Wheelies

i was never much of a wheelie guy all the years i’ve ridden. accidentally popped the clutch a few times on my 1978 Vespa PX125 with mixed results. kept both wheels on the road on the 1978 Suzuki GS550e, 1981 Moto Guzzi Monza, 1978 Kawasaki SR650, 1994 Honda CBR F2, 1982 Honda Silverwing, and anyone else’s bike i borrowed. i ride like a maniac but kept my body parts, bikes and driving record mostly intact. my lifestyle and riding style i’d describe as “sustainably reckless.”

now i’m a novice two-stroke vintage yamaha RD400 wheelie enthusiast. whoo hoo! that is some good stuff right there. it’s therapy in seconds. i can turn a bad mood or crappy day around with a twist of the wrist. a quick check for a clear path and no cops get get it to 6000 rpm and bring the front wheel up to eye level. practice is required to get good at anything and in many cases, like making babies, practicing is fun. it can also be fun to watch.