It’s possible to wheelie any bike, but some are inherently better than others to get up in the air.
For example, a casual play bike like the CRF 230 or TTR 230 is going to be slightly harder to get off the ground than your performance trail or motocross bike.
That’s why we’ve put together a guide of the best bikes to learn wheelies on. This isn’t a comprehensive list and we are sure you will find plenty of other options, but this is a good place to get started.
We’ve also thrown in some tips on how to wheelie at the end, so stick around!
The Best Dirt Bikes to Learn Wheelies On
Strap on your seat belt: some of these bikes are unexpected.
1. KTM 250 XC
The KTM 250 XC has the power to excel on any sort of terrain or track and features a lightweight chassis ideal for wheelies. It features one of the best power-to-weight-ratios in the class and offers an unrivaled performance.
The KTM’s advanced 2-stroke engine was specifically designed to create enduro-specific power. Not only is it durable, but also lightweight and agile. The chrome-moly steel frame offers easy handling, precise cornering, excellent stability and crazy rideability.
Because there’s maximum energy absorption, yeeting those jumps and brapping those wheelies is never an issue.
The KTM 250 XC excels at being:
Agile
Precise
Torquey
On top of that, the 250 XC comes complete with CNC-machined lightweight hubs and rims that keep the weight to a minimum while providing additional stability. The suspension was also developed in collaboration between WP and KTM.
With a base price of $9,399 for a new model, you might do better off searching for a used one, especially if you are just using the bike to learn wheelies. No one wants to damage a bike that costs that much. Thankfully, you can find some used bikes for several thousand dollars less, if you don’t mind riding one a few years old.
We put this at the top of our list because for us, it’s one of the best bikes to do wheelies on. Whether you choose to learn wheelies on it is up to you.
You do you.
Just check out this guy doing some stand-up wheelies on the back of his KTM 250 XC.
2. Kawasaki KX100
If you want one of the best bikes to learn wheelies but you aren’t looking to drop almost $10k, this Kawasaki might be a better option.
Brand new, you’ll only be set back about $4,600 which makes it money well-spent. Because it is such a popular model, you can find an abundance of used bikes at much lower prices. This might be a better option as you try your luck at getting the wheel off the ground.
Or if you’re a big baller slinging mad stacks, stick with the KTM and impress everyone at the track with your massive wallet.
It takes machismo to ride small bikes.
The KX100 is the ideal bridge between a beginner bike and full-size option. This two-stroke super-mini allows riders to achieve the power they desire with the durability required to try out new skills.
In addition, it features a six-position adjustable handlebar mount which allows a wide range of riders to find comfort while doing wheelies. All of the suspension components are fully adjustable plus there are 13 inches of ground clearance for running over slower riders.
Safely, of course.
You can find some inspiration from this guy driving around Philly doing wheelies on his bike.
3. Honda CRF150F
The CRF150F isn’t just ideal for a smaller rider, but also a great starter bike if you want to learn how to do wheelies. It features just enough power and the appropriate amount of durability plus a lower price than the other two we’ve listed.
This isn’t an entry-level bike, but close enough that you’ll be comfortable with testing your skills on it. This four-stroke bike also features an electric starter, Pro-Link rear suspension, five-speed transmission and quality build.
The used market is filled with well-maintained options if you want to save even more money on your purchase. Honda is known for a reliable bike and the amount that is still in good condition proves that. Not only does this bike contain a maintenance-free battery, but it also has a CD ignition, snail-type chain adjusters and reusable air filter.
This all means you’ll spend less time maintaining it in between wheelies, which leaves you more time to swipe right hoping one of the girls at the motocross event got dumped in the 5 minutes since you swiped the last time.
You can check out this guy playing around with some CRF150F wheelies. Just try not to crash as he does at the end.
Girls don’t like crashes, but Youtube does.
4. Honda Grom
We couldn’t make a list of the best bikes to learn wheelies on without including the Grom. It’s true that people who ride the Honda Grom tend to look at it as their religion. Many people don’t understand the fascination, but you might if you rode one for yourself.
Praise Honda.
Imagine a Suzuki SV650 reduced to half scale and that’s what the Grom is like. It’s tiny but it features a 125cc single-cylinder engine.
Don’t expect this bike to have a ton of power. In fact, it only pumps out 9.7 horsepower, which isn’t terrible considering the bike weighs less than 250 pounds. With that said, you’ll have to factor in the wind resistance, barometric pressures and whatever you ate for lunch to see if you will ever get to the top speed of 62 mph.
