Like Evel Like Son: Robbie Knievel Breaks Dad's Record
It's been six months since pioneer daredevil Evel Knievel moved on to the big motorcycle jump in the sky, and 33 years since he jumped 14 Greyhound buses at King's Island, Ohio. Seeking to perpetuate his family's vocation (and perhaps posthumously upstage his father), Evel's son Robbie performed a 95 mph, 220 foot, 24 bus jump on Memorial Day which involved a 3-story ramp, shooting flames, and 2.5 seconds of airborne entertainment.
"Hopefully, I'll see you after the jump," Knievel junior said to the assembled crowd before executing the leap. While 220 feet is nothing to sneeze at (and neither is 322 feet, 7 1/2 inches), considering that Knievel senior performed his leaps on modified Harleys not quite intended for jumping duty, I'll say the original daredevil remains the gold standard when it comes to two-wheeled spectacle.
File photo © Basem Wasef
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Comments
I agree, much better bikes for jumping than a Harley. Seems like everything can be calculated to manage down the risk, but you won’t find me waiting in line to try it.
Scottie,
Robbie leaves very little to chance… measurements are made, radar guns employed, and approach angles calculated; a very different approach than his seat-o-the-pants dad.
Basem
Basem,
What bike does Robbie ride?