This article is about a vehicle maneuver. For other uses, see Wheelie (disambiguation). "Wheel stand" redirects here. For the bicycle wheel straightening tool, see wheel truing stand. Motorcycle wheelie Wheelie at a tractor pull Wheelie at a drag race Manual on a BMX bike In vehicle acrobatics, a wheelie, or wheelstand,[1] is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to sufficient torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels,[2] or rider motion relative to the vehicle. Wheelies are usually associated with bicycles and motorcycles, but can be done with other vehicles such as cars, especially in drag racing and tractor pulling. History The first wheelie was done in 1890 by trick bicyclist Daniel J. Canary, shortly after modern bicycles became popular.[3][4] Wheelies appear in popular culture as early as 1943, as U.S Army motorized cavalry are pictured in Life magazine performing high speed wheelies.[5] Daredevil Evel Knievel performed motorcycle acrobatics including wheelies in his shows. Doug "The Wheelie King" Domokos has accomplished such feats as a 145-mile (233 km) wheelie.[6] Types Types of wheelie can be divided into two broad categories: 1. wheelies in which the vehicle power is sufficient by itself, as described in the Physics section below. These include: Clutch wheelies: performed by revving the engine with the clutch disengaged, and then abruptly engaging (a.k.a. dumping) the clutch. Power wheelies or roll-on wheelies: performed by simply opening the throttle. If the engine has sufficient power, it will be able to lift the front wheel. 2. wheelies performed with the aid of suspension dynamics or rider motion. These include: Bounce wheelies or slap wheelies: performed by opening and closing the throttle in time with suspension rebounding, tire rebounding, rider motion, or any combination of the three. Manuals: performed without applying torque to the rear wheel at all, but instead by moving the rider's body backwards relative to the bike, and then pulling back on the handlebars near the end of available travel. Bicycles Wheelies are a common stunt in artistic cycling and freestyle BMX. The bike is balanced by the rider's weight and sometimes use of the rear brake. A style of bicycle, the wheelie bike, has a seating position, and thus center of mass, nearly over the rear wheel that facilitates performing wheelies.

• published: 10 Oct 2020
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