THE inexperience of a pillion rider was blamed for causing an imbalance of a motorcycle which crashed, injuring two men.

Bike rider Benjamin Lee ran into a road sign, throwing himself and his pillion passenger from the Kawasaki Ninja 600.

It left him with a paralysed left arm for which he was still being treated and his pillion rider broke his knee in two places, Skipton magistrates were told.

Lee, of Jennings Close, Silsden, pleaded guilty to drink driving on August 15 and driving without due care and attention in Wheatlands Lane, Cross Hills.

Magistrates were told that Lee gave a urine sample while being treated at Leeds General Infirmary which revealed he was 10 microgrammes above the legal limit of 107 in 100 millilitres of urine.

He was fined £180, ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £20 victims surcharge and banned from driving for 12 months. He was told he must re-take his driving test.

The bench heard that in a statement his pillion rider, who had ridden pillion in the past, said he believed Lee was showing off when they crashed into the road sign.

A witness said they heard a high revving sound from the motorcycle engine and then a loud bang.

Keith Blackwell, for Lee, said the crash happened because the pillion was inexperienced.

"Two people on a bike are like performing a dance by moving in sequence and in harmony and if the pillion rider is not in harmony with the driver, the motorcycle is likely to be out of balance," he said.