Wheelie
Encyclopedia
In vehicle acrobatics
, a wheelie is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to extreme torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels. 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
. Performing such a maneuver is informally referred to as "popping a wheelie."
are pictured in Life magazine performing high speed wheelies.
Daredevil Evel Knievel
performed motorcycle acrobatics including wheelies in his shows. Doug "The wheelie king" Domokos has accomplished such feats as a 145 miles (233.4 km) wheelie.
. The principle is the same as the bicycle wheelie, but the throttle and rear-brakes are used to control the wheelie while a rider uses body mass and the steering to control the direction the inertia of the spinning front wheel acting as a balance.
The world's fastest motorcycle wheelie record is 307.86 km/h (191.3 mph) by Patrick Furstenhoff. April 18, 1999.
The world record for the fast wheelie over 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) is 172.9 mph (77.3 m/s),
set in September 2006 by Terry Calcott at Elvington airfield
in Yorkshire
, England. This event takes place every year.
In some countries, such as the United Kingdom and USA,
motorcyclists performing a wheelie on a public road
may be prosecuted for dangerous driving
,
an offense which can carry a large fine and a ban of a year or more.
In Pakistan, riders have had their motorcycles impounded for doing wheelies.
Wheelies are common in auto-
or motorcycle drag racing
, where they represent torque
wasted lifting the front end, rather than moving the vehicle forward.
, has a seating position, and thus center of mass, nearly over the rear wheel that facilitates performing wheelies.
Wheelie bars help prevent a drag vehicle's front end from raising too high or flipping over on launch. Wham-O
developed and sold an add-on wheelie bar for wheelie bike
s.
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
, a wheelie is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to extreme torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels. Wheelies are usually associated with bicycles and motorcycles, but can be done with other vehicles such as cars, especially in drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
and tractor pulling
Tractor pulling
Truck and Tractor pulling, also known as power pulling, is a motorsport competition, popular in America, Europe , Australia and Brazil, which requires modified tractors to pull a heavy sledge along a 35ft. wide and length of 100 metre or 300ft+ track, with the winner being the tractor that pulls...
. Performing such a maneuver is informally referred to as "popping a wheelie."
History
Wheelies appear in popular culture as early as 1943, as U.S Army motorized cavalryCavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
are pictured in Life magazine performing high speed wheelies.
Daredevil Evel Knievel
Evel Knievel
Evel Knievel , born Robert Craig Knievel, was an American daredevil and entertainer. In his career he attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980, and in 1974, a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket...
performed motorcycle acrobatics including wheelies in his shows. Doug "The wheelie king" Domokos has accomplished such feats as a 145 miles (233.4 km) wheelie.
Types of wheelie
Types of wheelies include:- Clutch wheelies are performed by disengaging the clutchClutchA clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
and opening the throttleThrottleA throttle is the mechanism by which the flow of a fluid is managed by constriction or obstruction. An engine's power can be increased or decreased by the restriction of inlet gases , but usually decreased. The term throttle has come to refer, informally and incorrectly, to any mechanism by which...
to let the engine race and then engaging the clutch abruptly. - Power wheelies are performed by simply opening the throttle. If the engine has sufficient power, it will be able to lift the front wheel.
- Bounce wheelies are performed by opening and closing the throttle in time with rocking the rider's weight back and forth, thus pre-loading the front suspension so that the throttle is opening at the same time as the front suspension is unloading.
Motorcycle
A wheelie is also a common motorcycle stuntMotorcycle stunt riding
Motorcycle stunt riding, sometimes referred to as simply stuntriding, is a motorcycle sport characterized by stunts involving acrobatic maneuvering of the motorcycle and sometimes the rider. Common maneuvers in stunt riding include wheelies, stoppies, and burnouts...
. The principle is the same as the bicycle wheelie, but the throttle and rear-brakes are used to control the wheelie while a rider uses body mass and the steering to control the direction the inertia of the spinning front wheel acting as a balance.
The world's fastest motorcycle wheelie record is 307.86 km/h (191.3 mph) by Patrick Furstenhoff. April 18, 1999.
The world record for the fast wheelie over 1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) is 172.9 mph (77.3 m/s),
set in September 2006 by Terry Calcott at Elvington airfield
RAF Elvington
RAF Elvington, located at Elvington, south east of York in Yorkshire was a Royal Air Force bomber base which operated from the beginning of World War II until 1992.-History:...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England. This event takes place every year.
In some countries, such as the United Kingdom and USA,
motorcyclists performing a wheelie on a public road
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
may be prosecuted for dangerous driving
Reckless driving
Reckless driving is a major moving traffic violation. As a legal term, it is used within the United States. This offence has been abolished in the United Kingdom and replaced...
,
an offense which can carry a large fine and a ban of a year or more.
In Pakistan, riders have had their motorcycles impounded for doing wheelies.
Automobiles
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
or motorcycle drag racing
Motorcycle drag racing
Motorcycle drag racing involves two participants lining up at a dragstrip with a signaled starting line. Upon the starting signal, the riders accelerate down a quarter mile long, two lane, straight paved track where their elapsed time and terminal speed are recorded. The rider to reach the finish...
, where they represent torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
wasted lifting the front end, rather than moving the vehicle forward.
Bicycles
A variation of the wheelie is the manual wheelie. This is similar to a wheelie but no pedalling is involved. The bike is balanced by the rider's weight and sometimes use of the rear brake. A style of bicycle, the wheelie bikeWheelie bike
A wheelie bike, also called a muscle bike, high-riser, or banana bike, is a type of stylized children's bicycle designed in the 1960s to resemble a chopper motorcycle and characterized by ape hanger handlebars, a banana seat with sissy bar, and small wheels. Notable examples include the Schwinn...
, has a seating position, and thus center of mass, nearly over the rear wheel that facilitates performing wheelies.
Wheelie bars
Wham-O
Wham-O Inc. is a toy company currently located in California, USA. They are known for marketing many popular toys in the past 50 years, including the Hula Hoop, the Frisbee, Slip 'N Slide, Super Ball, Trac-Ball, Silly String, Hacky Sack and the Boogie board....
developed and sold an add-on wheelie bar for wheelie bike
Wheelie bike
A wheelie bike, also called a muscle bike, high-riser, or banana bike, is a type of stylized children's bicycle designed in the 1960s to resemble a chopper motorcycle and characterized by ape hanger handlebars, a banana seat with sissy bar, and small wheels. Notable examples include the Schwinn...
s.
See also
- Bicycle and motorcycle dynamicsBicycle and motorcycle dynamicsBicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of the motion of bicycles and motorcycles and their components, due to the forces acting on them. Dynamics is a branch of classical mechanics, which in turn is a branch of physics. Bike motions of interest include balancing, steering, braking,...
- StoppieStoppieThe stoppie , is a motorcycle and bicycle trick in which the back wheel is lifted and the bike is ridden on the front wheel by carefully applying brake pressure. It is also sometimes called a front wheelie.-General description:...