Wednesday, December 16, 2009
THE son of stunt legend Evel Knievel yesterday announced an audacious bid to complete a double-decker bus jump that his late father failed to achieve.
Motorcycling daredevil Robbie Knievel, 47, will take on the challenge while riding a classic Harley Davidson XR-750.
On May 25, 1975, his father attempted to jump 13 buses at Wembley but crashed in front of an audience of 90,000, breaking his pelvis and ending his career.
Robbie said yesterday he would attempt to clear 16 buses on the same motorcycle model used by his father. The stunt will take place in London on May 22 some 35 years after his father’s attempt.
"Daredevils are a dying breed," he said. "I’m proud to have been raised by one and to be one myself.
"I’m looking forward to this and, although my dad’s jump ended with broken bones and a lot of pain, I’m confident he’ll be smiling down on this one."
Stunt promoters said negotiations were under way to begin construction of the rocket that Robbie would use to soar over the 488m gap.
Robbie has successfully completed more than 350 professional jumps, including 20 world records.
He has negotiated every jump his father attempted with the exception of two stunts — the bus-jumping attempt at Wembley Stadium and the Snake River Canyon jump in 1974.
He is the third of four children of the late Knievel and his first wife, Linda.
He performed his first show with his father at Madison Square Garden in New York aged eight.
Robbie said: "I can never fill the shoes of my father because he was the greatest stunt guy in the world — the greatest daredevil," he said.
"But I’m sure he will be up there looking down and, hopefully, helping me fly over and be proud of what I do."
He added: "Whether I make or miss it, at least I gave it a shot."
Robbie admitted "anything could happen" with the jump but said he was inspired to take it on by his the words of his father, who died in 2007 aged 69.
"Since he said I was a better rider at (the age of) 15 — and I left home at 16 — I figured I would try to jump 16 buses instead of 13," said Robbie.
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