How to do a Wheelie

There are three kinds of wheelie: the intentional, the unintentional, and the intentional gone bad. Here’s how to do it right. Best bike to learn on? Someone else’s, preferably a dirtbike. And wear all of the protective gear that you possibly can.

THE POWER WHEELIE Perfect for beginners. Sit back on the bike. Take off in first gear. When you’re moving and the clutch is out, open the throttle quickly until the front comes up. Repeat this, trying to get the front end lighter and ride the wheelie farther. You'll learn throttle control and get used to the idea.

THE CLUTCH WHEELIE Start the same way that you would for the power wheelie, sitting back on the bike. Take off in first gear. When you’re moving, pull the clutch in enough so that it slips. Rev the engine and let the clutch out until the front wheel lofts. Repeat until you can ride this wheelie farther.


Wheelie gone wrong? If the bike’s starting to loop out, stab the rear brake and the front end will drop back down. It’s always easier to wheelie with the bike pointed uphill. Sometimes, a small bump in the road or trail can help you loft the front wheel.