Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1512191
C ross-ups, one- handers, can-cans, clickers, stoppies are all cool things to do on a motorcycle but, like many cool things, often lose their luster over time. But the one motorcycle maneuver that will never not be cool is the wheelie. Even your basic wheelie is cool and has been ever since the first two-wheel vehicle, albeit pedal-power or motor- driven, rolled this earth. Wheelies are so cool—and, of course, fun—that com - panies have developed machines to teach you how to do them without worry - ing about looping out. But that takes the fun out of it, doesn't it? Cycle News even named its news section at one time "The Latest Poop, By Papa Wheelie." Yes, wheelies are cool, and the longer the wheelie, the cooler. That's why, back in the day, when the sport of motorcycling was gaining in popularity worldwide by leaps and bounds, everyone wanted to ride on the rear wheel longer than their buddies. Some, however, had higher aspirations, like riding a wheelie longer than not just their buddies but every - one. One such rider was Californian Doug Domokos. From the late 1970s through the 1980s, there was arguably none better, and he was the first to make a living out of riding a motorcycle on one wheel. Domokos was hired by Kawasaki just to ride wheel- ies in 1978. A few years later, Honda signed him to a wheelie contract and built him a special CR250R to make it a little easier for "The Wheelie King" to do his thing and wow packed stadiums at supercross races during intermissions, where he'd attempt to wheelie a full lap around the track without setting the front end down. He was successful 99.9% of the time. Successful or not, fans loved it. During this time, Domo- kos held the record for the longest wheelie at 61 miles, and then the wheelie wars started to take hold. Enter Tilson Shumate. The 30-year-old from La Mirada, California, wanted to break Domokos' record. Shumate billed himself as the "Wheelie Champion." On December 6, 1983, Shu - mate departed for Ascot Park, where he'd attempt to break Domokos' record, and Cycle News was there. His first attempt failed at mile 48 when his Cagiva two-stroke off-roader started to overheat; the bike's radiator wasn't getting enough airflow while in the wheelie position, so adjustments had to be made. We reported that Shumate and his crew decided to modify the radiator to sit perpendicular to the wind when the bike was in wheelie position. By discard - ing the number plate, bending the radiator mounting brackets, and adding various sections of tubing, Shumate had a radiator that worked effectively, even if it wasn't an aesthetic triumph. CNIIARCHIVES P104 LET THE WHEELIE WARS The 30-year-old from La to break Domokos' record. Shumate billed himself as the "Wheelie Champion." On to break Domokos' record, BY KIT PALMER Tilson Shumate broke Doug Domokos' longest wheelie record on his modified (check out the radiator) Cagiva off-roader at Ascot Park in 1983, sparking the beginning of the "wheelie wars."