Riding a Grom helps you stand out in a crowd, for sure. It’s slightly ridiculous looking, slow and unique. The truth is, this bike doesn’t need to be big or fast to prove its capability. This bike is meant for fun, and you can have a lot of it as you learn to do wheelies.
The best part is that you can buy a brand new Grom for $3,399. If you want to get a pre-owned bike, you’ll find some that are a thousand or two less.
$2000 is like paying for Xbox Live for a few years, but way better spent on a Grom.
As you can see from this video, you are surely going to look strange trying out your stunts on the Grom. With that said, it doesn’t stop anyone from having a good time doing it, so you might as well join in on the action.
5. KTM 1190 Adventure R
Like the last girl you matched on Tinder, this countdown is going from small to large.
The KTM 1190 Adventure R is the ideal bike for wheelies because of several reasons. First, the V-Twin engine offers the torque you need to jerk up your front end. Even when you are riding above 50 mph, you won’t have any trouble getting it up.
In addition, the KTM is predictable and responds to every movement from your right wrist. You’ll have complete control whether your wheels are on the ground or not. It’s also taller than the non-R 1190. This allows you to transfer your weight better and helps you hoist the front end into the air.
Finally, it’s not technically a dirt bike but it’s capable of dirt riding, which is good enough for us. Since it’s a street legal bike, you can practice in the dirt, where your fall is cushioned. Then, head out onto the road where all the spectators are at once you’ve perfected your sweet tricks.
Here’s a guy that’s got the wheelie on his KTM 1190 Adventure R down. He even manages some pretty impressive speeds in the midst of it.
6. Suzuki DRZ400S
The Suzuki DR-Z400S is the crown prince of the supermoto movement. It’s one of the most capable, fun and reliable bikes available, whether you are driving down the highway or on your favorite dirt path.
It’s powered by a 398cc, liquid-cooled four-cylinder engine that offers the right amount of torque to get the front wheel off the ground. It also features an adjustable suspension and crisp handling.
Other features include a magnesium-alloy clutch, thermostatically-controlled cooling fan, and compact five-speed transmission. The narrow frame offers exceptional torsional rigidity and minimal weight. It’s also fitted with a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel equipped with Dunlop D208 dual-purpose tires.
Not to mention, a street legal DRZ will get you tons of likes if you’re doing it for the ‘Gram.
If you are ready to try some wheelies on your DR-Z400S, this guy has all the tips you need to get started.
7. Yamaha WR250R
If the DRZ is the crown prince of supermoto, the WR is the king.
The dirt-focused WR250R from Yamaha is the perfect mix of the YZ motocrossers and WR off-road bikes. It’s powered by a 250cc liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke engine featuring EFI. It also comes with a three-way adjustable suspension on both the front and rear.
Big daddy is here.
This engine pairs with a six-speed transmission with a wide ratio spread. Furthermore, it features a YZ-style chassis constructed of forged and cast aluminum sections plus high-strength steel downtubes to offer further rigidity and strength.
You’ll also be impressed by the dual wave-type disc brakes in the front and rear. This helps to provide optimal stopping power, whether you are doing wheelies or not. The racing saddle also keeps you connected to the bike with the gripper cover.
At under $7,000 for a new bike, you really can’t find something else with as many features.
Why would you want to?
Check out this guy’s wheelies and find out why he chose to ride the Yamaha WR250R.
How to Do Your First Wheelies
Once you find the dirt bike to do your first wheelie, it’s time to get started. The first step is to find open ground where you feel comfortable popping the tire up. Don’t start out on a public road or area that’s heavily populated even if you have a street legal dirt bike.
You also want to look for soft ground just in case you go off the back. A sandy or grassy area works best, plus it saves your bike from massive damage.
Next, check the throttle and ensure it moves freely. You don’t want it to stick. Then, verify that the back brake is functioning properly.
When you first begin the wheelie, keep your feet on the ground to balance yourself. Don’t start off too aggressively and avoid over throttling. If you get aggressive, it’s likely you’ll go right off the back.
Remain consistent with your throttle; don’t blip it. Open it up and remain as steady as possible. Being steady on the throttle helps you to stay in the sweet spot of balancing the back wheel.
