World Famous Motorcycle Jumper Evel Knievel Dies (VIDEO)

He has been suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis for many years. Many people have expressed amazement in his being alive at all after the traumatic injuries the stuntman suffered and eventually recovered from.

(CLEARWATER, Fla.) - He was a hero to a generation that grew up fascinated with muscle cars and motorcycles, larger than life and the real leader of the pack. Evel Knievel Jr., legendary motorcycle stuntman, died today in Clearwater, Florida at the age of 69.

He will always be remembered for his ability to survive horrendous crashes and his drive, a passionate ambition to always do something no other rider in their right mind would even consider, often with great success.

Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, Jr. was born October 17th 1938. He has been suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis for many years. Many people over the years have expressed amazement in his being alive at all after the traumatic injuries he suffered and eventually recovered from. He fractured between 35 to 40 bones in his career as a motorcycle jumper.

This is the man who pushed the term "daredevil" to unheard of heights and a movie, toys, countless interviews, articles and appearances will keep his legacy alive for years to come. His stunning, suspenseful performances were ideally suited for television and of course the reality, that chance that he might crash, was part of the unavoidable suspense.

A longtime friend named Billy Rundle reported that Knievel had trouble breathing while at his residence in Clearwater, but died before the ambulance could reach the hospital.

"It's been coming for years, but you just don't expect it. Superman just doesn't die, right?" was Rundle's reaction.

Evel Knievel inspired many people to push limits on an athletic scale and he challenged physics with amazing feats riding bikes that would be considered obsolete in today's world. Today's motorcycles have advanced significantly in every respect, and the motorcycles Evel rode were the best he could have at the time, but suspension has evolved significantly since the 1970's.

Harley Davidson XR750 Courtesy: hi-speedmotorcycles.com

He will always be associated with the Harley Davidson XR750 flattracker, a bike that generated 90 horsepower, a lot for any bike, and was made by the most famous manufacturer in America, the only company making bikes at all at the time.

The Smithsonian stated, "By carefully coordinating his angle, thrust, and speed, which reached 90 to 100 miles per hour at takeoff, he remained in the air for as far as 165 feet. He chose (and customized) this motorcycle, a 1972 Harley-Davidson XR-750, because it was a light, dependable racing machine. Made of steel, aluminum, and fiberglass, it weighs approximately 300 pounds."

Evel Knievel Famous Jumps Timeline

It wasn't until December 31st 1967, according to CycleJumper.com, that Evel became a household name.

"He attempted to jump his Triumph over the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He cleared the fountains but had one of the worst motorcycle crashes ever caught on tape. He was in a coma for a month. After that horrible incident, his career literally skyrocketed."

In 1971, a new world record was set when Evel jumped 19 cars. A movie was made about his life. Whenever Evel spoke at this point, people listened. He was the master of showmanship and promotion. His toys became one of the most successful selling in the 1970's.

In the summer of 1974, Evel Knievel jump 13 semi-trucks in Canada to set another record. This was his last big jump before his most famous stunt that following in September.

On September 8th 1974, Evel attempted to jump the Snake River Canyon in what he called his "Skycycle." He unfortunately didn't make it across the 1/4 mile, the clip is included below.

I have included other video clips of Evel Knievel's famous jumps and one more candid clip of an exhibition at an Ohio drag race event.

Clip of Evel Knievel jump at the fountains at Caesar's Palace and infamous fall in Las Vegas on December 31, 1967

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Evel Knievel Jumps Snake River Canyon!

8MM film taken of Evel Knievel in May of 1974 at Dragway 42 in West Salem Ohio. Also seen is EJ Potter and Art Arfons.

Video

Special thanks to the Smithsonian Institute, Wikipedia, GeoCities.com, EvilKnievel.com and YouTube for information in this report.