User:Thruxton/British Bike Manufacturer

Wasp Motorcycles is a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Berwick St James, Salisbury, England, that specialises in building sidecar motocross, sidecar grasstrack and solo motocross motorcycles as well as the Wasp 3 wheel 'Freedom' for disabled riders.

History
Engineer and off-road motorcyclist Robin 'Robbie' Rhind-Tutt was originally employed by the Ministry of Defence as a engineering apprentice. He designed and built a number of off-road motorcycle frames which he used in competitions. Other competitors were interested in Rhind-Tutt's frames and commissioned him to build specialist frames, so he decided to form Wasp Motorcycles Ltd which changed its name to Wasp Engineering Ltd in 1997 but continues to trade under the name of Wasp Motorcycles.

Products
Wasp manufacture sidecar motocross, sidecar grasstrack and solo motocross motorcycles. They also produce motorcycle leading link fork conversion kits for road bikes which improve braking and handling and manufacture Metisse frames pioneered by Rickman Motorcycles.

Wasp 3 Wheel Freedom
The 3 wheel 'Freedom' is designed for use by disabled riders, including paraplegic motorcyclists, and has an electrically operated ramp to help access. With a tubular space frame bonded to fibreglass body it has independent suspension and a twin piston brake connected to the motorcycle brakes. The design of the sidecar enables it to carry a wheelchair and can be attached to any motorcycle of over 500cc.

Racing success
Wasp sidecars have been the winning chassis eight times in the FIM European and World championships.