Thank you to California Creations and our friend Michael Saltzman at Saltzman Communications for sending product in exchange for this review. All thoughts shared below are my own.

I know, I'm a little too 'mature' to get excited about toys, but my age surely did not have any impact on my reaction to the relaunch of the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle! I knew exactly who I wanted to gift this to (my nephew Z), but once it arrived I started to reconsider. 

The original stunt cycle was released in 1973, slightly before my time, but I remember Evel Kneivel being pretty popular during my 1980s childhood. So many of my friends enjoyed watching and chatting about his amazing stunts, sometimes daydreaming about performing their own stunts one day.

When I found out that California Creations relaunched the stunt cycle, I was immediately taken back to those chats of my childhood. I started looking forward to introducing a little of the awesomeness that is Evel Knievel to my nephew, Z, at first. Now, I can't wait to gift the stunt cycle to my husband, Matt. Yes, part of the reason is so that I still get to play with it whenever I want, but also because I have no doubt that he will be too glad to share (the toy, his excitement, and his memories) with all of the kids in our family! 

About the Relaunch of the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle

California Creations launched the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle at the February 2020 New York Toy Fair through a licensing agreement directly from Kelly Knievel, Evel Knievel’s oldest son. 

Kelly Knievel stated, “We wanted to duplicate the toy’s original performance, but protect the long-term collectors who have been loyal to the brand for over 45 years.” 

California Creations went to great lengths to meet the family’s high standards for the new 7-inch Daredevil; using the original 1970’s molds whenever possible, working with American Classic Toys to reengineer the amazing flywheel (gyro-mechanism) to replicate the original high powered performance, scanning the original 1970s artwork (with some minor changes to protect long term collectors) for the new package art, and changing the date and origin markings on the launcher, doll, and motorcycle to be in compliance with new safety laws (and to help avoid confusion for collectors from the originals). 

I cannot wait to open all of the contents and begin building ramps, loop-de-loops, and other obstacles for the Stunt Cycle. It's going to be so much fun!

I am already imagining videos being pulled up as Matt passionately talks about the stunts he remembers most. I know he'll be working alongside the kids, with just as much enthusiasm as they have, creating ramps and new stunts for a new generation! 

Want It? Get It!

Which Evel Knievel stunt do you find was most memorable to you? Let us know in the comments or swing by our social media pages to continue the conversation!