Be Honest, can you ride a wheelie?

DF313
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Ogden, UT US
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9/26/2018 11:20am Edited Date/Time 3/23/2019 10:36pm
A legitimate wheelie, like 100 yards or whatever with 90% consistency? fast or slow doesn't matter, just a wheelie where you are actually in control of it. I cannot figure it out, I am just wondering how common good wheelie riders are. I created a poll so you could vote anonymously the truth, then you can leave in the comments how good you are at wheelies, even if your not.
Poll

Can you really ride a wheelie?

Choices
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1
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jgmxdad251
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Simi Valley, CA US
9/26/2018 11:26am
The only time I feel comfortable with the front wheel up is when I do hill climbs. I also suck at downhills.
moscrop940
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Temecula, CA US
9/26/2018 11:29am
Bicycle, pit bike, dirt bike...I have never been able to ride a wheelie.

You would really think that after 20 years on a bike I would of gotten it down, but no such luck
murph783
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CT US
9/26/2018 11:30am
Fast, like 4th or 5th gear, no problem. First gear sit down slow wheelies...not a fuckin chance
mattyhamz2
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9/26/2018 11:31am
moscrop940 wrote:
Bicycle, pit bike, dirt bike...I have never been able to ride a wheelie. You would really think that after 20 years on a bike I would...
Bicycle, pit bike, dirt bike...I have never been able to ride a wheelie.

You would really think that after 20 years on a bike I would of gotten it down, but no such luck
I’m with you dude! 25 years on a bike and can’t wheelie all that well. Bicycle and mountain bikes are a different story though. I can wheelie those all day long
3

The Shop

Stuntman949
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San Clemente, CA US
9/26/2018 11:32am
Bicycle like a mad man but couldn't do one to save my life on a motorcycle.
Motox627!
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P-ville, TX US
9/26/2018 11:33am
Holy shit! Glad I'm not alone! Will get lucky and pull a 40-50 yarder from time to time, but you would think after 25 years i also would have figured that shit out...…. Poll results make me feel a bit better!
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G-man
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Mesa, AZ US
9/26/2018 11:47am
Here is a pic from a 500 mile LA to Barstow to Vegas ride..... Cheerful


2
9/26/2018 11:49am Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 11:50am
Can ride them for miles on my gsxr 600.....well could. Sold that bike years ago.

Dirtbikes a little trickier on grass/dirt. Never got into it on the street. Looped more than a few times trying to get them down on the 125...
aroark247
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TX US
9/26/2018 11:58am
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
3
Falcon
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9/26/2018 11:58am Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 12:00pm
I can never get the wheel up high enough to sustain a long wheelie. Then again, I've never looped out while trying, either. Grinning

EDIT: Wait, yes I have! In 1986 I looped my buddy's IT175 while trying to ride a wheelie. That was the most recent time.
jgmxdad251
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Simi Valley, CA US
9/26/2018 11:59am
G-man wrote:
Here is a pic from a 500 mile LA to Barstow to Vegas ride..... :cheer: [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/09/26/289691/s1200_Barstow_to_Vegas.jpg[/img]
Here is a pic from a 500 mile LA to Barstow to Vegas ride..... Cheerful


G-man those are some fancy hand guard extensions. Did they make it the whole 500 miles?
5
Scull79
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Mechanicsville, VA US
9/26/2018 12:02pm
The hardest part about riding a good wheelie is getting used to riding at the balance point. Throttle and clutch control is key and always keep the rear brake covered, it's your best friend. Slow wheelies definitely require more skill than a wheelie at speed.
1
ATKpilot99
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Lake Geneva, WI US
9/26/2018 12:04pm
Nope. I can loft the front wheel at speed if need be but that's about it.
neverwas
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Tucson, AZ US
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9/26/2018 12:05pm
On bicycle no problem,I owned an XL 500 and I could ride wheelies for days on that thing,but MX bikes pretty good but not great.
1
DF313
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Ogden, UT US
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9/26/2018 12:19pm
Welp, in one way I am glad I'm not alone, I guess they are hard for a lot of us, not just me!
Jbulz
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Ithaca, NY US
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9/26/2018 12:20pm
I can only do it if I'm not thinking about it. I can wheelie a whole straight with ruts, over and over every lap, with no problem if it feels natural.

