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Evel Knievel

Oct 04
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Ten Things to Know about Motorcycle Stunt History

By General Posts

While most fans know the basics about the motorcycle stunt world, only true daredevils understand just how cool its history is.
by Peter Akpejeluh from HotCars.com

Motorcycle stunt riding is a sport involving the acrobatic maneuvering of a motorcycle and sometimes a rider. The invention of the motorcycle stunt dates back to the 1800s, with performances displayed on public roads and in private venues. Motorcycle stunt riding is not always a one-person sport, as iconic teams have been established over the years.

Common stunt riding tricks include the basic wheelie, stoppie, circle, 12 O’clock, Ape hanger, cliffhanger, burnout, hyperspin, switchback, and Christ. Modern-day stunt riders keeping the game alive and thriving include Rok Bagoros, Lee Bowers, Rafal Pasierbek, Sarah Lezito, Emilio Zamora, and Mike Jensen. While fans may be familiar with a couple of things about motorcycle stunt riding, only true daredevils know these parts of its history.

Here is a Top Ten List for the pros:

10. Daniel J. Canary: The First Wheelie Performer

9. The Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team performed the first 37-man motorcycle stunt display as far back as 1928

8. The Human Fly became the first real person to be a superhero comic via Marvel. His early stunts involved him being strapped to the exterior of a jet, surviving the dangers that come with such a stunt – his real identity is still a mystery.

7. Travis Pastrana: The First Double Backflip Performer

6. Motobirds: The UK’s First All-Women Motorcycle Stunt Group

5. The Globe of Death taking stunts to a whole new level – unlike other stunt platforms, their performances are visible from all angles and heights. There’s no optical illusion — just daredevils on dirt bikes attempting to defy the laws of physics.

4. Debbie Lawler ‘Flying Angel’: The First Female Stunt Rider To break Evel Knievel’s record in 1974 by jumping 101 feet

3. Debbie Evans: The First Woman To Ride In The US Trials (She has appeared as a stunt double in movies such as Fast and Furious, Terminator 2, and The Matrix Reloaded)

2. Dave Taylor: The First Stunt Rider To Wheelie Around The Isle of Man TT Mountain Course

1. Evel Knievel’s Longest Jump – his personal best in 1975, when he jumped 133 feet over 14 Greyhound buses

READ The Full Article at www.HotCars.com

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Apr 06
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Harley-Davidson XR750 from 1972 on auction

By General Posts

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

1972 Harley-Davidson XR750 Evel Knievel Is Not Quite the Real Thing, Comes Close

In 2020, Harley-Davidson celebrated the 50th anniversary of the XR750 in style by wrapping the entire racing hardware it fielded, including the team haulers, uniforms, and branded accessories, in the iconic Jet Fire Orange, the competition color used by the Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track team. But other hues are perhaps equally iconic for the model.

The XR750 was introduced as a replacement for the KR750 in 1970, and quickly became the dominant force in the AMA Grand National Championships. In fact, the model is to date the most successful in the competition’s history, having won 28 championships between 1972 and 2008.

The racing two-wheeler was ridden to success by the sport’s big names, including Jay Springsteen, Mark Brelsford, or Cal Rayborn. But an even more prominent name of the age is linked to it: Evel Knievel.

One of the most famous stunt performers in history, Knievel rode the XR750 from 1970 to 1976. On the bike, he set a new world record by making it airborne and literally flying over 19 cars, a stunt that was filmed for his namesake 1971 movie. The record stood for 27 years when it was taken to 20 cars by Bubba Blackwell, also riding an XR750.

Like all stuntmen, Knievel identified himself through several iconic elements, including the colors he used on his rides. And in charge of making his bikes and helmets stand out was his favorite painter, George Sedlak.

The bike you see in the gallery above is not one directly linked to Knievel but is painted as a replica by Sedlak—after the stuntman retired, the painter began working on such projects on request.

This one sports the colors red, white, and blue on the fuel tank, but also things like the bike maker’s name in big letters, stars all over, a golden horseshoe, and even an image of the rider jumping a canyon with a bridge in the background.

We uncovered this one on the lot of motorcycles going under the Mecum hammer at the end of the month in Las Vegas. We are not told who it was originally made for, nor how much it is expected to fetch.

