One arm no barrier for Canterbury rider

JOHN HAWKINS/Southland Times

ARMLESS FUN: One-armed Christchurch rider Nigel Curtis ended up eighth overall in the Super Motards at the Wyndham Street Race yesterday. The street race was the final event of the Burt Munro Challenge.

Canterbury man Nigel Curtis might have only one arm, but he doesn't let that jeopardise his love for motorcycling.

Curtis has competed in every Wyndham Street Race since the inception of the Burt Munro Challenge four years ago, and again hopped aboard his KTM 525 bike in the Super Motard Open class of yesterday's event.

The motorcycling addict drove down from Christchurch in the wee small hours of yesterday morning to arrive in Wyndham on time and said there was never any doubt that he would not take his place on the starting grid.

"I never miss a street race if I can help it. No matter what the financials are, you make sure you get to the street race."

Curtis excelled in his class yesterday, finishing eighth overall out of 22 riders.

The man nicknamed "The One-armed Bandit" lost the function in his left arm after a freak accident while practising motocross 20 years ago.

Many people in Curtis' position would have become disconsolate, but he did the opposite and has continued on with his passion.

"You've got to carry on with what you want to do," Curtis said.

"You can either mope around or you can carry on as you were."

The Wyndham Street Race is fast becoming one of the most popular street race events around and Curtis – who has ridden in street races throughout the country – believed it was one of the best.

"The crowd gets right up there. You can't beat it. Wyndham is one of the few places that has an overbridge for spectators ...

"It's short, sharp and bumpy. It's really good."

He said he planned to keep riding in street races in New Zealand, as long as he remained competitive.

"If I'm not competitive I won't ride. I'd really hate for some people to say, 'who's that silly bastard rattling around fifth-to-last'?," he laughed.

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