Indian Larry...

...dies in a motorcycle stunt...

My only exposure to Indian Larry was on the Discovery Channel's "Biker Buildoff" series in which two bike builders are matched up to see who can build the best motorcyle. The motorcycles are then judged by the crowd at a biker rally to which the builders drove their respective bikes together.

This particular episode had Indian Larry pitted against another builder who was extremely cocky despite Indian Larry's years of experience and not inconsiderable fame in the field. Both builders finished their bikes, but when Indian Larry showed up to begin their ride the other bike wouldn't start.

They spent hours working together trying to get that bike to start. It took so long that the producers of the show even offered to let Indian Larry declare victory since the other bike wasn't working in time. He declined, saying that it wasn't right to win by forfeit.

In good time, they got the other bike working and arrived at the rally. Indian Larry's bike was judged the winner, but he had already made an agreement with the other builder that they would split the trophy no matter who was judged the winner. True to his word, he refused to accept the award and instead the trophy was cut into pieces and thrown to the enthusiastic crowd.

No doubt he lived his life in some ways that others might criticize, but character matters. The character of the man showed through that day - magnanimous in victory and friendly to a fault. My sympathy to his family and friends on their loss...