Ask me to do it in a field or something and I can barely get the front wheel off the ground for more than a few feet lol.
3
NeedMoto
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Lincoln, CA US
9/26/2018 12:21pm
I use to wheelie my 1978 Yami big bore down the levy road for a 1/2 mile or so.

These days, if I wheelie coming out of a corner on a moto track, I chop the throttle, load up and go home.

Times have changedWoohoo
5
pkiczuk
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Salem, CT US
9/26/2018 12:26pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 12:27pm
These results actually surprise me for two reasons:
A- No one is on here berating other people for not being able to wheelie and
B- Ive always felt embarrassed that I can't wheelie more than 10 feet and thought everyone else could. Any time I've gotten to the "balance" point I usually pussy out of it and tap the brake.
9/26/2018 12:37pm
Scull79 wrote:
The hardest part about riding a good wheelie is getting used to riding at the balance point. Throttle and clutch control is key and always keep...
The hardest part about riding a good wheelie is getting used to riding at the balance point. Throttle and clutch control is key and always keep the rear brake covered, it's your best friend. Slow wheelies definitely require more skill than a wheelie at speed.
False!

The front brake is the only brake that should be used while doing wheelies. Think about it.......
4
FWYT
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San Diego, CA US
9/26/2018 12:40pm
NeedMoto wrote:
I use to wheelie my 1978 Yami big bore down the levy road for a 1/2 mile or so. These days, if I wheelie coming out...
I use to wheelie my 1978 Yami big bore down the levy road for a 1/2 mile or so.

These days, if I wheelie coming out of a corner on a moto track, I chop the throttle, load up and go home.

Times have changedWoohoo
LaughingLaughingLaughingLaughingLaughing
1
Lastander
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SE
9/26/2018 12:43pm
Bicycle, yes for miles.
One-wheeler? Yes.
Maybe 20m with my 450 without control.

And im a ”pro” rider...
G-man
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Mesa, AZ US
9/26/2018 12:44pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2018 1:21pm
G-man wrote:
Here is a pic from a 500 mile LA to Barstow to Vegas ride..... :cheer: [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/09/26/289691/s1200_Barstow_to_Vegas.jpg[/img]
Here is a pic from a 500 mile LA to Barstow to Vegas ride..... Cheerful


jgmxdad251 wrote:
G-man those are some fancy hand guard extensions. Did they make it the whole 500 miles?
hahaha good eye! Yes they made it.
The event happens at Thanksgiving and we have awoke to FROZEN fountains at the Hotel in Barstow for Day 2 as we head out! Woohoo

So yea w/o electric hand warmers that some riders have my "CUSTOM" handguards keep my paws from being frozen and going numb....Cool

From a different yr...


1
Elbows
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9/26/2018 12:45pm
Scull79 wrote:
The hardest part about riding a good wheelie is getting used to riding at the balance point. Throttle and clutch control is key and always keep...
The hardest part about riding a good wheelie is getting used to riding at the balance point. Throttle and clutch control is key and always keep the rear brake covered, it's your best friend. Slow wheelies definitely require more skill than a wheelie at speed.
Bingo! Once you learn the balance point it becomes second nature. I got a unicycle for Christmas one year as a kid. It took me a good two months to find my balance but once things clicked I could ride for miles. Even after not riding one for years I can still jump on one and ride it.
9/26/2018 12:45pm
Learn to use the rear brake and you can wheelie anything.
2
gsxr6
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Anderson, CA US
9/26/2018 12:52pm
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
1
BobPA
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PA US
9/26/2018 1:01pm
I can wheelie anything, at most any speeds. Spent a lot of time as a kid doing wheelies on mountain bikes. Can wheelie or manual a BMX bike well too. I learned to wheelie motorcycles on an XR 100...once you get it, you got it.
2
Kelz87
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Phoenix, AZ US
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9/26/2018 1:02pm
I can ride a wheelie on a mountain bike all day-but on a dirtbike it’s a whole different story. I can’t get to that balance point without chickening out.

I pretty much do 2nd gear wheelies popping the clutch and just use power instead of skills or balance

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