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ME and my wheelie....

5K views 39 replies 7 participants last post by  Martin64 
#1 ·
My husband and I were out the other day practicing our wheelies on a road where they had already built the road, but no houses yet....so, no traffic. PERFECT spot....plus, our wheelies typically go UP then right back DOWN at about 30 - 40 MPH. We don't get crazy! Anyway.....we had each done a few, then my husband asks me if I'd like to try his bike. (He just put an Ivan's Jet Kit in it with the full exhaust...went 1 tooth down in front, and put in an ignition advancer). SURE I say.....I hop on, and do a couple REALLY tiny wheelies to test the waters....then, I turn around and come back towards him....expecting to get it about 2 ft. off the ground I roll on....roll off....and right back on....DANG! That thang came about 4 ft. up!! Scared the ba-jezus out of me!!!! That was the BIGGEST wheelie I've ever done! Of course, the grin on my face was also the biggest grin I've ever had....

Here's a picture of me on the way either up or down on one of my wheelies....see....it's a whole 2 inches off the ground at the point the picture was taken. If I actually knew how to RIDE a wheelie....we might get a better picture....but I can't do that, so I'll be happy with what I got! WHEW! That was STINKING fun! But, I don't even plan to do it again!!! :silly:
 
#4 ·
I get freaked out before I ever get TO the "balance point". I mean....I can get it a couple feet off the ground, and stay in the gas to keep it up like that, but it's not really riding it...ya know....like you said "balance point". That's just physics working....motion + more force = continued motion (my own creation of how to say it) haha...

I would love to be able to get it up higher, but I'm not willing to risk dumping my bike to do it....so, I'll just have to be satisfied with my wheelies the way they are now...
 
#5 ·
Practice on a dirtbike... doesn't hurt near as much and it's cheaper to replace anything that breaks (if anything breaks!).
 
#7 · (Edited)
Wheelies are for dirtbikes (motoX machines) in my opinion. Unless your namesake is Knieval (sp) or .... you know. If you own a true sportbike just to ride wheelies, then in my opinion you're just a show off (or squid). And I hope you don't get hurt. There are other ways to prove your riding talent...i.e. longevity w/o incident, track day performance, etc. But just wheelies, :nono: Not much of a measure of the rider IMHO.

BTW, disregard the avatar.....it is definately not, nor will be ME at any time...I just borrowed it. :cool:
 
#8 ·
Tom Bozeman said:
If you own a true sportbike just to ride wheelies, then in my opinion you're just a show off (or squid)...
I agree with you Tom. However doing a wheelie now and then is still a lot of fun. :angel:

I borrowed my wifes mountain bike and asked my daughter to take a picture. She sure enjoyed playing with the digital camera.
 
#9 ·
Why in the world did this get moved? It had nothing to do with the ZRX and had everything to do with how I rode that day. So does this mean that everything I post will get moved to the ZRX section because I ride a ZRX now?
 
#11 ·
It was me, I did it. I do it with the sport bikes and cruisers too (but the cruisers don't do very many wheelies). Don't feel picked on. Just a person talking about their wheelie with a pic of a ZRX kinda made me think it would be catagorized in the ZRX area... sorry if you are offended.
 
#12 ·
zr7chic said:
My husband and I were out the other day practicing our wheelies on a road where they had already built the road, but no houses yet....so, no traffic.Here's a picture of me on the way either up or down on one of my wheelies...
So, that wooden stucture behind you is a natural phenomenon ? Which brings up the question, if you wheelie on an empty road with nobody around to see it, does it wheelie happen. Let's ask Fudd and Boop........
 
#13 ·
Not offended, just confused. Don't think of it as a picture of a ZRX....think of it as a picture of ME and I just happen to be on a ZRX.

PS...we need to have a bicycle section. I'm offended that Andy's picture of his bicycle is in the ZRX section! :) :slap: hahaha

Oh, and Trek - I'm going to ask FALCOR!! He knows everything!! :)
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hey Tom: If people who do wheelies are squids what are people who promote them in their avatars called?:smilewink :D (I'll let Tony come up with a fun answer for that one). I do agree with all that Tom said too.

As a side note to this conversation I would like to point out how interesting it is that Andy, who used to be chief of the safe riding community, now practices many classically SQUID maneuvers. This makes me think that it is the bike that makes the rider (at least somewhat--although I'm sure Andy is far wiser than the average gixxer owner). With that in mind I think it would be a good idea to not permit new riders to have bikes as powerful as Andy's bad boy. Has anyone ever seen any statistics on accidents and young riders on sport bikes? I guess my insurance company has, and that would explain a lot.


Matt ¨£¢¯¨£
 
#20 ·
:rolleyes: Guess I'm not in a funny mood. I'm figuring if a bike will wheelie, the rider will eventually figure out how to do it. Andy was not Mr. Saftey, he was more like MR. Crazy. His idea, if I remember correct, was to thrust yourself into an unsafe condition and learn how to deal with it. That way, you would be proficient at dealing with an unforeseen condition trust upon you. Like aiming for wet sequoia needles, and ripping open the throttle. That kind of stuff.

And, safe riding CAN and should be synonymous with fun riding. We're not talking about 17 y/o kids doing biker boyz tricks on the sportbike daddy bought for them. We are talking about people we know, who practice safe riding, care about saftey and how they effect views of the non-riding public.

In my mind, there is a line between people like Andy, Tom, Twyla, others, and the average squid. And I don't view someone, even Andy with the Gixer, as a squid because he pulls wheelies. Andy, I don't think, is too into crashing. There lies the difference. A squid seems prepared, no, destine to crash. And doesn't care.

I ride hard, fast. I've been lucky, and have learned an enormous bit of riding ability. I have felt guilty for pushing myself beyond what is acceptable for me. And well I should. Newbies should ride very safe, we should tell them that. But give the experienced folks a brake. Tom's avatar is rightous ! Andy's bike rocks ! It's all good. And those around here who have been unfortunate enough to crash are NEVER proud of it. No squids here my friend.;)
 
#21 ·
:eek: Tony-->what you said was exactly how I feel, but perhaps I was not able to express my lightheartedness in my comment. I would never have said all that if I thought Tom or Andy were actually dangerous bike riders. Still I'm disappointed you are not in a funny mood
 
#25 ·
HowsMatt (Can) said:
:eek: Tony-->what you said was exactly how I feel, but perhaps I was not able to express my lightheartedness in my comment. I would never have said all that if I thought Tom or Andy were actually dangerous bike riders. Still I'm disappointed you are not in a funny mood
Actually, the whole thread is lighthearted. I just had to get my serious side out. Hadn't flexed that brain muscle in a while. Wshoe, now back to normal. And, to answer that question of yours...
If people who do wheelies are squids what are people who promote them in their avatars called?
Squats.:D
 
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