Real men dream of owning and driving at least a Benz or Beemer, or even both, in their lifetime. I do too. The new BMW 5 Series have the looks that intimidate and attract at the same time. The Mercedes Benz C-Class Kompressor is no less sexy with its sleek profile. For now, those are only dreams. Even the streamlined Honda Civic is way beyond my league.
The one piece of metal that I would definitely like to own in the very near future is a Küschall. It is not surprising that many have not heard of that name before. Küschall is based in Switzerland. They are the manufacturer for high-end lightweight wheelchairs that are also noted for their minimalist designs.
Image taken from Spinlife.com.
My dream ride is the Küschall Airlite Pro. This rigid frame wheelchair has many distinct advantages over the foldable wheelchairs that I have been using for the past 2 decades. It weighs slightly more than 8 kilograms at its most basic configuration. My current wheelchair weighs in at approximately 15 kilograms.
Imagine the burden Wuan has to lift every time we go out. Since I will be learning to drive soon, this wheelchair will be light enough for me to disassemble and carry into the car without assistance. The one shortcoming of rigid frame wheelchairs is that they may not be as compact as foldable ones.
The Airlite Pro cannot be purchased off the shelf. It has to be customised to fit the user’s body. This is what I am looking for as my posture has taken a beating from using wheelchairs that are not suitable for me for far too long. A rigid framed wheelchair also needs less energy to push. The only drawback is the price. An Airlite Pro configured to my specification will set me back more than USD2,000. At current exchange rate, that is RM7,400. Like the Honda Civic, this is beyond my league at the moment.
Geez! another learning experience again.Didn’t know there’s so many types and versions of wheelchairs!Titanium,CF and aircraft grade aluminium-space age materials, no wonder it costs a lot of bananas!You’d have to remove the wheels and fold the backrest before driving off.Thought the lightweight collapsible would be a better alternative for driving.Then again who am I to say.
Peter:
Foldable wheelchairs are convenient but the ultra-lightweight rigid ones are easier to propel. Some wheelchairs are even more expensive than cars. The technology is there but the price is way beyond what many disabled persons can afford.
I look forward to the day you get your licence. Perhaps you will drive me around one day.
Peter:
If you like speed….