ALT-1 Why Riding a Wheelie is Unsafe
Everybody knows that motorcycles are dangerous. That is more than likely a big reason that many people ride. That sense of danger is like a drug.
While the act of riding is dangerous, you can do things that make it much more so. Remember, on a bike, you have no protection save what you are wearing. No steel cage, no airbags or seat belts.
You also only have 2 wheels that touch the pavement. This is not a large footprint of rubber to road. If you feel like “living on the edge” you can up the ante and ride a wheelie, that is, pop the front wheel off the ground and continue to ride.
You may think that this makes you look cool, and others may even agree but it is very, very dangerous. Right out of the gate, you have cut the footprint on the pavement in half. You have also lost half of your braking ability. Balance is also an issue. While normal riding requires you to balance left to right, when you are only riding on the back tire, you can fall in any direction
It must also be remembered that you steer with your front wheel. If it is in the air, you can’t steer. If the motorcycle veers one way or the other, there is little that you can do to stop it.
Braking, as mentioned earlier, is an issue. It goes deeper than just losing half of your stopping ability. While the front brake is useless in the air, the rear brake will still function. The problem is, when you engage the rear brake it is going to slam the front end of the motorcycle down. If you are not prepared for this, it can be catastrophic.
Think of all the dangers that are involved with riding a motorcycle and multiply them. Hitting a bump or a crack in the road can cause the bike to “jump” one way or the other. When the tire connects with the roadway, it may not be at the same angle and cause you to wreck.
The safest bikes to do wheelies on are probably motocross bikes. It is easier to get the front wheel up (because of the low end torque and the knobby tires) and when you bring the front wheel back down, you have a lot better suspension to absorb the impact. These bikes are made to jump, when riding a wheelie, you are pretty much doing a baby half jump so it won’t do damage to the bike.
Hopefully, if you are riding a motocross bike on a track (or in a field) you are wearing the safety gear. Motocross riders tend to take safety a lot more serious, probably because wrecks are very common and expected. These riders wear full face helmets, body armor, and special boots. If you do lay the bike down, it is much easier to pick up a motocross bike and ride again immediately.
Riding a wheelie is dangerous. If you are new to riding, just don’t do it. If you have been riding for years, think about it. Is it really worth the risk to both you and your motorcycle just to show off?
Stay as safe as possible and keep both wheels on the ground, after all, you are already 2 shy of most of the other vehicles on the road.
