey understands the overall buying experience. "Kersey Mobility has served the community at this location for 13 years, and it is all the little things that do that make the buying experience special that illustrates how well they understand the needs of customers and a commitment to make the buying experience pleasurable," Roberts said.

Paraplegic blazes trail riding motocross

By Sarah Nienaber, St. Cloud (Minn.) Times

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — On a chilly Mother's Day in 2002, Bob Mrozek, a high school junior and motocross racer, took his off-road motorcycle out on a familiar trail. His journey ended abruptly when he lost control and was hurled over the handlebars. He lay three hours in a ditch before help arrived.

A spinal cord injury paralyzed Mrozek from the waist down. Today Mrozek is blazing a new trail for himself and other paraplegics by continuing to race despite his physical limitations.

"I thought I couldn't ride dirt bike or do anything anymore," says Mrozek, now 24, of Sartell.


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Jim Nelson of the Amateur Riders Motorcycle Association says Mrozek may be the only paraplegic to ride motocross in Minnesota.

The day he was injured, Mrozek was scheduled to race. The race "got rained out, and I just needed to go for a ride," he says. He was practicing when he lost control of his cycle.

Mrozek had surgery to fuse six vertebrae and place two rods and 12 screws in his back. Doctors told him he wouldn't walk again, but he didn't let that keep him from riding: "I can just get on my four-wheeler and leave my wheelchair behind," he says.

His four-wheeler is modified so he can control it with his hands, but he has to be strapped to the seat. He races motocross most Friday nights at Race Freex, a track near Brainerd, and is ranked first in the Quad Open Class, where the four-wheelers are allowed to be modified.

He is in his third year of college. His goal is to be an elementary physical education teacher. "I want ... to give younger kids an outlook on disability. Plus I'm their height."

Last month marked the 20th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

Mrozek reminds those with disabilities not to sweat the small stuff: "Don't let the little things stop you. If you still got life, you can still go," he says. "You always have your brain."

Published in the St. Cloud Times: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-08-6Aracing_N.htm?csp=YahooModule_News

Tips on Finding the Right Wheelchair Accessible Hotel

Finding a good wheel chair accessible hotel can be a challenge. With so many lodging options from which to choose, disabled travelers need a quick way to compare hotels and identify the accommodations that best meet their special needs.

The following trip planning steps serve as a guide to help you choose the right wheel chair accessible hotel that can make the difference between a great vacation or a frustrating trip.

1. Begin by narrowing your list of hotel choices.
While wheel chair accessibility is the top priority for a disabled traveler, many travel agents and travel reservation sites forget that a person with a disability has other needs too.

In addition to good mobility access, disabled travelers are also interested in amenities such as a swimming pool, restaurants in the hotel, pet accommodations, and internet access.

Therefore, look for reservations sites that offer advanced search capabilities that allow you to select the specific accommodations you need and amenities you desire. This will enable you to develop a list of viable lodging choices for your trip.
2. Call the hotel directly and ask questions.

Calling each wheel chair accessible hotel and asking the following questions can quickly determine if the hotel is disability-friendly and right for you.

• "Do you provide special disability services?" This should be the first question you ask. The answer you receive will immediately indicate the property’s experience and desire in assisting disabled travelers.

• "Which floors are the disabled rooms located?" It is important to be on or near the ground floor in case of an emergency, especially when elevators are not in service.

• "Are the disabled rooms ADA compliant?” If the answer is yes (and it should be), ask for specifics on how the room is equipped to accommodate ADA guidelines.

• "Can the beds and other furniture be moved in order to make the room more comfortable and accessible?" Depending on the room size and configuration, you may not need to make any adjustments. Yet, it is a good question to ask particularly if you are unfamiliar with the hotel brand.

• "How high is the bed and is it easily accessible from a standard wheelchair?" Some hotel beds rise 30 inches or more from the floor. While, wheelchair seats may be under 18 inches. Be sure to confirm that the bed height will enable you to easily get into bed without assistance.

• "Does the hotel provide a wheel chair accessible shuttle to nearby tourist attractions and public transportation?"

• "Is disabled or handicap parking available?" You may want to follow-up by asking how many spaces are allocated per wheelchair accessible room.

3. Listen "between the lines."
A disabled traveler should be listening for clues that indicate the hotel has a good understanding of the difficulties faced by an individual with a disability.
If the reservation desk at the wheel chair accessible hotel is knowledgeable about ADA requirements such as passages, counter heights, door hardware, bathroom fixtures, and roll-in showers, there is a good chance the property frequently serves disabled guests.

However, be wary of a hotel representative that appear to promise too much. If the hotel seems too good to be true... it probably is