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If you’ve ever driven a dirt bike it probably didn’t take long to try a wheelie. I tried and failed the first few times but finally got it and in this post, I’ll be talking about how to do a wheelie on a Yamaha TTR 125.
Some people might think that this bike doesn’t have enough power to get up and go but that’s the furthest thing from the truth. There are two different types of wheelies. The first is done when you’re standing still and the second is when you’re already moving. Both are pretty similar but here’s how to do a clutch wheelie on a TTR 125:
- Start off in 1st or 2nd gear.
- Sit at the back of the seat.
- Pull in the clutch.
- Give it gas and let the clutch out at the same time.
- Pull the handlebars up like you would on a peddle bike.
- Find your balance point and use your back brake if you’re falling too far back.
- Keep practicing.
That’s pretty much it. You can essentially wheelie on anything. It just takes some practice and the right technique. I think it’s actually easier to wheelie on a 4 stroke bike just because the power is more predictable. The powerband on a 2 stroke bike can get you into some pretty crazy situations.
When you’re first getting started I’d highly recommend you wear a helmet and some protective gear. Trust me, I’m speaking for experience on this one!
Is It Hard To Wheelie A Dirt Bike?
The short answer to this question is that doing a wheelie is NOT very hard. It’s not a hard thing to do but you probably won’t be able to do it on your first few tries. It’s just like riding a regular bike. Did you stay on 2 wheels your first try? Probably not.
It’s more about the technique and being able to find your balance point. Once you do it once it’ll become second nature and you’ll wonder how you weren’t able to do this before.
All you really have to do is shift your weight back towards the back wheel, get into 2nd gear (works best for me), give it a bunch of gas, and pull up on the handlebars.
How To Wheelie A 2 Stroke Dirt Bike?
I actually find it harder to do a wheelie on a 2 stroke dirt bike. The reason is that the power on a 2 stroke is much less predictable and it’s fairly easy to get out of control. 4 strokes give a much more steady power burst.
A lot of the time you don’t even need to pop the clutch. They already have enough power to get up on one wheel just by giving it some gas (on my Husqvarna FX 350 it’s pretty similar).
If you’ve never done a wheelie before I probably wouldn’t try to pop the clutch because that’s just asking for something bad to happen. Being in 1st or 2nd gear and hitting the powerband will be more than enough to get your bike up. Just try that out first a few times.
Tips For Not Crashing When Doing A Wheelie
- Start on a lower cc bike if you’ve never done a wheelie before. They are lighter and easier to control if you start losing your balance.
- You can have your feet close to the group instead of on your pegs to help you balance and also to get a foot down quicker if you do lose control.
- Make sure the ground you’re on is as flat as possible.
- Make sure to cover the back brake with your foot. When you start leaning too far back all you have to do is tap the back brake and it’ll bring you forward again.
Dirt Bike Wheelie Trainer
There are wheelie trainers you can get for the dirt bike that attaches to the back to prevent you from falling. They are super easy to attach to the bike and they do really help you get the right technique and balance point.
That being said, they aren’t cheap and I don’t see a reason to buy one. Why would you spend a few hundred dollars on something you’ll only use a few times? It’s really not that hard and once you practice doing wheelies for an hour or two you’ll be good to go.
If you have the money and want to be extra safe with not hurting yourself, go for it. Otherwise, just practice like everyone else.
What Is The Easiest Dirt Bike To Wheelie?
I’ve attempted to do a wheelie on 3 different bikes. The first was my TTR 125, the second was a YZ125, and the third was my FX 350. Out of all of them, I’d say the easiest was probably my TTR.
Like I was saying before, I find 4 stroke bikes to be much easier than 2 strokes because the power is more predictable and it can’t take off on me like the 2 strokes. That’s why the TTR was easier for me compared to the YZ.
Now for the FX 350. This thing is pretty crazy because all I really need to do is give it some gas and it’ll pop right up. I still think the TTR is easier though because it’s much smaller and I can pretty much just pull up on the bars and the front end will lift up.
Once you have the technique and you become comfortable with the bike you’re on it doesn’t really matter. I think I find my TTR to be the easiest because it’s the bike I’ve had the longest and is the one I’m most comfortable with.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
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