What would Evil Knievel think of this

[Canuck750]

Seller describes this Aermacchi as an Evil Knievel Tribute Bike! Did Evil ever ride a Harley / Aermacchi? seems a bit too tame for Knievel.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Harley-Davidson-XS350/154185809798?hash=item23e630bf86:g:Kb8AAOSw2CNfqXbu

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Related, here's a good story:
https://www.wibw.com/2020/11/07/rare-evel-knievel-motorcycle-makes-half-century-journey-to-topeka/

[Canuck750]

Related, here's a good story:
https://www.wibw.com/2020/11/07/rare-evel-knievel-motorcycle-makes-half-century-journey-to-topeka/

Great storey Charlie, I had no idea Laverda's were linked to the king of stunt jumping,

[oldbike54]

 Evel went from Triumph to American Eagle to HD. His first Snake River bike was a Triumph with 2 little JATO boosters and 2 delta wings at the rear .

 Dusty

[fotoguzzi]

I interviewed him once, boy was he a grump. And all crumpled up with a cane to get around.

[wymple]

" And all crumpled up with a cane to get around."

He sorta earned that cane.

[fatbob]

Evel woulda loved that Sprint!  Though he probably wouldn’t have jumped it! 

[OldMojo]

I think "tribute" in this case means "decorated". That tank decal doesn't look remotely period for 1971, and the little eagle decal says "SX" 350 while the ad says it's a XS350.

The bike looks clean, and while I'm sure they're not common, I don't think there's any genuine Knievel connection to lend any extra "rarity" to it.

[moto]

I talked to him once, about 1966 or 7. He told me he only went to Harleys because he found his audience wanted it. He said he preferred the Triumphs for jumping and would even prefer a Honda 450!

I bet he would have liked that Aermacchi.

When I met him he was very pleasant and direct. I remember he drove to the TV station I worked at in a purple Rolls Royce. Made quite a favorable impression on me, as I think back on it now.

Moto

[chuck peterson]

“tribute” is the key wording from the sales department ...doesn’t mean he came near it

Love the aeromachiatta!

[Travlr]

  for the Topeka museum.  Worth the trip.

Mike

[moto]

Whoops. Last night I began to doubt my earlier account of what Evel said he preferred to use in 1966 or 1967, when I met him in an Idaho Falls TV station. It was a Triumph that he was jumping with at the time, not a Harley. And he said (really) that he would have preferred to jump a Honda 450, except that he believed his fans wanted the Triumph.

So my, ahem, 53-year-old memory was not perfect! Here is a photo in support of my revised recollection, from the July 14, 1968, Idaho State Journal announcing his upcoming performance at the state fair and his intent to jump the Grand Canyon. It shows him still riding a Triumph.



When I met him the Caesar's Palace crash was still in his future. He never jumped the Grand Canyon, of course.

Trying not to create "alternative facts" here!

Moto