Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

''I'll always hold the record," predicts a confident Shumate. "Wheelie Champion" has been doing for the majority of his 30 years. Inspired by the mono-wheel antics of motocross stars, Shumate, at 13 years of age, started to practice. By 1969 he was good enough that the Mexican Carabela factory sponsored him. The now-defunct magazine Popular eyecling ran a photo of Shumate along with the caption "Southern California's wheelie expert." Shumate also found time to attain Expertranking in local motocross, racing against such notables as Tom Rapp and Marty Tripes. Despite the notoriety, Shumate's push to become a big-time wheelie star didn't really start until two years ago: A born-again Christian, Shumate held a bible study in his home. Nobody attended. "I was really discouraged," said Shumate, recalling the incident. "But then I said, 'Hey, let's go out where the people are and get their attention. I don't sing or do any kind of acting; the best thing I do is wheelie. So I started putting 'Praise the Lord' stickers on my bike and witnessing to people. I draw a crowd because the wheelies are a real attention-getter, and I pass c;>ut 'hibles and things. It's turning into a real eHective ministry." Eventually, Shumate would like to phase out his painting job - he now works about two days a week - and concentrate solely on wheelies. ''I'll go a lot further with my wheelieing than with the painting," he said. To that end Shumate will perform at the intermissions of six of the upcoming Golden State motocross series races, where he will attempt to ride around the various tracks on one wheel. He has more ambitious' plans in the wings, though. Next summer Shumate wants to wheelie across the USA, starting to California and ending in New York. Although the attempt won't be non- top, Shumate intends that his bike's front wheel will never touch the ground during the cross-country trek. When the time comes for him to stop each night, he will pull into a special stand that will hold the stationary bike in a frontwheel-high attitude. Shumate know that he is in direct competition with the previously unchallenged Domokos. "I like him, he's a nice guy'," said Shumate of the Wheelie King. "But I'm not out to carbon-copy him or anybody."' Shumate also knows that Domokos will attempt to regain the record, and he welcomes the competition, saying that he would like to "race" Domokos around a Supercross course in front of a large crowd. "Eventually, I feel I'll always hold the record," Shumate said when asked how he felt about Domokos going for another longdistance record. ''I'll go 500 miles; whatever it takes, I'll have the record. Right now, though, I'm the first person towheelie 100 miles and nothmg DO)'tlokos can do will hurt that:~ , Domokos goes through the refueling procedure. Doug Domokos gets underway for one of his three attempts. Problems kept him from recapturing the record. This support harness gave Domokos trouble on day one. Wheelie wars: Part 2 little harder because it's pipey. This might be easier on a 480." Domokos' first attempt went a grand total of 12 laps before his rear wheel got sideways on the dry Ascot half mile and the front wheel went down. Subsequent attempts went little further before the wire on the support harness started coming apart at its looped ends. "It got ridiculous," said Domokos. "We're going to get it fixed right and then come back on Saturday morning, so we'll have all day." All day they wouldn't have. Heavy rains on Friday left Ascot a greasy quagmire, and a good deal of wheel packing was necessary before the track was pronounced rideable on Saturday afternoon. On a track that was tacky in some spots, but still slick and greasy in others, Domoko started again. He had slowed his overall pace, going from 43 to 48 seconds a lap. The harness wire had been welded at both ends to prevent any reoccurrence of Thursday's troubles. The Wheelie King seemed to be going well, waving off a refueling attempt after the 50-lap mark. But on lap 84 he was back on two wheels, the attempt over. "My hand's numb," said Domokos as he pulled off the track and stretched the fingers in his right hand to restore circulation. Later he said, ''I'm not worried; I'll get the record back. I'm the reason these guys (like Shumate) are out there doing what they're doing. Stunts are my main thing, though. Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking of new stunts, things that will blow people away." Domokos left DecembeF 13 for several performances in Japan. He left without the record. • .Domokos can't get it back By Dale BrOWn GARDENA,CA,DEC.8&10 Honda Wheelie King Doug Domokos, after having his 60-mile wheelie record broken by Tilson Shumate, came back and twice tried to regain the record, but was unsuccessful both times. Domokos made his first auempttwo days after Shumate went 102 mile, but the wire rigging on his support harness broke twice. A second try was scheduled for two days later with the harness beefed up, but Domokos only went 84 laps (42 miles) before setting the front wheel down, complaining of a numb throttle hand. Domokos, his manager, and the support crew from American Honda's Special Projects department had set a minimum goal of 150 miles for the record wheelie. "If I'm feeling good at that point, I'll just keep on going," said Domokos. '" want to wheelie across the country, and to do that I'll have to average 300 miles a day." The preparation on the CR250R and the attendant refueling rig were impressive. Domokos had a harness for lower back support attached to the center point on the triple clamps by. .a'win~ that was rjogged·to the har- ness via spring-loaded clip. Inside the harness was a two-way radio which allowed Domokos to communicate with Honda Special Projects Manager Dix Erickson, with a radio earphone and mouthpiece inside the rider's helmet. A metal neck on the gas cap allowed for one-hand refueling. The support truck had an air-charged refueling system to give Domokos a gallon or so in just seconds, and a long hose supported by an elastic-held A-arm wa within easy reach of Domokos while in his normal riding position. A fuel line running from the neck of the filler pipe to just above the carburetor made it easy to check on the fuel level. "Concentration is going to be the hardest thing," predicted Domokos before his first attempt, "Because doing this is so boring, just riding around and around. You've got to be careful, or else you'll find yoursel( daydreaming and poof - down comes the front wheel. The 250 makes it a 7

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