Dare Devil

Inspiring the next generation of dare devils isn't hard. Just get out there, warm up your motorbike, and let the onlooking youngsters see the big motorcycle whoolies and the deep backing-it-in occur. They will be affected.

In awe, they may be. And it just might change their worldview enough to see them doing the same thing in the decades to come.

Counter: 820

I ♥ Wheelies

Wow. What a great session today. The sit-downs at and just over the balance point are juuust now becoming comfortable on the WR250R. It's amazing how long it has taken for that skill to translate from bicycles. Years!

Good things are coming.

Counter: 770

Thursday Nights

Pulling motorcycle wheelies is one of the greatest activities humankind has invented. Let's not stop. Let's keep pulling big fat whoolies!

Counter: 710

Changes

Today, I was a different person out there. And I liked it. Gone was the over-the-balance-point woe of yesteryear. It's almost bicycle for me now. It's getting easier and better to just throw up a good sit-down low-speed wheel stand.

I feel that pretty soon I'll be able to roll the WR250R sit-down wheelies just as I would on a well set-up bicycle. Like a bicycle, I'll pop the front up just past balance point, catch the rotation on the brake, and ride into the sunset with an infinite wheelie.

I'm getting there. I'm still chasing my dreams.

Counter: 700

Standard

Nice. +15 for the day.

Counter: 670

Heaven on Earth

With 20 solid wheel-ups done at my favorite parking lot, I hit the streets for some illegal blockz-style action.

Whoa.

It was just one wheelie... but this recent practice has clearly taken my skills to a new level. What happened was magical. It reminded me of the seeming carefree-loss-of-mental-control-as-if-I-am-not-in-control-but-simultaneously-am-in-full-control nature of riding dirt bikes.

There I was. Just floating along a roadway. Above it. Just feeling it, but not exactly connected to it. But completely connected to it via gravity, the rapid burning of hydrocarbons, and my nervous system controlling the motions.

It was extremely beautiful. No picture, video, or written description can do justice to what happened this evening. It just was.

Counter: 635

Preparation

Leather pants. Leather jacket. Leather boots. Captain America helmet. Fox dirtpaws. Check, check, check, check, check. 

We prepare for our rides just as we prepare to live the lives we intend to lead. 

The key is practice. 

So, practice wheelies. Daily. 

Counter: 615

A Bit More Sense

Yet another level of wheelie comfortability has been achieved. These level jumps occur infrequently, but when they do, they are felt through every bone in my body. And I recognized one today.

I recognized it tonight upon the first clutch up. It was as if life was in slow motion. The idle speed roll in first gear, the dragging of the rear brake, the dipping of the RSC lever, the gentle twist of the throttle, the slow-but-positive release of the clutch, the release of the brake, the raising of the front wheel, the application of the brake to catch the pre-balance point, the gentle acceleration to a comfortable speed, the application of the brake near balance point, the simultaneous modulation of the throttle and brake, the ever so slight steering left and right corrections... all were pure magic. Just as I had done thousands of times before. But today, somehow, it all just made a bit more sense.

Counter: 540

Balance

That's what it's all about.

Counter: 520

420 on 4/20

In a coincidence, the project hit 420 documented wheelies on 4/20.

Today's wheelies were very high.

Counter: 420

Wheelies by MotoBum

Twenty more lofties down, six hundred to go for this project. It was another picturesque evening of twilight. Just a steady hand and subtle balancing movements were all that was needed. And that is all that ever is needed.

Counter: 400

Counter: 380

It was another perfect evening. Quality wheelies. Big slides. Little jumps. Just perfect. Amazing. Beautiful.

Counter: 380

Pants On

It’s a well kept motorcycle secret — a Yamaha WR250R is just an easy motorcycle to ride, plain & simple. People don’t talk about that. They talk about how much fun they are; the kind of fun that is the most-fun-you-can-have-with-your-pants-on kind of fun. The reason? Why are they so fun to ride? Because they are easy!

Want to pull a nice wheel stand? Give the engine a nice rev and let the clutch out. It’s like pushing a wheelie button. Easy.

Want to jump off something? Roll up to a lip. Give it some power. Bam. Nice air, dude! Easy.

Want to back it in? Speed up to 50mph. Click the tranny into first gear. Lean a little. Let out the clutch lever. So, so… Easy.

Counter: 355

Do What You...

Do what you love.
Love what you do.
Wheelies.
That's what I like to do.

Counter: 330