Knievel son to recreate Wembley jump

Added on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

The son of legendary daredevil Evel Knievel is to recreate the stunt that almost ended his father’s career in 1975 as he looks to break the record for jumping over a line of buses in London.

Robbie Knievel, 47, will follow in his father’s footsteps by attempting to jump over 16 double-decker buses at Battersea Power Station in London in May next year, 35 years after his late father’s world record attempt.

Evel Knievel broke his pelvis during his 1975 bid to jump over 14 buses in front of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium. Immediately after the crash, Knievel announced his retirement from daredevil riding before performing a similar stunt at King Island, Ohio, just six months later.

Evel passed away in November 2007, aged 69, after suffering from diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for many years.

But his son Robbie will pay tribute to his father with his latest stunt, using a Harley-Davidson XR-750 – a heavier motorcycle than the one used by his father.

“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,” Mr Knievel said.

“Daredevils are a dying breed. I’m proud to have been raised by one and to be one myself.”

Robbie, also known as the Kaptain, holds 20 world records from 350 jumps and has completed every jump his father attempted with the exception of two stunts – the buses at Wembley and the Snake River Canyon jump in 1974.

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