How to Master a Wheelie on a Sportbike

Without a doubt, the wheelie has got to be the most popular stunt for motorcycle riders. “Popping a wheelie” can be fun, but you have to make sure that you are an experienced rider and are doing it safely and correctly. Knowing how to properly do and control a wheelie can save you from an unexpected injury on the road. Although there are several different ways to do a wheelie most motorcycle experts recommend you start by learning the most basic form of a wheelie, the power wheelie. This type of wheelie focuses on learning how to be comfortable riding your bike on its back wheel. Here are some easy steps that will help you master a wheelie on a sport bike!

Before You Attempt to Do a Wheelie:

The wheelie is a very dangerous stunt so you must be protected in case of a mishap. Before you begin to practice a wheelie, here are a couple of things you must keep in mind.

Experience: Mastering the wheelie requires a lot of skill. We recommend to only try to do this stunt if you are an advanced motorcycle rider.
Proper Gear: The wheelie is a risky stunt to do so it is important that you are protected in case of an injury. The appropriate gear for popping wheelies consists of a thick motorcycle helmet, leather gloves, jeans or leather pants, and a strong leather jacket. You also want some strong boots with some proper grip. When you're first getting started, it's also not a bad idea to wear elbow, ankle or knee guards, as you'll be going down a lot.
Find a Secluded Road to Practice: We recommend you practice on a secluded road so that you do not harm any pedestrians around you or crash your sport bike into moving or parked cars around the area. You will be able to focus more on accomplishing the wheelie instead of worrying about your surroundings.

Step 1: Take off in First Gear

Mastering a wheelie will be a lot easier if you put the motorcycle in first gear. First gear is the lowest gear and the easiest for climbing hills. Power wheelies are about using acceleration to pull the bike's front wheel upward so you will not have to worry about shifting. Staying in first gear will allow you to pull the front wheel of your bike upward much easier than any other gear.

Step 2: Bring Your Bike to a Good Speed

Finding the right speed is essential to master a wheelie because the main goal is to get enough speed to get your front wheel up in the air. It is recommended that you start learning wheelies at a speed somewhere between 10-15 mph. If you attempt to pop a wheelie at a slow speed, you will not have enough force to pull the front wheel up. If you are going too fast, you may lose control of your sportbike causing you to twist the throttle which can be very dangerous. Staying at a constant speed will allow you to master the wheelie and ride it for a longer time.

Bonus Tip: Let off the gas just a little bit before you accelerate into your wheelie. This will give you more of a kick when you hit the gas and the extra power will bring your front wheel up more smoothly.

Step 3: Crank the Gas to Accelerate and Bring the Front Wheel Up

Once you have dropped your speed a little, hit the throttle hard! As you do this, pull the front wheel of your bike up. If you feel like you are going too far back just hit the back brake a little to prevent you from flipping all the way back. By hitting the back brake your front wheel will come back down. When your wheel is coming down try to land it as straight as possible. If the wheel does not land straight it can shake on impact causing you to flip off the bike.

Step 4: Maintain Your Balance in the Wheelie

Once the wheel is up in the air, you must find your balance so it can stay there. Lean back on the rear side of the bike and make sure the balance point of you and your bike is in the center (the seat). Tipping forward or backward will make you lose your balance causing you to tilt and lose control of the wheelie. Having balance will help you ride the wheelie for a longer period of time.

Step 5: Step on the Rear Brake to Bring Your Wheel Back Down

When you want to end the wheelie, simply use your rear brake to bring the front end of your sport bike back onto the road. Make sure to hit the rear brake very slowly to ease your way back down. If you hit the brake too harshly the front wheel will crash down too quickly causing you to shake or fall. Once your motorcycle is on the road again maintain your speed and attempt to wheelie again.

Conclusion:

Popping a wheelie is a stunt all motorcycle riders want to conquer. Although it is fun to do make sure that you are doing it safely by wearing the proper gear and are practicing in a secluded area away from other riders. Doing a wheelie on your motorcycle might seem like the most difficult stunt to do, but if you keep practicing it step by step, you will master it in no time. Popping wheelies are extremely fun and you will want to continue doing them once you master them!

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