SportbikeS.com takes a look at On One Wheel, the Wheelie School

by Mike DiSabatino, SportbikeS.com

Ok, we all know that stunt riding is a growing part of the sportbike scene. I for one think that stunt riding should be a sanctioned competition, similar to freestyle MX, freestyle BMX and the other extreme sports. When sanctioned (and it’s happening… slowly), there will be more areas to practice and compete - taking the riders from the streets to the track like track schools answered the call for high speed riders.  So how do you learn to stunt… lots of practice!  Is there a safe way?  Well, lets say there are “safer” ways.  One safer way to learn how to wheelie is the new On One Wheel Wheelie School (www.ononewheel.com) developed by Keith Code, founder and President of the California Superbike School.

Keith has been answering the needs of riders since 1980 with the first high performance motorcycle school, which provides a place for students to learn how to control their bike in a variety of situations. Keith’s schools are responsible for training numerous riders that have gone on to become world champion racers, as well as the 100,000+ riders who just wanted to increase their skill level. Keith is again the first to engineer a method to allow students to learn another aspect of control in a safe controlled environment… the art of wheelying.  Notice how I say that the class teaches control, and there is an absence of the term ‘stunts?’ This is very intentional, since the school’s goal is to have you learn the “sweet spot” or balancing point of the bike, and the bikes reactions prior to and possibly after reaching the sweet spot.  As with any added knowledge of how the motorcycle will react under different conditions, the rider becomes better equipped to provide the proper input (technique and control) into the motorcycle to achieve the desired results… ones that could eliminate a panic and possible dangerous ending.

Ok… about the school….
8AM – Arrive at the track and register.  Whitney Fair, a motorcycle rider for over 7 years, is the manager of the school and will make sure all the fees are paid and waivers are signed.  Whitney is no foreigner to the track, since she is also the wife of Cobie Fair, chief instructor at the California Superbike School.  Whitney has even given the wheelie bike a few runs herself:)  This registration process as a whole was like many other track events, only you’ll find this one to be MUCH smaller.  In order to provide a one-on-one instructor - student relationship, there are a maximum of 8 riders per instructor/class.

Our instructor, Jason, proceeded with a quick introduction, an overview the day’s goal - being comfortable in an uncomfortable position, aka, maintaining control of your bike while on one wheel - and an orientation of the bike, a Kawasaki ZRX1200 and its anti-flip device.  The device consists of mechanisms, which are dialed in to different degrees of wheelie height to ensure a progressive learning curve. Ultimately, the device is used to kill engine power and apply the rear brake to prevent a flip. The school seemed to follow Code’s first rule of “Keep it Simple,” by eliminating many of the ‘fear’ factors and riding complications that accompany learning new skills of an extreme sport. Jason was there to provide individualized feedback to assure that everyone progressed at their own speed.

Minutes later we were suited up and ready to WHEELIE! The rotation of practice runs began. You will be in constant rotation all day from about 8:30AM to 5PM. Practice… practice... practice!  Oh yeah, feedback containing both instruction and praise from the instructor continues throughout the day. Your peers in the wheelie school will also provide encouragement!

In between session, comradery is abundant amongst classmates.  Discussions in the beginning were mostly common encouragement, but as the day progressed the bond of sharing the adrenalin rushes made for a relaxed relationship as if we were all buddies for years.

Since November of 2002, through this class on April 11, 2003, there have been a total of 18 classes tuaght by On One Wheel, and all were sold out. Interestingly enough, the average age of students was pushing 40 years. Whitney explained that the classes were attended by students from 22 to 67 years old, men and even a good number of women. When asked about the most memorable event, she explained that most riders leave with a smile from ear to ear, so the most memorable would have been a rider who wheelied so high so fast that they would have flipped if the anti-flip device was not there, but then the rider came down with enough momentum to jerk their wrist on the gas again, forcing them into another wheelie… this ‘Bucking Bronco’ effect lasted for several bounces. To make it memorable, the rider went on to finish the day and understand what NOT to do.

Our class was held at Irwindale Raceway (just outside of Los Angeles, CA) and consisted of 8 riders, including myself, from across the country.  Two riders caught the red eye flight from Brooklyn, New York, and returned hours after the school, while another rode his Goldwing from Arizona, and another drove out from the Midwest.  I was able to get to know a few of the riders…

Kevin was a local Southern California guy who recently purchased a Buell XB9. Kevin progressed nicely throughout the day, and through his face shield you could see an ear-to-ear grin each time he landed the front wheel. Later in the day it appeared that the adrenalin drain was taking its toll on Kevin as we caught him getting 30 minutes of shuteye in between session…. I’m sure it was just a visualization technique :)

Maurice, one of the 2 investment bankers from New York searched the web for some sort of school until he found www.OnOneWheel.com. I think that Maurice was getting a bit frustrated as his progress wasn’t as quick as the others, but Jason, the instructor, provided just the right insight to allow Maurice to conquer the task of control, and by the day’s end, Maurice caught up to the rest of the class as he wheelied the entire track (from marker to marker). Maurice was completely satisfied.

Mike, a Midwest rider with a variety of bikes at home used the excuse to visit relatives in California to pack his trailer with a flat track Harley and head to CA.  Just so happened that Mike also had plans to race and coincidentally had reservations at the wheelie school. [Nice excuse Mike… visiting relatives…]

The stories as to where they came from and what they do for a living varied, but they all had a common goal… to wheelie.

Results….
Well if I can be considered the average rider, then the school succeeded!  I was like everyone else at the school, there to learn, and within 8 hours, I went from barely getting the front end up to riding the balance point and shifting gears! The personal achievement I felt was most gratifying :)

The anti-flip device provides just the right amount of confidence to learn the bikes reactions under extreme power. The closed course and safety equipment just added to the comfort level of this extreme learning session.

Here is a little thing I noticed… While beginning the day of power wheelies I thought to myself…. “Self, if I’m ripping along at this rate in first gear… how the hell am I going to progress to shifting gears and get the bike back down before I run out of room?”  At the end of the day…. I was able to consistently reach 3rd gear and I felt as if I could “float” there forever. Could it be I reached the Wheelie Zone?? If so, I have to thank On One Wheel, because it was a great feeling.

On One Wheel get a SportbikeS.com thumbs up!

Check out www.OnOneWheel.com.  Code is expanding the school and will hold classes around the country starting this season.  Triumph will be providing the bikes for the new schools, too! If you want to learn to wheelie AND want to minimize the risks, this IS the way!

Maurice struggling at the beginning	Maurice High and Proud!