2. Big Ed” Beckley was born and raised in Scott City, Kansas, a town of 3,500 people. Beckley
himself calls the area “pucker brush” and as he says it is “4 miles west of no where!”
It was this humble beginning that started Big Ed Beckley’s quest for an adventurous life. Ed was
always the one that other kid’s dared to do something, and he never backed down. Beckley had
plenty scars from jumping his bicycle and crashing but he always seem to draw a crowd
because there was always a crazier stunt than the last one.
He saw Evel jump at the Kansas State Fair in 1971 and it looked like an easy money lifestyle. 2
years later built a wooden ramp with used lumber he paid $14 dollars for the wood and built it
himself. Big Ed was 23 when he took his first jump in 1973 and drew a huge crowd of nearly
3,000 people which was more than the town’s population he was performing in!
From a small fairgrounds in Kansas to jumping in front of huge sold out crowds in MADISON
SQUARE GARDEN, SUPERDOME, LA COLISEUM, BC PLACE, SILVERDOME, METRO DOME,
KING DOME, BUSCH STADIUM, THE SPECTRUM, JFK STADIUM, and 3 RIVERS STADIUM and
many other arenas and stadiums. In MADISION SQUARE GARDEN he had to start in the
security man’s restroom to get enough speed to successfully make the jump! One year Beckley
did over 50 shows in 32 states!
“Big Ed” at 65 years old, is billed as the “Worlds Largest Motorcycle Daredevil Jumper”, yet
even bigger is Beckley’s spirit and personality. Big Ed Beckley has always been a person of
great drive, with a will to do whatever it takes to defy the gravity of the odds that surround him.
He is the “Real Deal”.
First solo ride 10 years old on a Harley 125ccFirst solo ride 10 years old on a Harley 125cc
3. 1978-1988 Big Ed on a Yamaha 1981 over a long line of new
cars!
Over 1000 successful
jumps
Curt Winter from BTR MOTO built
this 2300cc Harley-Davidson Jump
Bike
4. Harley 600cc
Jumping 12 cars on the Yamaha 500Jumping 12 cars on the Yamaha 500
1980 at the Kansas State Fair1980 at the Kansas State Fair
5. BIG ED creates a personable connection to his fans!
fans have a positive response to BIG ED.
fans are mesmerized about his size and what he can do.
fans want to know where they can see BIG ED.
fans are Love the fact he rides a Harley-Davidson.
fans after meeting him ask….. He is how old?
LIVE LIKE A ROCK STAR and You’ll be one!!
Big Ed always finds the spot light!
ITG
6. After a very successful jumping career from 1973-1994 Big Ed stopped his jumping career to be involved in
raising his son and taking him motorcycle racing. The thrill of performing never left his mind and in
November 2011 Ed decided he was going to start jumping again.
Ed wanted to use a Harley-Davidson based motorcycle. That is when Ed started researching internet for
the perfect builder it was apparent Curt Winter was the guy. Curt builds custom Hill Climb Competition bikes
and his Big Twin Racing Company is regarded as the best.
Building a jump bike with a Harley engine took a few months and while Ed waited he decided to get his old
jump bike – 600cc Harley-Davidson jump bike off display in his office and put it back to work.
It had been sitting since 1994 in his office on display and he did not have the proper time to test the 600 and
crashed hard. The bike seemed to have locked up as Ed was going up the take off ramp in Salt Lake Jan. 5,
2012. With a full on 50 mph face plant into the landing ramp Big Ed had no broken bones! Severely
bruised and battered he walked out of the Trauma Center after only 4 days in the hospital and drove himself
back to Texas. The doctors there said, “Mister Beckley this crash would have killed most 30 year olds so
whatever you are doing keep doing it!”
Since the new bike build and the huge workout routine and weight loss of over 140 lbs. since that accident in
Salt Lake he has completed many successful jumps in front of THOUSANDS of people.
BUT then here was the wreck in Hobbs, New Mexico March 7th
2014 that nearly killed him! He was doing an
indoor show and the floor was slick concrete. After several practice runs he knew he was going to be short
of speed and still he went for it because that is what a true daredevil does. The crash almost killed him. The
bike endowed several times and he had all the ribs on this left side broken, his sternum pulled apart, he had
a ruptured spleen, many bumps and bruises, and a severe head injury. On the helicopter life flight the
doctors lost him twice but Ed came to and in 4 days was out of the hospital and into a rehabilitation hospital
where they had to help him walk and get his memory back. Big Ed jumped on June 28th
, 2014 over 10 trucks
at the Abilene Speedway and he was on doctors orders …not to crash! So far so good!
9. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
SILVERDOME
SUPER DOME
LA COLISEUM
BC PLACE
PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
JFK STADIUM
CAPITOL CENTRE
KING DOME
BUSCH STADIUM
3 RIVERS STADIUM
NHRA CAJUN NATIONALS
CASPER EVENTS CENTER
METRA PARK ARENA
HARA ARENA
WHEELING COLISEUM
HARDY MURPHY COLISEUM
SIOUX FALLS ARENA
MESQUITE ARENA
REUNION ARENA
BELL COUNTY EXPO ARENA
KANSAS STATE FAIR
HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK
DODGE CITY RACEWAY PARK
DIXIE SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA MEMORIAL COLISEUM
SYRACUSE MEMORIAL ARENA
UTICA NEW YORK COLISEUM
OKLAHOMA STATE FAIRGROUNDS
STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY
VICTORIA CANANDA NATIONAL
SPEEDWAY
BUFFALO NEW YORK COLISEUM
ODESSA RACEWAY PARK
ROBERTS MUNCIPAL STADIUM
WICHITA INTERNATIONAL DRAGWAY
CALAGARY INTERNATIONAL DRAGWAY
PENNSYLVANIA KEYSTONE DRAGWAY
ANTIOCH FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY
PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL
RFK STADIUM
LAKESIDE SPEEDWAY
