World Champion Stunt Rider, Kevin Carmichael entertains crowds with his motorcycling skills and stunts like no other. A friendly and down to earth 36 year old Scot, he clearly loves what he does. All the time he is riding, popping wheelies, burning rubber, he grins – from ear to ear. I feel privileged to have met a man in so in love with his bike, his job and the crowds. When his front wheel drops, and the bikes are parked, he is just as happy to sign autographs, answer questions and entertain even more. A true star of the day.

Kevin

Kevin started to ride bikes when he was just 7 years old. He became the Scottish Motocross Champion gaining a string of titles in both Junior and Adult competitions. Having been wheelie mad since a small boy and performing tricks better than any of his riding friends, started stunt riding in 1997, just 8 weeks before the European Championship, which he went on to win on his first attempt. He decided to turn professional and has won many championships both in the UK and abroad.

He was crowned European Champion again in 1999 and 2000, took the UK title in 2001 and won the World Championship, held in Texas, USA, the following season.  In fact, since the competition side of the sport has grown from an entertainment novelty into an officially recognised contest, no one rider has been as successful as Kevin Carmichael.

For those who have not witnessed a championship stunt event, the scene has come a long way from the Evel Kneivel days of riding a big Harley over as many trucks as possible and hoping still to be seated on the bike at the end!  It is now a highly skilled and closely choreographed art demanding amazing levels of talent and finesse.

Kevin's Stunt Bikes

The move to Triumph, and the Speed Triple in particular, has seen Kevin find several advantages over his rivals on different machines. "The Speed Triple develops its power in a very linear way and with its small and compact power plant situated almost bang on the centre of gravity, it's ideally suited to stunt riding," says Kevin.  Of course it was never intended for this purpose, but it is surely a testament of the bike's capabilities when faced with almost any environment, no matter how extreme or unusual.

The two Speed Triples used by Kevin are set up in very different ways.  One is completely standard and is the 'stoppie and general routine' bike.  The second has heavily modified cycle parts, enabling the quick removal of the fork and wheel for the 'No Front End Wheelie'.

This sees Kevin and his back-up team remove the complete front end from the Triumph, leaving just the triple clamps and bars in place before he sets off around the arena on the back wheel, in absolute control but obviously unable to stop until he returns to the starting point.  According to the man himself, this is the craziest thing Kevin performs, crazier even than pulling a circular wheelie while seated on the handlebars.

The second machine is also stripped of its front brake and all the lights have been removed, enabling super vertical wheelies to be performed, something Kevin has made a bit of a trademark of, along with his two-up monowheel exhibitions.

Alongside the two Speed Triples Kevin also uses a slightly modified, striking yellow and black Triumph Bonneville and a standard Daytona 600.

  Carmichael insists stunt riding is all down to practice, something he tries to do every day when the weather allows.  In particular practice is the key to any new routine and at present Kevin's working on a seated backwards, completely circular wheelie and a handstand on the tank!

He invented many of his tricks, which are now copied worldwide. His unique stunts are wheelies with no front wheel or forks, which he now intends to take one stage further, and wheelies in circles with two passengers.

Click here to view one of Kevin's Stunts, taken from the Sheene Run 2005

For further pictures, contact address and information, Kevin has a Flash website www.kevincarmichael.com

Back again for a second time, the Xtreme Trials team never fail to impress. This time there were sited in a better location for the crowds, in the park, possibly for the team also, as the ground was softer than tarmac if they mis-judged any stunts. Not as we expected any, there would not be any impromptu mistakes, but things can go wrong.

Skilful riding and tricks entertain any crowd, but they introduce humour with the excitement.

The ‘X-Treme Motorcycle Stunt Trials Display Team’ was formed back in 1998 after the germ of an idea by two of Europe’s top young riders, Martin Crosswaite and Dan Clark.

Following numerous requests from various show organisers to perform their riding skills at many events, the decision was taken to manufacture a purpose-built mobile stunt display unit that would be quick to assemble, while giving event visitors a good view of the stunt team showing their very exciting talent. The unit would also be capable of reaching all four corners of the UK quickly and economically, and be light enough not to damage paved areas and event arenas. Over the years, the team has expanded going from strength to strength, now employing more of the world’s best riders and professional comperes to meet the demand.

Martin Crosswaite and Dan Clark were put on motorcycles when they had just about learned to walk!! Ever since that moment their love of the machines and the sport of trials riding never left them. Growing up and competing against each other every day both riders soon went onto dominate the schoolboy classes winning national titles at every age level on more than one occasion. Since moving to adult rank they both boast similar success with European championship wins, many world championship points and through representing Great Britain in the ‘trials des nations, (the Olympics of motorcycling) a world championship gold medal each. Participation in these events opened the door to many rides in extreme indoor trials all over Europe, this is where they learned that providing an entertaining show to the public is just as important as the result in the competition itself.

The extreme trials display team was a new idea born of this experience combining choreography, stunt riding and showmanship together to bring the public an incredible show of amazing stunt riding from two very talented men. The idea has proved to be a winner. The show consists of 15ft jumps up vertical walls, amazing “drop-offs”, a full range of free-style tricks, some of which can only be attempted by a handful of riders throughout the world, wheelies (back and front wheel) plus other spectacular stunts which, combined with the showmanship and humour the show offers, will leave the audience in disbelief of what they have just witnessed.

Click here to see their video demonstrating the abilities of this team.

For more information and contact details see Xtremetrials.co.uk

 

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