David Knight MBE ? Knighter honoured at Buckingham Palace

Kelly RedBullShoot 141111 46 of 59 220x329 David Knight MBE ? Knighter honoured at Buckingham Palace

Three times world enduro champ and British off-road legend David Knight was honoured for his unquestionable services to motorcycling on Tuesday when he donned a penguin suit and joined the great and the good of British society at Buckingham Palace where he was awarded an MBE for his career achievements.

Nominated by the government of his Isle of Man homeland for the award, Knighter joins an ultra exclusive list as an off-road motorcyclist awarded for his achievements in the competitive arena. Only trials legend Dougie Lampkin has previously been awarded with an MBE from the off-road world.

MOTO caught up with Knighter in London the day before the big event at Buckingham Palace as he got fitted up for the traditional morning suit worn to the ceremony, and the big man admitted to being more than a little nervous about meeting the Queen and receiving the award.

?It was a real surprise, but a big honour to be awarded an MBE,? says Knighter. ?It?s not something you even think about when you grow up racing off-road. You?d hear of a few guys being given them when I was kid, but that was road race guys and motorcycling was a lot more mainstream back then, no like now.

?I knew something was up when a former IOM government guy asked for my number and said someone needed to call me. The new governor of the IOM then called me up out of the blue and said I had been awarded an MBE. I knew what an MBE was, but I didn?t know how you got one or what for until he explained it to me. It was a big shock.

Kelly RedBullShoot 141111 9 of 59 220x329 David Knight MBE ? Knighter honoured at Buckingham Palace

?I didn?t really know what to say a first as it was so unexpected, they probably thought I was bit ungrateful, but when word got out and people started talking to me about it, it made me realise how big a deal it is. They don?t hand them out to just anyone and the government people told me how hard it is to get someone even nominated to be considered for one.

?It?s a very proud moment in my life. There?s a hell of a lot of great champions who haven?t been given this honour so it feels very special. I?m really proud that it?s some good publicity for off-road sport for a change too. We?re only a very small sport and we don?t have a good public image to the outside world, so to bring some positive coverage to it is a really pleasing thing too.

?I?m a bit nervous about the actual event, it?s a bit out of my comfort zone really with all the dressing up and the protocol you have to follow, but I?ll definitely enjoy the day and it?s something I?ll remember for the rest of my life without a doubt.?

Asked if receiving an MBE would change his outlook, Knighter?s response was not entirely serious.

?I might start getting MBE added next to my name in all the race programs and I think I should get KTM to add the letters to the team truck and all my posters and things like that. It might be good for upgrades in hotels and on planes though, so I?m definitely going to try it on the my next flight. If it works, I?ll be ordering a new passport.?

Congrats to Knighter for his remarkable achievement from all at MOTO.

Words by Ben Johnson

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Source: http://moto.mpora.com/news/david-knight-mbe-knighter-honoured-buckingham-palace.html

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