Okay, here we go! Here’s my dirt bike wheelie journey, plain and simple.
My Wheeling on a Dirt Bike Adventure
Alright, so I finally decided to try and properly learn how to wheelie on my dirt bike. I’ve messed around a little before, popping the front end up here and there, but never really committed to balancing and riding it out. Time to change that.
First things first, gear up. Helmet, boots, gloves, the whole shebang. No point in looking cool if you’re picking gravel out of your face.
I found a nice, flat, open dirt area. Figured that was the best place to start. Soft landing, hopefully.
Started slow. Just getting a feel for the bike. First gear, clutch in, rev it up a bit, and dump the clutch while leaning back.
The front tire popped up, but not enough to balance. Just kinda lurched and came back down. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Felt like a total goon.
Kept at it, adding more throttle each time I popped the clutch. Gradually, the front wheel started coming up higher.
Then came the tricky part. Finding the balance point. That’s the sweet spot where you’re not looping out, but you’re also not dropping the front end.
I was either not giving it enough gas and the front would drop, or I’d give it too much and panic, chopping the throttle and slamming the front down.
A few times, the front came up too high. I could feel myself going over backwards. That’s when the rear brake became my best friend.
Tapping the rear brake brings the front end back down real quick. Saved my bacon more than once.
After a few hours of this, I was finally starting to get the hang of it. I could keep the front wheel up for a decent distance, wobbling around but not completely losing it.
Key takeaways: Clutch control is everything. Smooth throttle. And don’t be afraid of the rear brake.
Oh, and don’t stare at the front wheel. Look ahead to where you want to go. Makes a HUGE difference.
Practiced turning while wheelie-ing. That’s a whole other level of coordination. Lean into the turn, slight pressure on the inside peg. Felt awkward as hell at first, but slowly started to get the hang of it.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted. Arms were burning, legs were shaky, but I was actually wheelie-ing! Not gracefully, mind you, but I was doing it.
Still got a long way to go before I’m pulling off smooth, controlled wheelies like the pros. But hey, everyone starts somewhere.
Plan is to keep practicing every chance I get. More practice = more comfortable = better wheelies. That’s the plan, anyway.
Definitely recommend giving it a try if you haven’t already. Just be careful, wear your gear, and start slow. It’s a blast once you get the hang of it!
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right away. It takes time and practice. And lots of near loop-outs.
That’s about it. My dirt bike wheelie adventure so far. I’ll keep you updated on my progress (or lack thereof). Wish me luck!