Mar 29
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Evel Empire: Knievel’s Stranglehold on the Seventies

By General Posts

Evel Knievel had a stock answer for reporters when they asked him: Well … why? “There’s three mysteries to life,” he said, with practiced conviction. “Where we came from, why we do what we do, and where we’re going to go. You don’t know the answer to any of those three, and neither do I.” Standing next to the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974, as crew members prepped his water-powered rocket cycle to fly the chasm in what would be his ballsiest cheat of death yet, he added: “I’m going to jump it to get to the other side, and I don’t want to drive across that damn bridge.”

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Nov 08
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Evel Knievel Museum adds long lost motorcycle to their collection

By General Posts

by Keith Horinek from https://www.ksnt.com

The Evel Knievel Museum located in the Historic Harley Davidson Motorcycle shop held an unveiling of a long lost motorcycle used by Knievel in his daredevil jumps.

Knievel’s second surviving original American Eagle jump bike was presented to the Evel Knievel Museum by Louis “Rocket” Re and the Stroop and McCormack families. The ceremony took place in the Evel Knievel Museum.

The motorcycle was used by Knievel during his tenure as a motorcycle stunt performer in the 60’s and 70’s.

The motorcycle was purchased by Dave Stroop of Belt Montana in 1972. Stroop then rode the bike for several years and eventually stored the bike in his barn. Years later the bike was found and restored by Knievel’s longtime friend and riding partner Re. Stroop then donated the motorcycle to the museum.

Sep 26
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Disney Pixar Sued by Evel Knievel’s Son over Toy Story 4 Production

By General Posts

by Tony Abu Momoh from https://www.herald.ng

Kelly Knievel, the son of late stuntman Evel Knievel is suing Disney and Pixar for using the daredevil character Duke Caboom in the movie, Toy Story 4. The character is based on Evel Knievel real name Robert Craig Kneivel Jnr who was a daredevil stuntman in the 1970’s.

According to Kelly, the movie giants gained financially from a character based on his father without his permission. According to Knievel junior, his father did not thrill millions, break his bones and spill his blood just so Disney can make a bunch of money.

The character in contention, Duke Caboom was voiced by Keanu Reeves in Toy Story 4 and is described by Disney-Pixar as a 1970’s toy based on Canada’s greatest daredevil stuntman with confidence and swagger. The character has however never been able to do stunts advertised by his own toy commercials.

See Also: Plateau Attack: Police confirms 5 people killed by Gunmen

Kelly stated in the Federal Trademark suit that he has had ownership of the publicity rights to Evel Knievel since 1978 and is seeking damages totaling $300,000 for false endorsement and unjust enrichment.

Kelly alleged that there were similarities in the physical appearance of Knievel and the character Caboom. He also alleged that a propelled stunt toy sold as a marketing strategy for the move, Toy Story 4, was similar to another toy released by Evel Knievel in 1973. Kelly was also unhappy that the Caboom character was marketed as part of a McDonald’s happy meal promotion.

The suit further said Disney had instructed cast members of the movie not to draw comparisons between Knievel and Caboom in public even though it was obvious to observers that there was a connection.

Disney however denied the allegations saying its lawyers would vigorously defend what it called baseless claims.

In response to this, Kelly issued a statement saying, “It is obvious Duke Caboom is a knock off of Evel Knievel. I don’t see a big long line of Disney executives ready to get on a motorcycle and jump 13 buses, nor do I remember any Canadian daredevils from the 70s. While we note that Disney uses their Mickey Mouse lawyers to aggressively protect Disney intellectual property, they did not seek permission to use Evel Knievel at any time.”

May 10
Love1

The Evel Knievel Museum: 40 Years in the Making and Now Open!

By General Posts

The ultimate collection of the Legendary Daredevil’s Authentic Artifacts Virtual Reality Jump, Snake River Room and Evel’s Fully-Restored “Big Red” Mack Truck Rig

“Anybody can jump a motorcycle. The trouble begins when you try to land it.”
“I’m not a stunt man. I’m not a dare devil…I’m an explorer.”
“I created Evel Knievel, and then he sort of got away from me.”—Evel Knievel

Read more.