Be Honest, can you ride a wheelie?

mikec265
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mikec265 9/26/2018 2:02pm
9/26/2018 2:02pm
I've heard most pro riders can't wheelie that good. Then I've seen guys who can't ride, but somehow are good at wheelies. I haven't figured it out so far in 22 years
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stuckmojo 9/26/2018 2:23pm
9/26/2018 2:23pm
Not like a "Jarvis" wheelie but I can accelerate 2nd to 5th on a wheelie. Not very good at it
moto0852
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moto0852 9/26/2018 2:24pm
9/26/2018 2:24pm
Not really and, it bugs me. so much so that I'm going to build me one of these! You can't find them anywhere to buy but I've got the plans to build one. It's going to run about 1,000 dollars but that's my level of commitment!

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809
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809 9/26/2018 2:24pm
9/26/2018 2:24pm
Bicycle yes, a quad I can for miles but my bike only at speed. I wish I could at slow speeds or had the same skill as on a quad, I can go slow, fast, multiple people on there, turn, it doesn't matter. I should probably practice more on my bike, just don't have the time, it is hard enough to squeeze in riding at all right now.

The Shop

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AZRider
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AZRider 9/26/2018 2:27pm
9/26/2018 2:27pm
Back when I lived in San Diego and was going to Ocotillo Wells every weekend during desert season, I used to jump on the highway (78) behind my buddy in his jeep and ride 1 handers behind him in the Jeep for miles. Had to make a few fast exits when rangers or cops saw and didn't appreciate my hard earned skill.

Part of that time, I was also attending San Diego State and had an XR600 with a street legal kit on it. That thing was amazing for riding wheelies up some of the winding roads. Nothing in this world compares to riding an uphill wheelie through an entire S-curve at 40 mph. Amazingly, the El Cajon police didn't appreciate my skill either.

Then one day I was on a GSXR1000 at Willow Springs and my turning wheelie skills went south on me. Luckily, I had great gear on, but still ended up with a couple funny scars from my watch getting so hot from grinding on the track that the backside of it burned my wrist. Side of my Arai Nakano Replica was ground down a fair amount and got so hot inside it burned my lip and inner cheek. Weirdest crash I have ever had.
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gsxr6
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gsxr6 9/26/2018 2:30pm
9/26/2018 2:30pm
I find most buddies will back off in a close drag race right around the time I start floating the front wheel off the ground and staring at them instead of watching where I'm going lol. Intimidation tactic
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NorCal 50+
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NorCal 50+ 9/26/2018 2:37pm
9/26/2018 2:37pm
I decided to get my wheelie form back by practicing on my mountain bike in the driveway. Freaking looped out wearing sandals and smacked my heel on the pavement. Now it's a week and a half on crutches so far- my 4 y.o. daughter got a good laugh though. I think my heel might be fractured- I don't get hurt doing moto and then hurt myself in the driveway.
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jleews6
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jleews6 9/26/2018 2:45pm
9/26/2018 2:45pm
when I was a kid i could wheelie anything for as far as I wanted. I could do coaster wheelies also. Most of that came from being on a bike or my unicycle EVERY DAY. I was well known around my town for riding my unicycle around town.
brocster
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brocster 9/26/2018 2:47pm
9/26/2018 2:47pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 3:15pm
Slow to mid speed sitting down yes. Fast only if I need to carry the front over something. Can’t hold them. Bicycles, pitbikes yes as well. Back brake is your friend!!!
Flip109
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Flip109 9/26/2018 2:49pm
9/26/2018 2:49pm
Nope. Bent up a bunch of stuff on my bikes back in the day trying to get it down, and decided the cost wasn’t worth the reward Pinch Laughing
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Hoseclamp
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Hoseclamp 9/26/2018 2:50pm
9/26/2018 2:50pm
Can spin in a circle in a wheelchair all day long like a champ, and even go down steps. Street bike for probably like a mile. Own a unicycle but cant really do it for more than a few feet. My 2 stroke dirt bike is somewhere in between. I can ride it pretty good but the lack of engine braking makes it harder. Gotta keep the rear brake covered for sure.
1
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 9/26/2018 2:54pm
9/26/2018 2:54pm

Scorpion Bay Baja where we wheelie the length of the bay

2018 Honda CRF450R at the 2018 Vital MX 450 Shootout
2019 RM-Z450 at the 2019 Vital MX 450 Shootout
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Jrewing
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Jrewing 9/26/2018 3:09pm
9/26/2018 3:09pm
Can wheelie bicycles, pit bike.. but beginner level big bike. Seems a common thing. But I’ve never put much effort to on the big bikes. Going to try now because it always makes people who can’t wheelie and ridden forever feel inadequate!! Haha
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motomike137
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motomike137 9/26/2018 3:18pm
9/26/2018 3:18pm
Sometimes yes sometimes no Smile Best one I ever did was standing up in fourth or fifth gear going down a dirt road in St Helen MI next to Larry Pegram (I had to do the name drop lol) during the annual Parker ride. We must have gone a mile like that!
2
Moto96
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Moto96 9/26/2018 3:24pm
9/26/2018 3:24pm
Thank contraption above is technically a quad now.
moto0852
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moto0852 9/26/2018 3:35pm
9/26/2018 3:35pm
Moto96 wrote:
Thank contraption above is technically a quad now.
hopefully...that's kinda the idea. learn on something that doesn't tip over or go side to side.
imoto34
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imoto34 9/26/2018 4:05pm
9/26/2018 4:05pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 4:07pm
For the ones who can't and want to get cozy with it, get a 110. They are the perfect learner bike for it.

