Las Vegas BikeFest in partnership with Branscombe Richmond, famous actor, band leader and a force in the motorcycle world announce the formation of the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
"The Hall of Fame will honor iconic ambassadors and influential heroes who put their interest above and beyond for the motorcycle community, and touched Las Vegas in a unique way. Our aim is to celebrate, illuminate and preserve the rich tradition of motorcycling in America", commented Mindi Cherry, Producer of Las Vegas BikeFest and Branscombe Richmond curator of the Hall of Fame. "These motorcycle riders have given us their generous contributions of technology, vision, excitement and commitment." Cherry proclaimed. We are especially proud of the inaugural inductees".
The 2016 Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame Inductees are:
Keith Ball - In 1971, Ball was hired as manager of a new national motorcycle legislative organization, ABATE. After a few months, he was named associate editor of a new national motorcycle magazine, Easyriders, where he worked until 1981. Over the next few years he built ABATE into the largest national motorcycle legislative association, with 28 state chapters and some 30,000 members, and became its' national director.
In 1987, Keith returned to Paisano, and served as editor of what was now their largest magazine, Easyriders, and the editorial director of 14 other titles and remained there until 1999. In 1996 Keith launched Bikernet.com, one of the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle sites that since expanded to include Bikernet Trikes and Bikernet Baggers and reaches over 100,000 unique users each month. When he is not trying to set land speed records at Bonneville, Keith spends his free time writing books and building motorcycles. Keith continues to serve as an advisory council member for Las Vegas BikeFest.
Lorenzo Lamas - American actor, known for playing Lance Cumson on the 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest, Reno Raines on the 1990s crime drama Renegade, and Hector Ramirez on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Lorenzo Lamas Cycles founded in 2009, develops premium, world-class motorcycles and products that promote an individual's freedom of expression and style. It's also the goal of Lorenzo Cycles to bring new excitement to the international custom motorcycle and sportbike communities and to generate new interest in causes and foundations that benefit children and our Armed Forces.
Evel Knievel - his first jump was in 1966 at the National Date Festival in Indio, California. From that point on, Knievel's stunts became more ambitious and more dangerous. Some of his most memorable jumps include Caesars Palace (1967), Madison Square Garden (1971), Twin Falls, Idaho, Snake River Canyon(1975), and of course the famous Wembley Stadium jump (1975).
While in Las Vegas, Knievel first saw the fountains at Caesars Palace and decided to jump them. When he hit the takeoff ramp, it was perfect, the landing however is now the most famous motorcycle crash in history. Knievel came up short, causing the handlebars to rip out of his hands as he tumbled over them onto the pavement where he skidded into the Dunes parking lot. After his crash and recovery Knievel was more famous than ever. ABC-TV showed the jump over and over. Ironically, when Knievel finally achieved the fame and possible fortune that he always wanted, his doctors were telling him that he might never walk without the aid of crutches, let alone ride and jump motorcycles. Knievel passed away in 2007.
Robbie Knievel - son of the late famous stuntman Evel Knievel, Robbie began jumping his bicycle at age 4 and rode motorcycles at age 7.
Robbie has completed over 350 jumps, setting 20 world records. Some of his most memorable and televised jumps Include paying homage to his father, by jumping the Caesars Palace fountains. The jump took place 22 years after Evel Knievel failed to clear the fountains in 1967. Robbie landed safely and became the first to successfully jump the fountains in 1989. Following the jump, Robbie stated "that was for you, Dad".
In 1998 Robbie attempted a record-breaking jump of 231 feet over 30 limousines at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. Robbie jumped the 130-foot gap between the two 13-story Jockey Club Towers in Las Vegas in 1999 and intentionally crashed his motorcycle into hay bales to avoid falling off the second tower.
A ceremony to honor the inductees will be held on Saturday, October 1 at 8:30pm at the 16th Annual Las Vegas BikeFest held in Downtown Las Vegas - Fremont East.
Las Vegas BikeFest 2016 will be held September 29 - October 2, 2016 in the heart of downtown Las Vegas on Fremont Street East. Registration and hotel information for the 2016 Las Vegas BikeFest is now available on the event website, www.LasVegasBikeFest.com. Registration will be held at the headquarter hotel, the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino on the world-famous Fremont Street Experience. More information regarding vendor space or event registration can be found at www.LasVegasBikeFest.com, or by calling 1-866-BIKEFEST