Robbie Knievel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robbie Knievel
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Knievel performing a wheelie at Texas Motor Speedway in 2008
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| Born |
Robert Edward Knievel II
May 7, 1962 Butte, Montana, U.S.
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| Died | January 13, 2023 (aged 60) Reno, Nevada, U.S.
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| Occupation | Stunt performer |
| Known for | Motorcycle jumping |
| Children | 2 |
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Robert Edward Knievel II (born May 7, 1962 – died January 13, 2023) was an American daredevil. He was the son of the famous stunt performer Evel Knievel. Sometimes, he was also known by the name "Kaptain Robbie Knievel."
Robbie Knievel was the third of four children born to Evel Knievel and his first wife, Linda. He was named after his grandfather. Robbie had two daughters, Krysten and Karmen, and two grandchildren, Analise and Kane. He passed away at the age of 60.
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Robbie Knievel: A Daredevil's Journey
Early Days and Big Dreams
Robbie Knievel started jumping his bicycle when he was just four years old. He began riding motorcycles at age seven. By age eight, he was already performing in shows with his father at Madison Square Garden. When he was 12, he toured with his dad, doing pre-jump shows before his father's main stunts.
Robbie went to Central Catholic High School in Butte, Montana, but he didn't finish school. He always wanted to make his jumps longer and more challenging. After getting his father's approval, Robbie decided to start his own solo stunt career.
Following in His Father's Footsteps
Robbie's jumping style was a bit different from his father's. Robbie mostly used fast Honda CR500 motocross bikes, which are made for jumping. His father, Evel, often used a heavier Harley-Davidson XR-750 motorcycle for his big jumps.
Robbie often tried to do jumps that his father had done, including the famous 1967 Caesars Palace crash. He even talked about trying to jump 16 buses on a Harley-Davidson XR-750, which would have been more than his father's record. Robbie also considered re-creating his father's attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in a special rocket-powered vehicle.
His Special Jumpsuits
Just like his father, Robbie Knievel wore cool V-shaped jumpsuits in red, white, and blue. These outfits were similar to Evel Knievel's famous white leather suit. Robbie had a few different versions of his jumpsuits over the years:
- A white jumpsuit with a red V and white stars, which he wore as a teenager.
- A white jumpsuit with a blue V and white stars, often with a removable cape, used for most of his professional career.
- A black jumpsuit with a white V and blue stars, used for a special jump in Las Vegas in 2009.
Amazing Daredevil Jumps
Robbie Knievel completed over 340 jumps in his career, setting 20 world records!
Jumps Seen on TV
Many of Robbie Knievel's most exciting jumps were shown live on television. These included his jump over the Caesars Palace fountains, a daring jump between two buildings in Las Vegas, and a jump over a moving train. He also jumped in front of the volcano at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his famous Grand Canyon jump.
| Televised Jump | Date | Details |
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| Caesars Palace Jump | April 14, 1989 | Robbie jumped the Caesars Palace fountains to honor his father. Evel Knievel had tried this jump in 1967 but crashed. Robbie landed safely, becoming the first to successfully jump the fountains. He said, "that was for you, Dad." |
| Daredevil Duel Jump | July 10, 1993 | Robbie competed against British stuntman Eddie Kidd in a "jump off" in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Each rider made three jumps. Eddie Kidd won by jumping 6 feet (1.8 m) farther than Robbie. Robbie hoped for a rematch, but Eddie retired after a serious accident. |
| 30 Limousines Jump | February 24, 1998 | Robbie attempted a record-breaking jump of 231 feet (70 m) over 30 limousines. This jump happened at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. His father, Evel Knievel, was there to support him. |
| Building-to-Building Jump | February 4, 1999 | Robbie jumped a 130-foot (40 m) gap between two 13-story Jockey Club towers in Las Vegas. To stop safely, he purposely crashed his motorcycle into bales of hay on the second tower. |
| The Grand Canyon Jump | May 20, 1999 | This was one of Robbie's most famous jumps. He jumped his motorcycle for a personal record of 228 feet (69 m). However, he lost control when he landed and broke his leg. This jump was inspired by his father's dream to jump the Grand Canyon. |
| The Train Jump | February 23, 2000 | Robbie jumped over a moving train at the Palestine Park Depot in Texas. He rode his motorcycle at 80 mph towards the ramp as the train approached at 30 mph. While he was in the air, the train destroyed his launch ramp! |
| The USS Intrepid Jump | July 30, 2004 | Robbie jumped over five military airplanes on the deck of the USS Intrepid in New York City. This jump helped promote a TV movie about his father, Evel Knievel. |
| The Mirage Hotel Jump | December 31, 2008 | On New Year's Eve, Robbie was supposed to jump the volcano at the Mirage Hotel. He actually did a 200-foot (60 m) ramp-to-ramp jump in front of the volcano with fireworks behind him. |
Other Exciting Jumps
In 1996, Robbie jumped over 10 limousines at the Lake Elsinore Storm Stadium. In 2003, he jumped over 15 Diet Pepsi trucks at the Chinook Winds Casino. In 2006, he jumped from one barge to another in Jacksonville, Florida. Later that year, he did a special triple tribute jump for his father in Butte, Montana, jumping over the Batmobile, four huge flame throwers, and a 1959 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
On March 18, 2007, Robbie jumped over military vehicles in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also appeared in a TV commercial for Holiday Inn Express. In June 2007, he jumped over $4.8 billion in fake money in Wilmington, Delaware. In August 2007, he was added to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Sturgis, South Dakota, where he also performed a jump.
On May 24, 2008, Robbie successfully jumped over 24 Coca-Cola Zero truck cabs at Kings Island Amusement Park near Cincinnati, Ohio. This jump happened 33 years after his father, Evel Knievel, jumped over 14 Greyhound buses at the same park. Robbie landed a few feet short on his safety deck, just like his father had done in 1975.
Robbie also jumped on June 7, 2008, at the Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, Texas. He cleared 21 Hummers, even though he had planned to jump 25. He changed his plan because of a strong headwind that evening.
On August 16, 2008, while doing wheelies before a jump near Hayward, Wisconsin, Robbie fell off his bike and dislocated his shoulder. Even with his injury, he still performed the jump, clearing four small airplanes and a small helicopter.
On October 31, 2008, Robbie did two jumps in Nashville, Tennessee to promote a special glow-in-the-dark paint. He finished 2008 with a New Year's Eve jump at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. This was his 8th live TV special.
Robbie Knievel's last jump was on October 29, 2011, in Coachella, California, at the Spotlight 29 Casino. He jumped 150 feet (46 m) over tractor trailer trucks.
Other Ventures
In 2005, Robbie Knievel starred in the A&E TV series Knievel's Wild Ride. He also opened a business called Knievel's Custom Cycles in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, selling custom motorcycles and clothing.
See also
In Spanish: Robbie Knievel para niños