For you street bike guys, if you blow thru the cameras in town in the back wheel they can't see your tag Evil

Used to live at the top of a hill that went straight down the road for about 3/4 mile. Used to manual the bmx down it wfo and ride sit down wheelie up it. Had a blast doing that! One afternoon I was in a high speed manual to a 360 and tried to land on the nose and knifed the bars. 7 broken bones, concussed and a bent 1000 dollar frame, forks, front wheel, bars, crank and even managed to break the half link chain. Good times
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omalley
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omalley 9/26/2018 4:23pm
9/26/2018 4:23pm
I can wheelie no problem on a track to skim bumps or pre-jump. But as far as a sustained “show-off” style wheelie, that’s a negative, ghostrider...
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Pit Row

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plowboy
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plowboy 9/26/2018 4:24pm
9/26/2018 4:24pm
I used to be pretty good. When I went for my license I wheelied all the obstacles...slolam, key hole....I knew the cop so he was cool. I was also riding bmx and my unicycle all the time so I had a good core. Now a days it's just those 18" high power wheelies between corners or over a mud hole. Just lost the skill somewhere.

Any old timers remember the wheelie competitions on tv back in the day? I seem to remember some Dutch guy riding a wheelie through a whole tank of gas for a world record too.
1
ACBraap
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ACBraap 9/26/2018 4:28pm
9/26/2018 4:28pm
gsxr6 wrote:
Yes. To be fair four strokes are like a cheat code for this. My favorite is to get up on first and the shift through the...
Yes. To be fair four strokes are like a cheat code for this. My favorite is to get up on first and the shift through the gears . Honestly the 450s make it hard not too if your really giving it the Spurs, and I had definitely moved to a very light front wheel riding style/power wheelies whenever I can. Saves your arms such a beating once u embrace it. I also flipped my two stroke 250 at 60 a couple years ago lol. Sure missed the compression braking my 450s have that day......cuz I can never and I mean never catch the rear brake in a wheelie. Some type mental block I guess
on the first read I thought you meant at age 60 and I was really impressed, especially with that being a 'couple of years ago' and that you're on a 450 now.
Tonynz
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Tonynz 9/26/2018 4:52pm
9/26/2018 4:52pm
Can’t on my dirt bike, about 10 years ago decide to do a wheelie on my MTN bike this did not go well as I have clip on pedals so my feet were clipped into pedals I flipped over backwards feet still attached ended up breaking a couple of ribs.
mitch199
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mitch199 9/26/2018 5:01pm
9/26/2018 5:01pm
I never was able to wheelie my harley very well, not like the guys you see on videos on the internet. Maybe becuase i kept the dirtbike feeling - not happy with letting it get too high for fear of dropping it! Jumping from this onto my kato 300 makes things seem very easy though on a dirtbike!


1
jeffro503
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jeffro503 9/26/2018 5:09pm
9/26/2018 5:09pm
Not bragging , but I used to be awesome at it. Now days? Not sure. Haven't really tried.
boston_jorj
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boston_jorj 9/26/2018 5:26pm
9/26/2018 5:26pm
The honesty in this thread is great. Another here that can’t quite get the balanced slow wheelie down. Fast wheelies feel natural and under control
2
Caseclosed713 9/26/2018 5:57pm
9/26/2018 5:57pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 5:59pm
I can wheelie anything. Not like 12 o clock slow wheelies but "traditional" wheelies like stand up, sit down, or going through all gears. I used to be able to do arm swag (lol) and circle wheelies (feet on the pegs, bruh) on pitbikes. My favorite is standing up 4th gear down the road on my 500EXC..
Jeremy Macbeth 9/26/2018 6:02pm
9/26/2018 6:02pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 6:13pm
Funny timing with this thread... I spent a hour practicing wheelies on a XR100 today in a fescue field. I think I finally figured it out.

There’s a very narrow fulcrum point that is hard to find mentally. Your brain thinks you’re tipping over before you do. From there it’s all throttle and clutch finesse to maintain the fulcrum. Gotta be mindful of that rear brake at your disposal too... it’s an ass saver!
4
HusqFan3
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HusqFan3 9/26/2018 6:05pm
9/26/2018 6:05pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 8:01pm
aroark247 wrote:
Stand up fast wheelie, sit down fast wheelie, fast nose wheelie, nose wheelie up, over and down jumps all day long. But I try a slow...
Stand up fast wheelie, sit down fast wheelie, fast nose wheelie, nose wheelie up, over and down jumps all day long. But I try a slow high wheelie and look like a first time 65 rider coming off a concrete gate
Interesting. I’ll be honest, I’m having a hard time reconciling how it’s possible for so many seasoned, life-long dirt bike riders that can’t seem to be able to ride a wheelie to save their lif(myself included) yet somehow all these inner-city, gang-bangers(e.g. 12 o’clock boys) all seem to be able to do it with ease...
1
lukemoto
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lukemoto 9/26/2018 6:15pm
9/26/2018 6:15pm
I took a good amount of time and practiced balanced slow (1st gear) wheelies just to learn some better bike control and the one thing that helped the most was sitting as far back as possible. Clutch it up from a near standstill and keep your foot on the brake and sit waaaay back...
Doddy
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Doddy 9/26/2018 6:16pm
9/26/2018 6:16pm
This didn't strike me as something common. Anyways, I can manual most pedal bikes, wheelie with speed, over rollers, around corners sometimes...times where I'm really on it........but no. I can not for the life of me do mellow, slow, controlled wheelie. I don't see me learning any time soon either.

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