Once you are in the wheelie, cover your back brake with your right foot. This helps you if you happen to go beyond your balance point. You can hit this brake and bring down the front of your bike. Just don’t jam it on fully or you might end up over the handlebars.
If you are having trouble getting the wheelie started, you might need to use your weight. Transfer your butt to the back of the seat. Normally, the throttle blip should be enough to get you going, but this little extra lunge can make all the difference.
Soon you won’t even think about these steps.
The guys over at The MX Factory put together a great video illustrating the three easy steps to do your first wheelie. It includes:
Check your body position
Understand your controls
Balance the throttle and rear brake
How to Wheelie a 2 Stroke Dirt Bike
With a 2 stroke bike, the trick is to maintain a minimal, smooth throttle. Don’t allow your movements to become too aggressive. You don’t want the engine to go into the power band or come on-pipe or you will end up on your back.
How to Wheelie a 4 Stroke Dirt Bike
A 4 stroke has a more reliable and smoother acceleration than the 2 stroke. It also doesn’t feature as harsh of a power band so it’s often much more forgiving to learn how to do a wheelie on a 4 stroke.
If you are just starting out, you might want to consider learning with this kind of bike first and then move on to mastering the 2 stroke.
How to Wheelie a Dirt Bike with the Clutch (Clutch Up)
Trying to do a clutch-up wheelie from a standstill is a different beast altogether. Actually, you might find it to be easier and ideal for beginners.
Start by pulling the clutch lever all the way in and select first gear. Move your body to the back of the seat so your weight transfers back. Again, keep your foot over the top of the back brake pedal or you could leave both of your feet on the ground and drag them at first to prevent flipping over depending on how large the bike is.
While you let out the clutch, pull the throttle back sharply and pull up slightly on your handlebars. This should lift up the front of your bike.
Make sure you maintain the balance and throttle of your bike. If you start to go back, blip your brake to bring the front back down.
Remember: You always have the back brake if things get out of control.
Tips to Avoid Crashing During a Wheelie
While it can be amusing to watch dirt bike crashes, such as the video below, you don’t want to end up all over the internet because of a wheeling gone wrong.
The last thing you want to do is crash while learning to do wheelies on your bike. That’s why we have some of our best tips to keep you on the bike and off of the ground.
Don’t be aggressive
As we’ve mentioned before, don’t get too aggressive with the throttle. This will inevitably throw you over the back.
Use your foot
Use your right foot to cover the rear brake. This allows you to quickly bring down the front wheel if you start to go beyond your balance point.
Improve your balance
If you want to add some additional stability, you can always put your feet off the back of your bike instead of putting them on the foot pegs. This requires you to drag them on the ground and means you can’t cover the back brake, but it’s always an option that might make you feel more comfortable.
Pick the right bike
If you have multiple dirt bikes, choose the one with lower CC to start out on. While it can be fun to do wheelies on your more powerful bikes, it’s always best to start small and move up.
The more power you have underneath you, the higher your chance of crashing is while you are learning. Once you have control over the power, you’ll be able to do wheelies on any bike you want.
If you’re struggling, you might try a different bike.
Stick to flat, soft ground
If there are bumps, hills or lumps, you are at a higher risk of being off-balance. This just makes the process harder to learn and creates more for you to fall on.
Choose a straight path
Don’t attempt to learn on a windy path at first. You want a long stretch of straight runway so you don’t end up face-planting into an obstacle on the path.
Watch your weight
If you weigh more than the average rider, make sure you don’t sit too far back while practicing. You can easily go off balance when your weight is up.
Wear safety gear
We know you don’t think you look cool with all that gear on, but it’s far better than the consequences of flying off the bike.
Tips to Improve Your Wheelies
Once you’ve mastered the basics of a wheelie on your dirt bike, it’s time to start perfecting the skill. After all, anyone that can perform a perfectly executed wheelie looks pretty cool and that’s what you are aiming for. Follow these tips to take your ride to the next level.
Roll the throttle
As you sit on your bike, roll the throttle a few times in first gear. Make sure you rev your engine and then, let go of the clutch. This will pop the front wheel up. Attempt to use a combination of the rear brake, clutch and accelerator to keep the wheel in the air as long as possible. This will move you slowly forward. When done correctly, this looks amazing!
However, it’s much harder than you would think at first. It will require plenty of balance and skill.
