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The best bike for wheelies?
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John den Ouden
- Last modified on 11/02/2025
What is the best bike for wheelies?
Not every motorcycle is suitable for wheelies, so there are a number of things you need to take into account.
The most commonly used engines for stunt riding are 600cc sports engines, these have the ideal balance between power and weight. If you really want to focus on stunt riding, a 3 or 4 cylinder engine is a good choice, especially because these are also very strong at idle speed.
But as a beginner you can also get by perfectly with a 1 or 2 cylinder, these engines often have a lot of torque, which makes it easy to reach the rear wheel.
Sitting posture
If you've ever taken a wheelie lesson, you know that a comfortable seating position is extremely important for wheelies.
A naked bike gives you the most control when riding on 1 wheel because of the upright sitting position. On a racer with clip-ons you sit more bent over, which means you have more weight on the front wheel. This means you have to pull the front wheel higher to get to the balance point. The wide handlebars of a naked bike also give you more confidence when landing the wheelie.
Lubrication
The lubrication of the engine is also an important point, not every engine is designed to do wheelies for miles. The Suzuki SV650 for example, was known to suffer engine damage to the front cylinder when ridden a lot on the rear wheel.
If you experience the oil light coming on while doing wheelies, you should definitely check it out.
For some engines there are modifications to adjust the oil intake in the crankcase. For most engines this is not necessary for "normal wheelies". However, if you are going for the steep 12 o'clock wheelies then it is advisable to check this. For my own stunt engines it is sufficient to add half a liter of extra engine oil, this always maintains the oil pressure. But of course this differs per engine.
Start small?
Do you want to practice the balance point without too much risk of damage and/or injuries? Then there are enough smaller motors on the market that you can work with perfectly.
The Honda MSX 125 “Grom” for example has an enormous fun factor and even in its original condition it lends itself perfectly for wheelies.
There are also a ton of stunt parts available for these bikes, such as crash protection and 12 o'clock bars.
So if something goes wrong, just get back on and try again!
Carburetor or injection?
If you are just starting out with wheelies, a carburettor engine is not a problem in itself. But when you really start pushing your boundaries and do longer, or especially steeper wheelies, you may encounter limitations. Certainly in the 12 o'clock position, the engine will eventually run out of fuel. You do not have this problem with an injection engine, these keep running in every position.
Conclusion
In principle it is possible to ride wheelies with any motorcycle, whether you have a super motard, a naked or a sports bike. One is just a bit easier than the other.
Ultimately, you can also modify any bike to make it easier to mount one wheel.
In a next article we will go into this in more detail and show you how to build a stunt bike.
Hopefully this article was helpful in your search for the ultimate wheelie bike!
Do you have any questions or comments? Please leave a comment below.
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4 Responses
Great that you share this with your customers! I am already looking forward to your next article!
Great to hear Nicolaas, that's what we do it for! 😀
John, nothing but admiration! I follow, cu nxt season!
Thanks Mick! Always welcome! 😀