Photo: Carandclassic auction house
Many years ago, Ozzy Osbourne nearly died in a quad bike accident. The year was 2003, and he was chilling on his family's estate while a reality show was being filmed. The latter had just begun airing the year prior, and it brought viewers into the life of the Osbourne family. Now, almost two decades after that crash that nearly killed the rock and roll star, that quad bike is for sale.
We are writing about a 1996 Yamaha Banshee with a 350-cc two-stroke engine, which was known back in the day for its horsepower and power band. As Ozzy found out, if you dig into the throttle too briskly, you might not be able to control the outcome.
Back then, the British singer and TV personality suffered from a broken collarbone, a cracked vertebra, as well as injuries to eight of his ribs. The accident left him unconscious and temporarily unable to breathe. Fortunately for him, Ozzy was not alone in the woods with a quad bike toppled on his torso (yes, people have died that way), but on his estate, and his actions were monitored from a distance, as he was also being filmed.
Fortunately for the rock and roll legend, there was someone who managed to step in at the right time, call an ambulance, and then ensure that the Black Sabbath lead singer received proper medical care. Ozzy then made a remarkable recovery and continued to film the series up until 2005. Note that, at the time, the first season of the series was considered the most-viewed ever on MTV.
The quad bike comes with its original handbook, which even explains that it is not suitable for beginners. There is also a handwritten note inside, which is believed to be from Sharon Osbourne to her husband, which writes: "Be Safe."
Since Ozzy revealed in a 2009 interview on BBC Radio 2 that he “was stoned” during the entire duration of filming the series, as well as the resulting accident, it is clear that he did not bother to read the manual.
The ATV still bears the scars from the accident, in the form of visible marks on the front crash bar, as well as a crack in one of the rear wings. The quad is described as "just as usable as it is unique," and the auction house that handles its sale mentions that it can only be used off-road.
The auction ends on December 1, 2022, and there are nine bids on the ATV at the time of writing. The highest bid sits at GBP 9,000 (ca. $10,820), which is a lot for a 1996 Yamaha Banshee 350, but a bargain for a vehicle with such an interesting history, if you also happen to be a fan of the Prince of Darkness.
Back then, the British singer and TV personality suffered from a broken collarbone, a cracked vertebra, as well as injuries to eight of his ribs. The accident left him unconscious and temporarily unable to breathe. Fortunately for him, Ozzy was not alone in the woods with a quad bike toppled on his torso (yes, people have died that way), but on his estate, and his actions were monitored from a distance, as he was also being filmed.
Fortunately for the rock and roll legend, there was someone who managed to step in at the right time, call an ambulance, and then ensure that the Black Sabbath lead singer received proper medical care. Ozzy then made a remarkable recovery and continued to film the series up until 2005. Note that, at the time, the first season of the series was considered the most-viewed ever on MTV.
The quad bike comes with its original handbook, which even explains that it is not suitable for beginners. There is also a handwritten note inside, which is believed to be from Sharon Osbourne to her husband, which writes: "Be Safe."
Since Ozzy revealed in a 2009 interview on BBC Radio 2 that he “was stoned” during the entire duration of filming the series, as well as the resulting accident, it is clear that he did not bother to read the manual.
The ATV still bears the scars from the accident, in the form of visible marks on the front crash bar, as well as a crack in one of the rear wings. The quad is described as "just as usable as it is unique," and the auction house that handles its sale mentions that it can only be used off-road.
The auction ends on December 1, 2022, and there are nine bids on the ATV at the time of writing. The highest bid sits at GBP 9,000 (ca. $10,820), which is a lot for a 1996 Yamaha Banshee 350, but a bargain for a vehicle with such an interesting history, if you also happen to be a fan of the Prince of Darkness.
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