Turn your tire
While performing your wheelie, try to turn your tire from side to side with your handlebars. This is another trick that looks super cool but requires plenty of effort. You will need to be mentally and physically strong to pull this off. Make sure you maintain the proper amount of throttle and balance yourself enough to keep the bike moving straight even though you are moving the handlebar.
Let it down easy
Nobody wants to drop their dirt bike. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, but it’s fully within your control if you set your wheelie down softly.
Dropping your bike on the front wheel from high in the air leads to premature wear to every component of the front suspension. We’re talking valves, springs, seals, and all manner of leaky things that could eventually compromise your ability to ride at all.
Not to mention, it hurts to let a bike down hard. Like, it physically hurts your body. Try it. Wait, no, don’t.
So do yourself and your bike a favor by letting her down easy.
Use your gears
It’s always best to begin learning from the stationary position. You want to learn from first gear, but once you become advanced, you can move beyond this. Start experimenting with your wheelies from other gears while you are in motion.
You can try out second and third gear. Some people find that performing wheelies are easier while moving at higher speeds. This momentum offers some additional balance and makes the bike steadier. Over a long distance, the speed keeps you going longer.
Stand on the pegs
Once you’ve mastered dragging your feet and leaving your right foot over the brake, work on standing up with your feet on the pegs. This is the coolest way to do a wheelie, but also requires lots of skill to pull off.
Take big risks
After you’ve mastered everything else, it’s time to go big or go home. You want to take some big risks and push it to the limit. Trying putting your feet up on the seat and reach down to the handlebars. You might even start working to do some wheelies on the ice, like these guys perfect.
To do these dirt bike stunts, you will need to understand the level of risk. It’s vital that you are a wheelie pro before you attempt these things.
If you want some more tips to improve your wheelies, the guys over at The MX Factory put together five wheelie drills to help you get better. They include:
Drill #1: Popping the clutch
Drill #2: Rear brake control
Drill #3: The floater
Drill #4: Point to point challenge
Drill #5: Point to point slow challenge
Check these steps out in the video above.
Strap on Some Training Wheels
Personally I have my own thoughts on learning to wheelie a dirt bike.
Now the idea of training wheels might sound a little silly unless you’re 5 years old. Which if you’re 5 and reading this, you’re doing way better than me already. Sometimes I still can’t read.
But I can wheelie, and that’s because I took it slow and learned to do things right. It would have been a lot easier if I had some help, and that’s exactly what a Wheelie Guard is there for. Because why should falling on the pavement be a part of learning how to wheelie?
The Short Fuse Wheelie Guard features an adjustable wheelie height setting, so you could start by doing low wheelies or if you already have some experience you can adjust the wheelie guard in minutes to a higher level. Check it out here.
Wheelie Bars are Great, Too
As you start learning how to wheelie your dirt bike, you might consider moving from training wheels to a wheelie bar like the DR-Z400S wheelie bar or the Yamaha WR250R/WR250X wheelie bar. Inevitably, you are going to make mistakes as you learn; that’s where the wheelie bar comes in.
The metal loop gets bolted to the back of your dirt or stunt bike. This makes it easy to put a foot at the back of your bike and use your weight to get the wheel off the ground. All the while, you can cover your back brake with your other foot because safety is just as important as looking cool.
The wheelie bar also keeps your bike protected if you hit the ground. The bar is going to be the first thing to make contact, so your tail light and fender are all protected from damage.
What’s best about the wheelie bar is how easy it is to install. You won’t need any welder or specialized hardware. Just bolt it on and go.
Share with us.
We want to hear from you. Tell us how you learned to do your first wheelie and what bike you used when you were learning. Why do you think it was the best bike to learn wheelies on?
Did you have more questions about wheelies? Let us know in the comments.
Also, if you have videos or pictures of you doing wheelies, don’t forget to share them with us as well. You never know; you might just show up in one of our future articles.
Dirt biking remains a vibrant and evolving culture as we head into 2025. Gas-powered bikes continue to see steady, incremental improvements, while electric dirt bikes are rapidly advancing with lighter components, longer battery life, and impressive torque. Legislative efforts like House Resolution 906 aim to empower riders with the right to repair their own vehicles, fostering independence within the community. Despite restrictive state regulations, dirt biking culture thrives, with growing sales and creative solutions like Montana LLC registration ensuring riders can hit the trails legally. The future of dirt biking is a blend of tradition, innovation, and resilience.