Partially-sighted motorbike rider from near Worksop sets new UK dragrace record

Nigel Limb, aged 57, has thanked his sponsors and supporters after he set a new record as an unassisted partially-sighted electric motorbike rider in the UK.

Thanks to sponsorship from the owner of Creswell-based car garage AF Servicing, Anthony Froggat, and the team at Chesterfield’s Oil Can Grooming, Nigel took part in a ‘run what ya brung’ event at Melbourne Raceway and subsequently set a national record.

At the York racetrack on May 28, Nigel rode an electric race bike for the first time, kindly provided to him by Ryan Duffy, director of Duffy Motorsport, who cheered him on at the trackside.

Nigel, who now lives in Mablethorpe, rode the 1/8 mile strip in an record-breaking 8.62 seconds with a terminal speed of 82 miles per hour, and a speed of 83 miles per hour in another run of 8.74 seconds.

Nigel said he was ecstatic when his wife told him how he had done.

He said: “Ryan gave his bike to me even though he didn't know me and didn't know what I could do, or I couldn't do. He had to turn away when I set off.

“I was on somebody else's pride and joy and I can't see properly. In front of a crowd, in front of cameras - what could go wrong.

“I'm not just wanting to set a record, I'm challenging myself to get on and do it.”

This is the second record Nigel has broken, following on from August last year where he rode a gas motorcycle at a speed of 76 miles per hour in 9.24 seconds.

Despite initial nerves before riding the electric bike, Nigel said he enjoyed it compared to a gas bike. He said: “I’ve broken that many bones, I have trouble changing gear with my left foot because I've smashed it that much.

“But the electric bike doesn’t have gears, all you do is just rev them and it zooms off, so for me, it was ace.

“Normally you use the sound of the engine as a reference point, but with the electric motorbike I've lost the sound references because there's no sound. It was crazy.”

Nigel was left partially-sighted after a near-fatal freak motorcycle accident in 2015, just days after Christmas.

After awaking from a two-week coma, it was found that the incident had left him with brain damage and a permanent visual impairment which left him with no peripheral vision.

However, with his wife, Julie, by his side, Nigel has continued chasing his love of riding motorbikes and become a two-time record breaker.

Nigel has recently had a documentary made about him which can be watched on Youtube by clicking here.

To follow Nigel’s adventures, follow his Facebook page Blindbloke Racing by clicking here.