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I loved Evel Knievel as a kid in the 70's. He was an icon.

Britt

 

Yep, I can still picture that crash in Vegas like it was yesterday. Gotta admit, he had guts.

RIP, Evel.

 

I worked Fire crew at All America Raceway in Roseville California back in the late 70's for a couple months. Evils' brother George was traveling the country jumping buses in a mini indy car.

That track is small and he had to come out of the pit area at close to 70MPH just to build enough speed to jump the ramps. He then had to get on the brakes the moment it touched down in order to keep from hitting the wall at turn one head on

We were told to run to his little car and spray him down with c02 to make it look real dramatic even if there was no fire. He jumped several buses and hit the ramp VERY hard, I remember thinking it would flip forward because the rear slammed so hard after the front hit.

He kept it straight and locked up the brakes, it slid sideways with his head hanging out the window and came to a stop a few feet from the wall I ran up was the first one there and could clearly see he was out cold or close to it, his head hanging out the side.

I didn't spray him down I was more concerned for his health at the moment. His crew arrived a few seconds later and made a big show of spraying him down as his guys tried to get him out of the little car.

They got him on his feet and they half carried him as he stumbled toward the microphone..You could tell he was still seeing little birdies flying around his head, HE HIT HARD!

Anyway all was well he gave his speech about not trying that at home etc and was successful in making the jump and surviving it. I never had any run ins with Evil himself but thought I would share that one with his brother George.

Evil did some pretty crazy things in his day, he had a lot of fans and was very popular indeed. I just hope he doesn't try to jump over the pearly gates ...but then THAT would be something Evil would try if he could

God Bless him and his family at this time.

 

Guys like Evel are supposed to live forever. In the mid 70's I think I had every Evel Knievel wind up motorcycle they made, my personal favorite the one with the red rocket pods on each side you put a lighter flint in for dramatic spark action.

God speed Evel.

 

RIP Evel......a great showman. I passed on a chance to meet him last spring thinking I would catch him this winter

 

Oldmikegraham

You just dated yourself, while you were playing with the toys, I went to union grove Wis. to see him jump at the drag strip. Oh wait a minute I just dated myself didn't I.

RIP evel

 

RIP, I remember him as a kid too. My brother is 6 years older than me (so saw more of the 70's). He used to always reference Evel when we were doing various back yard stunts.

The footage of that wreck where he bounces off the seat and then over the handle bars is just brutal. I've seen it in slow motion dozens of times.

 

The guy had more tolerance for pain than anybody else I have ever seen. To see him talking to the crowd after a rough jump than to find out later on he had a broken collar bone or something was inspiring. I have a rough time keeping going after hitting my thumb with a hammer. RIP

 

I was related to him through marriage at one time. Never met him but heard lots about him.

 

It's largely because of Evil that I started my obsession with the offset crankcase V-twins (aka Harley). That XR750 he used to jump, I thought was one of the coolest bikes ever when i was a kid.