#30 Keith Kardell
Simpsonville, SC
1923 Harley-Davidson JD
Team #keithkardell
2021 sees Crazy Keith Kardell on another great adventure as he takes on the Motorcycle Cannonball. Crazy Keith will ride a 1923 H-D JD from Michigan where he grew up to Texas where he met his wife Lisa. In the 70’s he began his motorcycle stunt riding career riding Triumphs at drag strips throughout the Midwest. He then perfected how to ski on steel shoes while being pulled by the riderless motorcycle.
Crazy Keith rode Kawasaki’s during the 80’s performing at Dragbike! events across the country. It was during this time that Crazy Keith introduced his famous back-flip stunt. “From a normal riding position with steel shoes on my feet and the throttle locked at 60mph, I lay back on the seat; reach over my head to find the grab-bar at the back of the seat and then kick my feet in the air to throw me in a backwards summersault off the back of the motorcycle. I never let go of the grab-bar as I flip over and end up with my feet on the pavement being dragged by my Harley.”
The 90’s found Crazy Keith riding with the Bartels’ H-D team. Keith contracted with NHRA and performed his stunt show at over 37 NHRA national events from Pomona to Gainesville. Crazy Keith developed a new stunt during the 90’s called bungee skiing. “While skiing on my steel shoes behind the riderless bike with the throttle locked on about 60mph, I grab the end of a 7-foot bungee rope and let go of the bike. The rope unravels and then stretches 21 feet and then I bounce and do some hand-over-hand to catch back up to the bike.”
Keith is married and has two grown children. He has a bachelor’s degree in physics from Michigan Tech and an MBA from the University of Houston. He has worked at Lockheed Martin for over 34 years. Keith became fascinated watching videos of the Motorcycle Cannonball. Keith says “I see camaraderie and I see participants having fun. I like meeting new people and I like catching up with old friends. As a participant of the Motorcycle Cannonball my goals are: 1) safety, 2) be a blessing to everyone I meet and 3) have fun. I am grateful for the support of my family and friends including Dave Rivera, Tommy Sloan, Ralph Camp, Mosley Hardy, the Bartels’ H-D family, the KD Machine family, the Sidewinders and the AMCA Legends chapter. Thank you Lonnie Isam Jr. for dreaming big dreams. And thank you Jason and Lee Ann for the good work you do.”
Visit www.keithkardell.com for links to the Facebook, Instagram and YouTube including Keith’s Cannonball entry video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
