So you're a new rider who has seen some videos of guys doing pretty wild stuff on their bike. Or you're a seasoned rider who wants to try some new tricks before he becomes an old dog. Whatever the situation is, you want to try doing some tricks like you've seen in the videos.
First off, you know it's illegal, right? Cause it is. It's also not good for your bike. You will blow fork seals, stress engines, transmissions and final drives, smoke clutches, pound out steering head bearings, wreck plastic body panels and generally thrash your bike. And pavement hurts when you smash your body into it. Still sound like fun?
It is your call and that's cool if it's what you really want to do. I've been there.... still go there from time to time. And we will assume you are not a complete moron and are aware of the hazards to you and your bike, as well as the total illegality (because I just told you...) of it anyplace but PRIVATE land (
empty parking lots are not private property and if a cop see's you stunting in one, he can and probably will bust you down for it)..... we won't even mention pulling this stuff on the street is harmful to you and all bikers in various ways.
Oops, just mentioned it. That's alright, it bears mentioning again.
O.K., disclaimerization is over. You do so at your own risk, and that risk is great. Can't claim you didn't know now.
And now you still want to learn how to do it. Well, I'll tell you. There are 2 ways.
A. Pay big bucks and attend one of the few schools that specialize in teaching wheelies and such things. They have special bikes for you to use and skilled instructors right there to tell you what to do and watch you do it, correcting what needs correcting in real time. This probably the smartest way to do it, but can be costly, especially if you don't live in the same city as one of the few schools. Did I mention there are very few schools offering this? One reason this is so, is because it is hell on their equipment. Another is the liabiltly insurance they have to carry is murder. Hell, Murder... not good business parameters. This equals pain+money. Your's. They ain't in it to lose money.
And that's the best way....
Or...
B. Buy a dedicated stunt bike. One that you will use solely for learning and doing stunts. Find the safest location you can. Then scrap it and find someplace safer. And hopefully out of the public's view. Stunters give us all a bad image in the eyes of Mr. & Mrs. Everybodyelse, and crappy stunters do that to a factor of 10. Stunting on busy public roads do it to a factor of 100, no matter what the skill level. So don't.
Then you go out and beat the snot out of your bike. And body. Rev it up high and dump the clutch. Pick the bike up and try it again, maybe a little less throttle this time. Or more if you wimped out and didn't get it up. The universe hates a cowardly stunter. Go hard or go home, this is no game for wussies. If you have any skill or hope of improvement at all, you will soon get the feel for what you have to do, just like learning to ride in the first place. If you don't.... time to re-think this adventure.
Once you figure out to get the wheel up, now I spose you're gonna want to learn how to keep it there. You do that the same way you learned how to get it up. Keep in mind, when you screw up now, you will be going faster.... the spills will hurt more and cost more to fix. Keep at it untill you can do it comfortably. You very well may use-up more than one bike in this whole process. And you might want to both up your medical insurance as well as read your policy very closely. Some companies may not cover random acts of self-abuse.
And that's about it.
Sure you can try to learn on your daily rider. But the best you can hope for is to turn you beloved bike into a beat-up junker. You stand a very good chance wiping it right off the face of the earth. Leave your poor streetbike out of this, it never did anything to deserve this treatment.
Asking someone else how to do it on the phone, by postcard, or over the internet is going to be about the least help. Really, how can you expect someone to explain how to do something this complicated and intuative with a keyboard? Do pilots learn how to fly this way? Is the MSF course offered online? Think about it..... there is a good reason they ain't.
This isn't cooking, there is no recipe you just follow and toss in a bowl to get a desired result. It's a little more involved than that. And it's your body that's going to be involved with anything that goes down. Gear-up and get into the best shape you can. You will stand a much better chance of not getting hurt if your in good shape, but those chances are never zero. Sooner or later, it will hurt.
Maybe it's just some stiffness and soreness, maybe it's your femur poking you in the eye. So make sure you
really want to do it.
Have fun out there, but use your head and try not embarrass the rest of us by being a fool in public. I know where you live.
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