Abstract: A human powered vehicle, such as a wheelchair or recumbent vehicle, that has a flywheel assisted drive. The human powered vehicle includes a frame that rides upon at least two wheels. A seat is supported by the frame. Adjacent to either side of the seat is a rowing lever used to turn the flywheel. Each rowing lever is coupled to a mechanism that converts the reciprocal movement of the rowing lever into a rotational movement that is applied to the flywheel. The flywheel is coupled to at least one of the wheels that supports the frame, via a transmission that selectively transfers the rotational movement of the flywheel to the wheels. As a result, the rowing levers do not directly drive the wheels of the vehicle. Rather,the rowing levers drive the flywheel and the flywheel drives the wheels.