To wheelie or not to wheelie

[Cucciolo]

So... I've spotted some animosity towards riders who wheelie their bikes... I'm curious to know what is that all about. Why the animosity ?

To dig even deeper.. If a wheelie creates controversy, then... some of you must hate riders who stunt their bikes?

It  requires a lot of skill, dedication and balls to stunt a bike and make it look easy. I respect and enjoy watching them do it. Obviously, not on the highway or tiny streets where they endanger everyone's lives, but in a controlled environment. Some guys have total control of their bikes. How cool would that be? Total control? WOW!

I think it may be a bit of jealousy from not being able to control your bikes like that.. I may be wrong.. what do you say? 

[DrNo08]

If it's done on a road or street where other traffic is around then I think it's a cheesy desparate attempt for attention.  I liken it to people who inconsiderately blare their bass at stoplights, people who smoke the tires of their car, and kids who wear goth clothes.  JMO

[Porsche Monkey]

I think stunting is fine as long as you do it away from traffic. I like my bike too much to start stunting it so I don't do it. I think any riding that endangers other people is squidly and don't condone it.

[jdubbs32584]

If it's done on a road or street where other traffic is around then I think it's a cheesy desparate attempt for attention.  I liken it to people who inconsiderately blare their bass at stoplights, people who smoke the tires of their car, and kids who wear goth clothes.  JMO

+11ty billion

Doing it around traffic can also be dangerous. And it perpetuates the squid image. Theres a time and place for everything. To me, in traffic is neither the time nor place to wheelie.

[CromoMann]

I'm a bit jealous that I can't ride a long wheelie, but it really doesn't bother me that much.

Besides, at least for the 2V engines - wheelies != 

I forget the exact result, but oil get's out of the engine and on the back tire if you stand it up for very long.  I might think that was one of my urban legends, but I saw the same thing happen to Jason Britton on a bridge crossing he did on a DS1100 HM.

No thanks - I'll keep practicing my turning and stopping.

[LA]

I had been riding up in the mountains with a very good friend, who rides really well, and Bro-in-law all day and my good friend was telling me how to do a stoppie and a wheelie. Then he said, "well you've been out breaking me and leaving me for dead all day long in the dry and the wet, I guess you already know this shit , don't you?"  Yea, I just don't do that shit.

LA

[herm]

wheelies in private = 
stunting in private = 

either one where it could possibly endanger anyone besides the rider = 

[Drjones]

because it is being done on public streets and traffic perpetuating a bad image for motorcyclist especially sport bike riders and most of the time the wheelies and stunts are poorly executed and thusly trashing the bike and themselves, which creates even more antimosity towards motorcyclists as the LEO's and EMTs scrape the aftermath off the road in front of a whole gaggle of impatient pissed off cagers.

That about sums it up I think.

[jclin]

because it is being done on public streets and traffic perpetuating a bad image for motorcyclist especially sport bike riders and most of the time the wheelies and stunts are poorly executed and thusly trashing the bike and themselves, which creates even more antimosity towards motorcyclists as the LEO's and EMTs scrape the aftermath off the road in front of a whole gaggle of impatient pissed off cagers.

That about sums it up I think.

I think the Doctor has the perfect reasoning. It's like people who carry guns on their hips. You don't talk about it, and you never take it out of the holster unless you have to.

It's about respect. We ride because it's fun, not because we want to show off. If others do so and make us look bad (which they always do) then that sucks for us. We NEED respect on the road because without it we'll be run over and hurt real bad. If you want to stunt in a closed parking lot or at a show, well then that's cool. Just don't do it on the street.

[DoubleEagle]

I don't do wheelies except when it happens naturally like pinning the throttle, but I usually realize what I've done and let of the gas.

I think it is squidly on the street . If someone wants to do it in the proper environment then that's another story. To me wheelies fall under the category of stunting and that's not something that interests me at all.

[crashmoto]

wheelies on streets are for guys with small members; kind of like the ones who drive around in pick up trucks with huge raised suspension and off-road tires, who will smash into guys doing wheelies ... well and the rest of us riders too 

[Porsche Monkey]

I agree with Double Eagle. Sometimes my front tire will come up rather easy and I am fairly quick to set it back down.

[Pancake81]

well... this is kinda a tough one for me to comment on. Seems how I am ussually the guy writing the articles on How to Wheelie  . I can see where you guys are going with the squidishness, responsabiltiy, safety, small members  , and young and stupid comments. I consider myself an above average rider in the twisties, well above on the stunting and who cares about in a straight line  . Now I work out of town and away from my beautiful S4, so when I am home all I want to do ride, and ride hard. This doesnt mean hit the freeway and do some 3 mile wheelies, but rather hit the twisties. Now if I come over a hill am I going to wheelie down the other side? Damn Straight! and up the next hill if I can hold it. Am I a squid? To some of you sure... anyone over the speed limit is a squid. Am I going to change my style? I dont see why I should. I am riding within what I believe to be my limits, and we all break the law anyway. For example, all those exhaust that say "For Offroad Use Only", thats you too my fellow law breakers.

Now please dont ask me what I do for living and we should be ok 

[ellingly]

well... this is kinda a tough one for me to comment on. Seems how I am ussually the guy writing the articles on How to Wheelie  . I can see where you guys are going with the squidishness, responsabiltiy, safety, small members  , and young and stupid comments. I consider myself an above average rider in the twisties, well above on the stunting and who cares about in a straight line  . Now I work out of town and away from my beautiful S4, so when I am home all I want to do ride, and ride hard. This doesnt mean hit the freeway and do some 3 mile wheelies, but rather hit the twisties. Now if I come over a hill am I going to wheelie down the other side? Damn Straight! and up the next hill if I can hold it. Am I a squid? To some of you sure... anyone over the speed limit is a squid. Am I going to change my style? I dont see why I should. I am riding within what I believe to be my limits, and we all break the law anyway. For example, all those exhaust that say "For Offroad Use Only", thats you too my fellow law breakers.

Now please dont ask me what I do for living and we should be ok 

So what do you do for a living?

Me, I do the odd wheelie. Never massive standups (cause in my old age I'm getting worse at them), but yes, there sometimes will be shows of exuberance from me.

Anyway, kids love a good wheelie.

[BMiller]

It's a topic you can't beat with a stick...........it won't die.............LOL!  Wheelies are fine if in controlled environments........i.e. not on busy streets, not in neighborhoods, not around other people...........unless they happen to be your buddies that are either doing the same thing or wanting to watch you do the same.  I can appreciate a good stunt show, but who in the real world wants to abuse a perfectly good bike like that unless they have loads of cash to throw at it when it breaks...........to each their own, stay safe out there.