R.I.P Evel

[SEEGERMANY]

I've broken both arms, both legs, and all of fingers and toes twice, some of them three times. And to think, that ain't shit compared to what Evel put his body through. He was the "rock star" of the stunt world!

[MOSHWITZ]

An inspiration to me as a kid for sure, when i was very little , while the other kids had the "big wheels" and "green machines" i had the three wheeled Evel Knievel chopper and everyone on the block wanted it,,We lived 4 houses away from the train tracks with lots of dirt trails and hills and when i was a little older i had Evel Knievel stickers on my bike and was jumping everything in sight pretending i was him......Good times....

R.I.P. EVEL

MOSH ON
DAVE

[guitarsjb]

Oh wow. Bummer. I too earned many scrapes, bumps and bruises thanks to Evel. RIP

[Firebird V]

Goodbye Superman. He was "it" for my generation growing up. I had the motorcycle stunt jump toy. A friend had the Huffy bike and he was the envy of the block.

God all the unsafe shit I have done on two wheels... lol. Jumping over everything and off everything including my friends 2nd story roof into the deep end of his swimming pool...

I would say he was responsible for many of my trips and overnight stays at the hospital / E room visits right up through my late twenties. I would bet many of you that were in your youth in the 70's could say the same.

They don't make stunt guys like that anymore.

[Top Jimmy B]

Gowing up in the 70's he was for me, as he was for many of you guys, one badass dude. I remember, vividly, playing with my EK toys and wearing the red/white/blue pj's to bed. It's hard to believe he was attemptng those crazy jumps on a 1000lb street bike...crazy man. As a Harley owner I can't imagine ever growing a ball big enough to try jumping my machine over ten buses. The man is a legend and an icon.

RIP, Evel.

[Firebird V]

Yeah. I ride dirt and I was telling my wife that Evel would hit those jumps with much less suspension travel than the bike I ride and even my kids little kid size dirt bike.

[Snoogans]

What we need here is a picture of that sweet GMP Vee in EK colours.

[442w30]

EK GMP as seen in Crankdaddy "Jetta" Video - http://www.crankdaddy.com/jetta_video.html

[442w30]

Father forgive me as I have linked to a picture not hosted by me...

[Top Jimmy B]

Man, that thing is beautiful!! I have always loved that guitar.

[TommyD]

R.I.P Evel

> Like everyone here,and everyone else that grew up as a kid in the late 70's,Evel was indeed THE MAN! I too had the dirt jump toy,and eventually traded for the real-deal EK bike,and even had a vinyl replica of his jacket.

I also have a much closer childhood memory of him. I was in the 1st grade,and the school I attended had a typical grade school fire drill. We were led outside,and were told this was just a drill. As we were walking back inside,I was accidentally or intentionally pushed down from behind,and before I could get my hands up to protect myself,the outside corner of my right eye crashed into the concrete step,leaving me with a scar that is still visible to this day. After getting stitched up,my parents wanted to do something to make me feel better. To this day,I still don't know whether it was planned out or a random thing,but they took me to Rick Case Honda/Harley,which was a huge dealer in the Akron area back then. Much to my complete surprise,they had the X-1 SkyCycle on display. This was the actual rocket-looking thing he tried to jump the Snake River Canyon in. They were giving away promotional posters with Evel,and brochures looking to sell an occasional bike. My dad pulled the manager off to the side,and before long,he walked up and put me in the seat,and allowed my parents to take 3 Polaroids of me sitting there all freaked out,and another with an Evel repro helmet on. Sadly,those pictures were lost in the house fire in '98.

I'm sure the man he handed the "King of the Stuntmen" crown to,BMX innovator and legend Mat Hoffman,is pretty tore up as well. Mat has done a lot of similar shit on a bicycle,and has beaten himself up in a similar fashion. Know anyone with the balls to be 60 feet above flat ground,over concrete no less,on a 12 pound bike? Mat has.

It would sure be interesting to see just how he would fare if we could go back in time,and bring him to 2007,and let him try the same stunts on hopped up CR500R's with 60-plus horsepower,and 18 inches of suspension,instead of the 4 inches his old Harley's had,not to mention the bikes themselves are probably 100 pounds lighter,as well as stronger. If guys can pull backflips and 360 spins on a 220 pound CR250 or CR-F450,surely he would have had better results. He sure as HELL wouldn't have hurt himself as badly,a couple of his really bad wrecks were the result of the bike coming apart,or him coming over the handlebars as the suspension recoiled and bounced him right off the seat,losing control over the handlebars.

I'll bet if there is a God,Evel has already looked him dead in the face and said "I'll bet you won't try THIS!" Tommy D.