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Learning to Wheelie: The Honest Guide Nobody Writes
Every wheelie tutorial follows the same formula: clutch in, rev engine, dump clutch, lean back, tap rear brake if it goes too far. These instructions are technically correct and practically useless, like telling someone learning to swim that they should move their arms and kick their legs. The mechanics of wheelies aren't complicated; the difficulty lies in convincing your brain to do something that feels fundamentally wrong. When that front wheel lifts, every survival instinct screams to shut the throttle and put it back down. Learning to wheelie is less about technique and more about gradually overcoming the terror response that makes sensible technique impossible.
Start by accepting that you will loop a motorcycle at some point. Not might—will. This happens to everyone learning wheelies, including professional riders who simply did it earlier in their careers when the memory has faded. Looping means the bike goes past balance point and continues rotating backward until you're falling off the back while the motorcycle cartwheels behind you. It's embarrassing and potentially expensive, but rarely as dangerous as it sounds, provided you're practicing at appropriate speeds on appropriate surfaces. Knowing this will happen removes the abstract fear and replaces it with concrete preparation: practise on grass or dirt where consequences are minimal, wear proper gear including a spine protector, and never attempt wheelies on public roads where a loop means sliding into traffic.
The rear brake is your safety net, and you need to develop the reflex before attempting any significant height. Spend time simply rolling forward at walking pace, covering the rear brake with your foot, and deliberately using it to stop the motorcycle. This isn't exciting, but it builds the neural pathway that will save you later. The goal is making rear brake application as instinctive as grabbing the front brake when you need to stop quickly. Many riders understand intellectually that the rear brake brings the front wheel down, but in the panic of an unexpected wheelie height, they grab the front brake instead—which does nothing useful and often causes a loop when they release it and the forks uncompress suddenly.
Begin with power wheelies rather than clutch wheelies. This is counterintuitive advice, since clutch wheelies are technically easier to initiate. But clutch wheelies give you less feedback about what's actually happening. When you dump a clutch, the front wheel comes up immediately and you're suddenly at a height with no time to process. Power wheelies require you to feel the front wheel gradually lightening as you feed in throttle, giving your brain time to adapt to the sensation before actual liftoff. Roll in first gear at about 15 km/h, keep your weight slightly rearward, and smoothly open the throttle. The front wheel will lift—barely at first, perhaps only an inch. Ride it out, feel it settle, repeat. You're teaching your nervous system that this sensation doesn't require panic.
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Progress is measured in millimetres and seconds. A wheelie that lifts the front wheel ten centimetres and lasts two seconds represents genuine achievement, not something to be dismissed while chasing Instagram-worthy footage. Your goal at this stage is consistency, not height. Can you lift the front wheel predictably every time, hold it briefly, and set it down under control? If so, you're building the foundation. If you're getting inconsistent liftoff, focus on body position and throttle smoothness rather than adding more power. Erratic inputs create erratic results.
The clutch becomes relevant once you've established comfort with power wheelies. It provides more immediate liftoff and allows wheelies at lower speeds where power alone isn't sufficient. The technique is straightforward: pull clutch, rev to about half throttle, release clutch smoothly while maintaining throttle. The "dump the clutch" advice is misleading—violent clutch release often produces uncontrollable liftoff or loops. Think of it as releasing the clutch with purpose rather than simply letting it go. The wheel should rise as you release, with your throttle hand managing height.
Safety First
Never compromise on safety equipment. Your gear is your last line of defense.
Important
Take your time to understand the fundamentals before pushing boundaries.
Balance point is the holy grail of wheelie mastery, the zone where the motorcycle stands vertically with minimal throttle input required. Reaching it requires accepting you'll overshoot many times before developing the feel. The sensation is unmistakable: suddenly the wheelie feels effortless, the bike balanced on its rear wheel with your only input being subtle throttle adjustments. Getting there consistently takes months of practice, possibly years. Don't rush. Every wheelie that doesn't end in a crash is practice toward eventual balance-point competence.
A final truth rarely acknowledged: some riders simply don't enjoy wheelies enough to develop proficiency, and that's perfectly legitimate. The skill has essentially zero practical application—you won't clear obstacles better or navigate terrain more effectively because you can wheelie. It's pure style, pure expression, and if the risk-reward calculus doesn't appeal to you, there's no shame in admiring wheelies from others while focusing your practice time on skills with actual utility. Motorcycling offers endless ways to challenge yourself; wheelies are optional.