I saw him do a jump at the Cow Palace in San Fran. The plan was to get the bike going outside, make the jump in the arena and out the door on the other side. The two doors are not in line with each other, but slightly offset from one another. He would have to make a slight turn to go out the landing side door. He almost made it
wow this really hits home with me..I was just reading a book about him just the other day..and thinking to my self..THIS Guys still Alive!? they had a chart and skeleton with all the bones he had broken and all of his achievements and his life.. Wow what a legend I'll Miss him
Yep, that just about sums it up! You were a legend Down Under too. I remember (trying) to stay up and watch the jumps when I was a kid. By the time he did all of his practice runs I'd be struggling to keep my eyes open! RIP
Man, just like the rest of fellas said, you wanted to be him in every way. Impress your friends by doing jumps and what not. Fonze could only wish to be like Evel in that episode of Happy Days ("You saw it hare first...") Thanks for all you've done Evel! Ken
He was also a great artist. Here's some old prints of some of his work that I have (sorry - crappy pics). This is a sad day for me. I have a couple of broken bones dedicated to evel.
R.I.P..... Evil was the true american idol and one bad ass MFR. Watched all his jumps as a kid and we all tried to be him on our bikes
Man, thats really sad news. I had a bunch of Knievel toys when I was a wee boy.....................................wonder whatever happened to those?
to this day i can still remember watching him jump the snake river canyon on my fuzzy black and white TV... RIP
BAD NEWS! I MAY HAVE TO BREAK DOWN AND HAVE A DRINK TONIGHT!!! I have the lunchbox (with thermos) scramble van, original windup bike with figure, 2 repops and the scramble van. Evel was all about one thing : BALLS!!!
"He used to stare at the pitchers strangely and pshych them out. Other little leaguers said Bobby had an "evil eye." They began to call him Evil Knievel because the two words rhymed. Bobby didn't much like the nickname. It made him ashamed. But then he found out that some of the kids were afraid of his "evil eye," even though Bobby himself was small and puny. He decided that being "evil" wasn't so bad after all.
Damn, my friends and I grew up watching him jump stuff on TV. And then went outside and fucked ourselves up trying to emulate him. Godspeed Evel, RIP.
Saturday morning. Just another day on my street. We all get up and get our Schwinns and meet in front of my house for the "Evil Knievel Contest". Piece of plywood and some milkcrates,and some chalk to mark the sidewalk with who jumps the farthest. It was like a big deal in my neighborhood. What great memories. RIP Evil...you'll never be forgotten.
Yeah, me too. The worst ass beating I ever got was because me and my cousin damn near burned down my uncles house, we were jumping our wind-up cycles through flaming fire rings ON THE HALLWAY CARPET! I`ll remember the man every time I look at the handle bar (end) scar in the middle of my overgrown gut! Rest in peace...
evil was a big inspiration to me when i was kid growing up in the early 70's. he inspired me to race bicycles, and motorcycles back then. he was definitly one of a kind, with a huge set of cahones.. i'll miss him.
Darn Well, He once inspired 100's to follow him A young Awful Knutson once jumped his M farmall over 8 Holstein Heifers back in the day I hope he was able to clear the pearly gates ! RIP Evel !
He beat death for so long, death finally caught'em with a cheap shot. So long Evel. and I think I'll have that drink now.....
a sense of loss. but that happened a long time ago when all of his kind stopped doing what they do. Like remember on Wide World of Sports the crazies that would jump cars in the air and land them perfectly into/top of other cars for points? figure 8 racing? and I could go on... but sad? F' that...he would probably ask you to have a drink and get off of here and get your fastest anything and quit acting old. So, a favor if you will. I want all of you I remember my childhood types to get off of here, get your favorite bike or board and go jump something. IF and only IF you wipe? post a picture. A righteous landing just won't get it tonight Coop666? if do not already? man you should write...
Shit. I just found out. It seems that the legends with the biggest balls are fading with the breeze. Who is there out there to carry on the torch? RIP.
I got to see him perform around 1969 or 70. Saw him jump in the amphitheater in Chicago, if my memory is correct. I was in 8th or 9th grade. He was quite a showman. Godspeed
RIP Evel. Irony. I hurt my knee (which is still a problem, to this day) at Thunder Valley Dragway, in your kneck of the woods. I was on my BMX bike trying to do some cool jump and bit it hard. Evel was the man. Malcolm