Former road racer Steve Mercer prepares to get back on a bike after life-changing TT accident

Former road racer and World Endurance star Steve Mercer has announced big plans to get back on a bike, after a serious accident at the 2018 Isle of Man TT left him without use of his right leg.

The 42-year-old Maidstone rider was involved in a collision with a course car on the evening of May 30, while making his way back to the Grandstand following a red flag, and hasn’t ridden since.

He’s now purchased a 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, with plans to tackle trackdays at his local Brands Hatch circuit and hopes to inspire others going through similar recovery journeys.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge, there’s no doubt about that,” Mercer told MCN a day on from collecting the bike. “Over the last seven years, it’s always been a dream to get back on, and it’s always been something that’s kept me motivated.

“I truly believe if you believe in something that much then you can make it happen, so that’s sort of the main reasons why I want to get back on. The thought of it makes me smile, and I need to do it for myself really.”

One of the people that had an impact on Steve’s journey back to two wheels was the late Claire Lomas MBE, who learned to ride a motorcycle after being paralysed from the chest down in 2007. In 2023, she completed a lap of the North West 200 course, raising money for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation.

“I spoke to her a few times on social media, and I thought it can be done, because she’s done it,” Steve explained. “Because I’ve ridden bikes since I was six- or seven-years-old, there must be a way. I believe I can do it and that’s why I’ve got a bike to hopefully do it.”

Steve sustained a series of heavy injuries from the accident, including multiple spinal fractures, a broken larynx, an open book pelvic fracture, a punctured lung, and an open fracture to his right femur that resulted in 10cm of shortening – now reduced by 7cm.

Further to this, he was in a coma for a week and woke up paralysed from the neck down due to brain stem bruising.

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Many functions have now been recovered however Steve remains in a wheelchair due to the spinal damage. He’s now looking into the adaptions required to the bike for his first ride, including a handlebar-mounted electronic gear shifter.

“My right leg doesn’t work. It’s still attached, but there’s no working ligaments and my femur is still 3cm shorter than my left femur,” he continued. “I’ve got quite a lot of back pain because I broke most of my spine.”

Steve says that he did consider a more upright bike before making his purchase but opted for a Fireblade due to his familiarity with the brand.

“Hondas were always my favourite bikes when I was racing,” he explained. “When it all went wrong and I was in hospital in Liverpool for five months, Honda themselves phoned my wife Caroline and asked if there was anything she needed, and they paid for a massive chunk of the hotel bill for the whole time that Caroline stayed in Liverpool. 

“I just feel loyal to the brand because I was contracted to them twice – once in 2016 when I did World Endurance with John McGuinness and Conor Cummins, and then again unfortunately when it went wrong.”

Steve continued: “For me, I’ve always felt that the story hasn’t got an end, and I’ve always wanted closure to the story.

“When I was in hospital many people said to me ‘you won’t ever ride a bike again’ and looking back I don’t know if the doctors and nurses used to say that to motivate me to prove them wrong. 

“That’s how I took it, because I thought I’m just going to prove you wrong.”