Monday, October 13, 2014

Today in motorcycle history, October 13, 1968



   
  

  

  





  On what turns out to be his last jump using a T120 Triumph Bonneville, Evel Kneivel crashes in Carson City, Nevada.






  Attempting to jump ten cars at Carson-Tahoe Speedway in Carson City, Nevada, Evel catches the roof of the last car causing him to crash on to the landing ramp. The "landing" breaks both his shoulder and his hip.  


  The Carson City jump will end his long relationship with the Bonneville.  He switches to a Laverda 750cc American Eagle in  April of 1969.  Evel Kneivel will leave the Laverda (in pieces) for a Harley-Davidson XR-750 in December, 1969. 


  It's the XR-750 that he becomes associated with on everything from lunchboxes, die-cast and plastic models, bed sheets, T-shirts, jackets, yo-yo's, dolls, pinball machines, posters, sunglasses, board games, etc.



 Viva Evel Knievel!






   Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk