Final Session Pics and Vid

MotoBum's Third 1000 Wheelies Project can be found at: http://third1000wheelies.blogspot.com/

The Last Ones

Ghostface KLR, Shotgun Ruthie, and Last Minute Ryan joined me in my favorite desolate local parking lot to take in and help celebrate that last ten wheelies of this project. I can't say they were particularly great wheelies. I can say they were fun though. That's been the trend.

Some photos and video were captured at this session. The documentation will be forthcoming.

It has been a long road to get to this point. And I still have a lot of work to do. I won't stop. I'll continue the quest for the Ultra Wheelie.

Counter: 1,000

Having Fun

I took today's wheelie session lightly. That made it even more fun than usual. And fast. Also, I shot a 10-minute static video to review my performance. I have to say that the wheelies feel much harder to perform than they look (on a motorbike at this point in my development).

Counter: 990

Bad is Good

It was a bad session. If each whoolie wasn't a chaser, it was out of control. Just. Bad. 

The wonderful part was that I was out there doing my thing. It's what I love to do. And I had fun every second of it. 

Sometimes a bad Moto Wheelie Session is a good one anyway. Just because.

Counter: 970

Anything Better

Is there anything better than experiencing a well executed motorcycle wheelie? Of course not. That was my exact thought upon the first wheelie of today's session. That, and "why do I not do these sessions three times a day every day?"

Counter: 945

Pants On

With a low sun and a refreshing cool temperature, this Moto Wheelie Session brought 40 more sit-down WR250R wheelstands to my experience. I focused more on proper bicycle-style launches -- getting a good pop and catching rotation on the brake in order to keep speeds low. 

As a side note, I discovered that backing in a WR250R is about as much fun as you can have with your pants on. 

Counter: 915

First Pop

The first wheelie of a Moto Wheelie Session is always the best. And the best feeling. With a rev, a clutch let-out, a tug, and a braking to keep from looping out, I always still find myself in awe that wheelies are possible. And that I'm doing one.

Counter: 875

First Gear

At the end of today's session, I went and pulled a couple of second gear wheelies. As I've always known, they are a different ball of wax. Throttle control seems completely different. I imagine I'll have to pull a few thousand wheelies in each gear to learn how to really get motorcycle wheelies down pat.

Counter: 840

A Few Degrees Higher

Today's session brought the realization that the WR250R's sit-down balance point is way, way, up there. Just like the boys riding dirt bikes on the streets of Baltimore, I must actually look under the handlebar to see ahead. With this insight, and the best throttle control I've ever displayed, my whoolie performance did not degrade after number 20 for the session.

I am getting better every day.

Counter: 800

Dream Machine Post Meridiem

I am chasing my dreams...

Often by chasing the balance-point...

But I know what it takes to overcome that deficiency...

For I am a Master Wheelie Artist.

Counter: 765

Dream Machine Ante Meridiem

This morning's Moto Wheelie Session was a genuine, old-school MotoBum, Moto Morning Wheelie Session (MMWS). I went out, had the time of my life, and realized that my dream bike was right there... right between my legs... and that I was riding it on one wheel. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Counter: 735

Smoothness

Everything works out better when you're smooth. Just like a bicycle wheelie, being peaceful, calm, and still is essential for really feeling the balance point. I'd gotten all this figured out with KLR stand-ups, but these sit-downs on the WRR are another story. The comparatively snappier engine combined with a less powerful feeling brake make getting smooth tricky. I'll keep working on it.

Counter: 695

Warrioring

Some days we're tired. Some days we're energetic. Some days we're happy or sad. Some days it's sunny, rainy, windy, dark, bright, cold, or hot. But no matter what, it's important to just keep on doing what we do -- just because we like doing it.

Counter: 665

Spooked

This rainy Moto Wheelie Session brought lots of wheel spin. It was particularly slippery. Mid-session, several clutch-ups shot the front wheel up much harder and faster than the others. With the unpredictability of launches, I found myself just chasing it for the second half of the session. Oh, well. It's all about fun.

Counter: 635

Sitting Back

Today's dusk Moto Wheelie Session had light rain, wet ground, and tons of fun. Sitting way back on the WR's banana seat significantly improves control and launch grip. I found myself using much more throttle upon clutch-up to compensate for tire spin as the lightweight WR likes to slide much easier than bigger bikes. Occasionally, the launch slip would not occur and I'd end up aborting due to the simple fact that the front end shot up to near b.p. sooner than I expected. At least I'm getting a variety of experience out there.

This wheelie session brought me back to two basic understandings I've long held. The are:

1. bicycle wheelies are so much easier than motorcycle wheelies
2. motorcycle wheelies take more balls than bicycle wheelies because if/when you get it wrong on a moto, you know it's going to hurt

Counter: 605

20 Up

Today's Moto Wheelie Session epiphany is that... well... okay, maybe no ah-ha moment happened, but I did get another twenty Two-Fiddy wheelies done.

Counter: 580

25 Ups Again

Yamaha WR250R's have, what some people call, a wheelie button, which, to say, is a large wheelie zone while near the b.p. combined with an insanely forgiving side-to-side steering feel. I've felt it since I purchased that machine in January of 2013, but, until today, never really understood it. I do now.

Counter: 560

25 Ups

An evening twilight Moto Wheelie Session (MWS) ending a beautiful Seattle day brought with it WR250R sit-down whoolies with a particular over the balance point flavor. This was the first session where I was comfortable enough to go over the b.p. on the little high revver. It sounds silly, just getting to that now, as I've been comfortable doing that on the KLR for years (standing staggered). Even more so on the WR than the KLR, smooth throttle control is essential. Just as you learned way back when, the key is to just hold the throttle steady and use the brake to control speed.

Counter: 535

Epic 75

In what seems to have been one of my biggest motorcycle wheelie sessions ever, if not the biggest, somehow the time and space was available for me to pull 75 whoolies on Two-Fiddy today. It's safe to say I'm better with the 250cc dual-sport adventure machine on beat-up pavement at low speed now. Oh, yeah.

Counter: 510

Feels Great

With a wheelie-fest bicycle ride paired back-to-back with an afternoon WR250R Moto Wheelie Session, this sunny Seattle day has shaped up to be one great feeling one. Today was the first day where the Two-Fiddy wheelies were feeling similar to bicycle wheelies. The bicycle is still 10x easier to control, but I'm getting there with the snachy little engine that could.

I spent years learning how to motorcycle wheelie a KLR with a staggered standing stance. That's pretty easy now. What I'm doing now is really learning sit-down motorcycle wheelies, a la bicycle. For me, standing and sitting motorcycle wheelies are like lions and tigers; they're two different animals.

This year is the one I plan to nail the sit-downs so that I may accomplish my dreams.

Counter: 435

Restart

10 done. I restart this project now after months of distractions. I am back!

Counter: 405

75?

The estimate of wheelies pulled since last publication is 75. It's a total guess. Since the last report, I underwent prep for The Dirty Crew's Oregon Background Discovery Route expedition, went on the expedition (many wheelies happened there), recovered from the expedition, and did a lot of commuting since.

Counter: 395

Kudos

During another dedicated wheelie fest with The Little Engine That Could (WR250R/Two-Fiddy), for some unknown reason, it didn't go anything at all like the last. Last time I realized that I'd only learned how to learn how to really wheelie motorcycles over the past few years. This time, I was up near the balance point (just under or over) without further training. I don't know what happened. Well, I do. I slept on it. And this time out, I was pulling the fat ones a hundred times better than last time on, basically, an unfamiliar bike. Kudos, MotoBum. Kudos.

Counter: 320

Ah Ha with Two-Fiddy

+10 wheelies on the KLR. Yes. It never gets old. Just let the clutch out quickly from 2 miles an hour, and BAM... nice wheelie!

+10 wheelies on the WR250R. In a long overdue wheelie session with the little bike, I had an ah ha moment. I realized that I could not wheelie any motorbike by just hopping on and ripping some good ones. Not yet, anyway. What I learned is that I now have a solid method for learning how to pull wheelies on any motorbike. With this wheelie session, I was instantly transported three years back in time -- back to a time where I did not have the skills that I have today. I felt like such a beginner, such a hack. But now that I know how to learn to pull decent wheelies on a motorbike, the learning curve is expected to be quite low.

Counter: 310

Bad Ones

I think wheelies are a lot like sex. Even bad wheelies are much, much, much better than no wheelies at all.

Counter: 290

Automatic Fantastic

The wheelies are always best when every little detail about pulling one isn't attended to. Instead, one just knows everything that needs to happen and does it, seemingly, without thought.

Counter: 270

Go Over

One key to a good wheel stand is to aim for being over the balance point. In my experience, all successful wheelies are spent at about 50% below the balance point ("chasing it") and 50% over the balance point (slowing down). And when I'm closest to the actual mythical balance point, I'm always aiming for being just over.

Counter: 257

Great Wheelies

Great wheelies continue to progress, even if they don't always go as planned.

Counter: 253

Return

After a good whack to the left foot while riding dirt bikes, the hot whoolie action returns a couple of weeks later. It's like I never stopped. The wheelies just keep getting better and better. 

Counter: 248

Feeling Great

It's amazing how a seemingly normal morning can turn extraordinary by simply pulling ten motorcycle wheelies.

Counter: 245

I Am Significant

Whether it be associate contemporaries at the office or the best of friends looking on, people seem to love it when I pull motorcycle wheelies. I love it. I'll keep doing them.

Counter: 235

Magnifying Success

After a midnight motorcycle wheel stand through a dark and sleeping neighborhood, Last Minute Ryan (LMR) had this to say:

"That was über stealth. That's the perfect urban assault technique for completing the mission without waking the neighbors. I love it when you wheelie like that."

Counter: 213

Validation

"That was a sweet wheelie you pulled down 200th." -- Ghostface KLR

"That was the most beautiful wheelie I've ever seen. Seriously." -- Shotgun Ruthie

Counter: 211

Standing Tall

Most days, the best thing to do is get up in the morning and clutch one up. Just get the machine standing tall. It never disappoints. And on the off-days, it's best to clutch ten up... just to get in the spirit of things.

Counter: 210

Contemplation

The moto wheelies have become so integrated in my lifestyle that I'm starting to lose count of them. They're more of a contemplation. I contemplate wheelies. By the time this project is complete, there will no longer be a need for counting... only contemplation.

Counter: 205 (estimate)

Fun Bikes

A brief wheelie session on Two-Fiddy yielded big fun on a little bike. I can see how the kids are enjoying their dirt bikes in the urban environments. They're so easy to ride. They feel so good to ride on one wheel.

Counter: 190

Keeping It Up

I've only been pulling one about every day, besides one short session in these past two weeks. The practice during this dark time is just the habit -- one must keep pulling wheelies, no matter how much is going on. Because all of that will always be going on.

Counter: 185

Inspired

No matter how tired I am, no matter how late at night it is, no matter how much I've been through in a day, I still, sometimes, find myself as being the right person in the right place doing the right thing -- wheelies on a motorcycle. It's amazing. Even in an urban environment, I know how to put me in a position where no one else is around and I can, it feels, perform whatever motorcycle mayhem I please for just a few minutes. And it is so completely awesome.

Counter: 170

Hero

When the heavy weight of life feels overwhelming, that's when I know it's time to give a two-wheeled machine a hard launch or two... or ten. And when I do that, the heavy weight lifts and I re-realize what I should be doing.

Counter: 160

Don't Stop Believin'

No matter the machine, pulling wheelies is definitely what I came here to do. I can feel it.

Counter: 150

Two-Fiddy

Today I added another motorcycle to the stable -- a 2012 Yamaha WR250R dual-sport. The machine had one mile on the odometer when I picked it up. By the time that odometer indicated three miles, I was on a side road pulling sit down wheelies.

Counter: 137

Twenty

Sometimes the best way to get better is to take a break. With a few days off from the random wheelie here and there, I came back to the scene with greater clarity and better control than ever. How does that work? It probably has something to do with having made better and more connections in my nervous system -- something which I continually strive for during and between these wheelie sessions.

Counter: 132

Internal External

It's astounding that the mental labor required for a great wheelie is tenfold the physical requirement. Wheelies are a mind game. They're easy to execute, once it is known what to do. Just put fear in the trash - you won't be needing that. We just need to focus on the two-axes of balance and do our best.

As a development note, I've started to experiment with different rear foot placements and have found greater control is possible with a left-most placement in the KLR foothold rather than a right -- a break from my experience of the past two years. Oh... the things you will learn.

Counter: 112

Wheelies For All

Just pull one here and there. It feels great. Do it.

Wheelies are for all.

Counter: 99

The Wait Is Over

I cannot speak of how many years I've waited and wanted to pull motorcycle wheelies as well as I can now. It's been a long, long, long road. And it keeps getting better.

Today in ---

1992: "Oh man, I'm totally going to pull some power wheelies on my Honda sportbike in a few years, when I can afford to get one."

2002: "Gettin' that front end off the ground is a no-brainer and holding it till the revs run out is easy enough. How do those Star Boys ride for miles though? Is it the jackets?"

2012: "I've become "that guy" who is always terrorizing the neighborhood by riding his motorcycle everywhere like it's a unicycle."

Counter: 94

The Allure

Part of the attraction to pulling motorcycle wheelies is that punk skateboard attitude of doing something that the "authorities" mandate not to do. I know that The Man is well intentioned, but when he's not looking I'll have that front tire In The Air. Thank you.

Counter: 86

Small Space

Some moments take my breath away when I realize how far I've come. I've learned more about wheelie control in the last two months than I have in the last two years. Picture this: a small flat parking lot in the middle of the night during the pouring rain with... Big. Slow. Over-the-b.p. motorcycle wheelies. Sometimes I don't even recognize myself. That's no bicycle! That's a 450lb motorbike!!!

Counter: 85

They're Free

Why not loft the front?

Wheelies are free.

Pull some now.

Counter: 75

Long Arm

23:00. Torrential rains all day, now wet. 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Secluded top-secret sub-urban spot. And I am shocked and amazing. Maybe it was the headlight pointing into the sky like a searchlight (during really excellent wheelies is near total darkness -- I've come a long way and it keeps getting better). Maybe it was the odd muffled sound of the motorbike's engine wavering about the balance point. Whatever it was, it was very odd that PoPo just happened to roll in with a cruiser during session time. That place is remote! You have to want to go there to get there. And there he was. Right where I was. With a bit of spotlight shone on ADVstunt1 and no harm done to anyone or anything, we slid right past each other slowly. I'm sure the circle-about and follow was to check the plate for property rights issues. But I'm always clean. Nevertheless, be wary of the Long Arm of The Law.

Counter: 72

Success Preparation

Being comfortable is key. When the environment isn't comfortable, big nice wheelies are hard to get right. That's not to say that the environment has to be perfect. It's okay if the surface is not ideal or if you think popo/security will show up at any moment. Being a bit outside the comfort zone is a good thing. What matters is being comfortable. Is there enough light? Are the hands warm enough? Prepare to have success in thy wheelies.

Counter: 60

Getting There

I'm just now getting to the space in my life where I've wanted to be for a long time. At least now I can say it. I've arrived. And it keeps getting better.

Counter: 50

Doing What You Love

It's funny that when you're doing what you love, what used to be hard becomes easy.

Counter: 47

Just Play

Sometimes one just needs some pure play time. No goals. No counting. Just pure fun.

Tonight's session was done in near total darkness. Well, a few big ones were pulled in lighted areas just to compare with how hard it is to wheelie in pitch black. It's tricky.

Counter: 45

Illegal and Inappropriate

It just had to be tried. Oh, it feels good to perform the illegal and inappropriate -- good fat motorcycle wheelies on the public street. The NYC guys doing "blockz" must feel this way all the time. What a life!

One key note to take away from this ride is this: if you can't slow down your wheelie, you're not going to wheelie very far or be in full control. Keep practicing the over-b.p. slow downs.

Counter: 25

Set of 10

It was late and dark last night. Another 10 whoolies got pulled on that trusty ADVstunt1. And now, while possible, it still takes balls to throw such a heavy bike over the b.p. It does feel amazing though.

Counter: 23

A Couple

It's amazing how quickly the skills have come up. Now, it seems 50 feet is enough to get a KLR up and over the b.p., rock one for a second, and get back down to earth in time before crashing. Also, The old smooth and perfect inclined plane "cheater" lot seemed like child's play to rock a big one just above idle. It seemed so easy, it was almost scary to my psyche. Still working on smoothness though.

Counter: 13

Another 1000 Wheelies

Yesterday, my 1000 Wheelies Project ended. It was a task that spanned two years to help me transition my bicycle wheelie skills to motorcycle wheelie skills. It worked, at least as far as being able to control a motorcycle better while riding a wheel stand at low speed.

Why stop documenting motorcycle wheelies once a thousand are counted? Sure, I've pulled many more. But the point is to make a record of progress... and to chase that ultimate life goal.

The quest for the Ultra Wheelie continues.

The first wheelie session of Another 1000 Wheelies occurred.

Counter: 12 wheelies

MotoBum on ADVstunt1