Bob Gill
Bob Gill's motorcycle career began in 1962 with dirt track & road racing. He won the Sebring, Florida
125 mile International Road Race in 1963 and in 1964 the Pacific Northwest T.T. Championship in
Portland Oregon on a factory Honda. Soon he realized you can't make much money racing
motorcycles. So in 1970, Bob Gill began jumping bikes full time. Bob made 65 jumps his first year
earning over $80,000
He first started off by jumping five cars at a time. Bob quickly realized that this probably wasn't the best
way to figure out how far a person could fly a motorcycle. Gill got help from a friend in Florida who
knew physics. His friend figured out the ramp angles and speed that he needed to get the job done.
During the early days of his career, the hardest part for Gill was not jumping cars, but speaking in
front of large crowds. That's what would scare him. He finally go over that fear.
Bob's career has many highlights. He was the first to jump without a landing ramp. There were only a
few other jumpers in the 1970's that did not use a landing ramp. Bob Pleso and Robin Winter-Smith
are two names that come to mind, both died trying..
Gill was also the first motorcycle jumper to actually jump a canyon on a real motorcycle. He jumped
across the Cajun Canyon back in 1972.
Gill also held the world record for the longest motorcycle jump of 171 ft over 22 cars. This took place
in Seattle, Washington in front of 20,000 fans!
Unfortunately his career came to an end when he attempted to clear a 200 ft gap over the Appalachia
Lake. Bob came up short and crashed. That was the last time he ever performed.
Bob Gill's motorcycle career began in 1962 with dirt track & road racing. He won the Sebring, Florida
125 mile International Road Race in 1963 and in 1964 the Pacific Northwest T.T. Championship in
Portland Oregon on a factory Honda. Soon he realized you can't make much money racing
motorcycles. So in 1970, Bob Gill began jumping bikes full time. Bob made 65 jumps his first year
earning over $80,000
He first started off by jumping five cars at a time. Bob quickly realized that this probably wasn't the best
way to figure out how far a person could fly a motorcycle. Gill got help from a friend in Florida who
knew physics. His friend figured out the ramp angles and speed that he needed to get the job done.
During the early days of his career, the hardest part for Gill was not jumping cars, but speaking in
front of large crowds. That's what would scare him. He finally go over that fear.
Bob's career has many highlights. He was the first to jump without a landing ramp. There were only a
few other jumpers in the 1970's that did not use a landing ramp. Bob Pleso and Robin Winter-Smith
are two names that come to mind, both died trying..
Gill was also the first motorcycle jumper to actually jump a canyon on a real motorcycle. He jumped
across the Cajun Canyon back in 1972.
Gill also held the world record for the longest motorcycle jump of 171 ft over 22 cars. This took place
in Seattle, Washington in front of 20,000 fans!
Unfortunately his career came to an end when he attempted to clear a 200 ft gap over the Appalachia
Lake. Bob came up short and crashed. That was the last time he ever performed.
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oundation
Career Highlights:
Dec. 4 th, 1970: Bob was performing a promotional jump for a photographer. Bob was to jump five cars and the photographer was to lay
on the roofs. The photographer stood up while Bob was flying over. Bob hit him and crashed. Gill broke 2 ribs, fractured both clavicles,
fractured his pelvis and had many other internal injuries.
April 16, 1972: Bob jumped the Cajun Canyon near New Orleans. The canyon was 60 ft deep and 152 ft across. 10,000 people showed
up to watch him jump his Suzuki 400. Gill was 26 years old.
July 8, 1972: On this three day weekend, Gill jumped 15 cars at 125 ft and then 16 cars at 135 ft, then on Sunday, 19 cars 165 ft. Before
a crowd of 42,000 fans.
July 23, 1972: At the Lakeland International Raceway near Memphis, Tennessee, Bob jumped 130 ft. But upon landing his front wheel
collapsed. He slid 125 more feet on the pavement.
1973: Bob successfully jumped 171 feet over 22 cars in Seattle, Washington. Gill used no landing ramp and was riding a Kawasaki.
1974: While attempting to jump 200 feet over the Appalachia Lake. He unfortunately came up about three feet short. Gill hit the dirt
embankment very hard at 95 mph and upon landing was thrown forward onto the hard dirt. He suffered severe back injuries which put an
end to his motorcycle jumping career.
1976: Bob rode a hand controlled Kawasaki 900 cross country over 8,000 miles to 30 major cities raising $1,200.000.00 for spinal cord
recovery & repair. The ride was from Florida to Hollywood, California all over the USA.
Today: Bob Gill founded "The Bob Gill Foundation"
Dec. 4 th, 1970: Bob was performing a promotional jump for a photographer. Bob was to jump five cars and the photographer was to lay
on the roofs. The photographer stood up while Bob was flying over. Bob hit him and crashed. Gill broke 2 ribs, fractured both clavicles,
fractured his pelvis and had many other internal injuries.
April 16, 1972: Bob jumped the Cajun Canyon near New Orleans. The canyon was 60 ft deep and 152 ft across. 10,000 people showed
up to watch him jump his Suzuki 400. Gill was 26 years old.
July 8, 1972: On this three day weekend, Gill jumped 15 cars at 125 ft and then 16 cars at 135 ft, then on Sunday, 19 cars 165 ft. Before
a crowd of 42,000 fans.
July 23, 1972: At the Lakeland International Raceway near Memphis, Tennessee, Bob jumped 130 ft. But upon landing his front wheel
collapsed. He slid 125 more feet on the pavement.
1973: Bob successfully jumped 171 feet over 22 cars in Seattle, Washington. Gill used no landing ramp and was riding a Kawasaki.
1974: While attempting to jump 200 feet over the Appalachia Lake. He unfortunately came up about three feet short. Gill hit the dirt
embankment very hard at 95 mph and upon landing was thrown forward onto the hard dirt. He suffered severe back injuries which put an
end to his motorcycle jumping career.
1976: Bob rode a hand controlled Kawasaki 900 cross country over 8,000 miles to 30 major cities raising $1,200.000.00 for spinal cord
recovery & repair. The ride was from Florida to Hollywood, California all over the USA.
Today: Bob Gill founded "The Bob Gill Foundation"
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