Is It Legal For Motorcycles To Pop A Wheelie On The Highway?

For the uninitiated, “wheelie” is a term that refers to lifting the front wheel of a motorbike off the bottom while riding (though the term applies to other vehicles too). A wheelie is officially recognized by Merriam-Webster, and the Urban Dictionary defines it as “the best trick ever.” But, despite those broad definitions, “wheelie” is not a really legally robust term, so determining the legality of pulling one, especially on the highway, requires a little bit of sleuthing.

Generally speaking, doing a wheelie on public roads is unlawful within the U.S., but the precise legal codes that apply to wheelies vary by state. A handful of states have specific language prohibiting the operation of a motorbike with just one wheel on the bottom (specifically, Florida, Maine, Illinois, and Tennessee). In response to Florida’s State Legislature and its motorized vehicle statutes, “An individual shall ride upon a motorbike or moped only while sitting astride the seat, with each wheels on the bottom in any respect times.” So, no side-saddle sitting, and no wheelies. 

In most other states, legal prohibition against wheelies typically falls under a broader set of reckless driving laws, and the applying of those laws is usually as much as law enforcement’s discretion. In other words, in just about every state, there’s room within the law for police to tug you over for doing a wheelie, especially if the officer deems it to be reckless.

Along with being extremely physically dangerous (you possibly can lose your ability to steer, increase your risk of crashing, roll back on yourself… need I’m going on?), getting caught doing a wheelie could leave you subject to some serious legal consequences. In lots of states, like Nevada, wheelies could also be considered trick driving and classified as reckless driving. 

In most states, reckless driving is penalized heavily across the board with four-digit fines as a standard penalty. In Latest York, for instance, reckless driving is taken into account a criminal offense, and it might end in jail time — well beyond the usual traffic violation fines and license points. A bill proposed in Virginia last yr would, if passed, allow judges to order those convicted of reckless driving to put in speed limiters of their cars — even though it’s unclear if that law could extend to motorcycles and wheelies. The moral of the story here is that the legal ramifications of reckless driving convictions are serious, and wheelies can fall inside the legally enforceable definition of reckless driving.

So what’s the very best plan of action? Well, no matter how fun wheelies might feel and appear, it’s probably smart to depart the trick driving for the experts on closed courses. But if you happen to can not help yourself, possibly consider getting a tiny electric pit bike and taking it to your local skate park for wheelies. Higher yet, go above the usual MSF course and take a correct wheelie course at your local race track.