KALAMAZOO, MI — As soon as spring 2013, two Kalamazoo-area veterans could be sporting custom designed motorcycles that allow them to ride despite their disabilities.

Diggers Speed Shop, of Kalamazoo, and Herrera Custom Iron Werks, of Middleville, are designing and building bikes that will allow Justin Madore, 36, a retired staff sergeant for the U.S. Army, and Matt Pepper, 43, a Navy veteran, to ride.



Brad VandenBerg, 38, and a disabled veteran himself, came up with the idea for the "Two Wheels for Warriors" program after Madore, with whom he served in Afghanistan, told him through Facebook that he would no longer be able to ride his motorcycle. Madore, who had undergone nine surgeries and has an artificial knee, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, VanderBerg said.

“He had to sell his bike and he was pretty bummed about it,” he said. “He wouldn’t be able to ride it without it toppling over because of his artificial knee.”

So VandenBerg hatched the idea of a charity to provide bikes to veterans with disabilities. He knew the owners of Herrera Custom Iron Werks and Diggers Speed Shop, and thought they would be good places to start.

Diggers will be building Madore's motorcycle, which VanderBerg said recently was still in the concept stage. Madore's bike will need a sidecar so his K-9 for Warriors dog, Cody, can ride with him.

Herrera is building the bike for Pepper, who injured his back and lost feeling in his legs during his eight-year Navy career. Pepper also suffers from multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, according to VandenBerg.

“With his multiple sclerosis, when it’s hot out his core temperature increases, so I am going to rig a cooler up so that he can constantly stay hydrated,” VandenBerg said of the motorcycle being custom built.

So far, they have two wheels, a frame and a motor for Pepper's bike, VandenBerg said.

To complete the bikes by next spring, VandenBerg said that $40,000 is needed. He said that the money will go through the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1527 in Portage, which has helped him throughout the process of establishing Two Wheels for Warriors.

“I’m trying to stay out of the working man’s wallet,” VandenBerg said of the fundraising effort. “Bikers are a bunch of giving people, even if they don’t have the money to give, so I am trying to get bigger corporations to donate to this charity.”

On Dec. 8, VandenBerg will host a meet-and-greet event at VFW Post 1527, located at 1920 E. Kilgore Service Road, Portage. Madore, Pepper, Vandenburg, Dan Lummis of Diggers Speed Shop and Chris Herrera of Custom Iron Werks will be at the event.

VandenBerg said Two Wheels for Warriors will benefit everyone involved -- from the motorcycle shops who stand to gain goodwill from their charity work, to the VFW and its efforts on behalf of veterans and, of course, Madore and Pepper.

"These two veterans who are going out and bringing attention to disabled veterans, they are all very deserving of these bikes," VandenBerg said.

To make a donation or get more information on Two Wheels for Warriors, call VandenBerg at 269-366-8676 or visit the charity's Facebook page.