How to Do a Stoppie on a Motorcycle

The fundamental difference between a rolling stoppie and other tricks is that there is a point of no return, after which a crash is inevitable. Flipping over in a stoppie is very dangerous, since there is no way to jump clear of the motorcycle. That's why the stoppie is one of the hardest tricks. Mastering a quality stoppie takes a long time and rarely happens without crashes. Freestyle Stunt Band pro riders Nikita Podolya and Vitaly Pasevich told us how to master the stoppie more easily and safely. We visited them at their base in Raubichi and filmed a video based on their experience.

Motorcycle

The motorcycle should be protected as much as possible, and you should train in full riding gear. Most pro riders fit a Michelin Pilot Power on the front wheel. This tire works well in different weather and on asphalt of different quality. The tire pressure should be from 1.5 to 2.5 atm. The lower the pressure, the straighter the motorcycle rolls, that is, the less it slides from side to side. It's better to start training at low pressure. It makes sense to inflate the tire above 2 atm when you can consistently roll at a high angle and need to increase the rolling distance.

Fork setup is very important, but it's individual. As a rule, everyone sets maximum or near-maximum preload, maximum compression and medium rebound, that is, they make the fork stiff. This doesn't apply to riders who do kangaroos: they often choose other fork settings. But the kangaroo is a super-difficult trick that isn't covered here.

Lot

The asphalt should be clean and smooth. The lot needs to be marked out. 30 m is set aside for the run-up (from the start to the point where the rear wheel lifts). After the lift point, the distance is marked in 1-meter increments. Be sure to draw a straight line across the whole lot, along which all attempts are made.

Loading: compressing the fork

Correct front braking is very important when loading the fork. You should brake hard but not abruptly, that is, quickly and evenly building up brake force. Don't stab the brake or release it abruptly.

Lifting the rear wheel

To lift the wheel, sharply shift your body weight forward at the moment the fork is loaded. Shift your weight sharply but not far, that is, don't lean far forward. A sharp, short movement forward, with your backside coming slightly off the seat, is enough. As you shift your body, sharply squeeze the front brake (it will already be applied from loading the fork). Your arms are tensed.

• If the front wheel locks and skids at the lift, the fork isn't loaded enough.

• If the tail swings to the side, your brake work is too abrupt and jerky: build up brake force more smoothly and release it just as smoothly. The tail will swing to the side if you over-squeeze the front brake, release it sharply and then squeeze it again.

Rolling

After the lift you will definitely roll a couple of meters, even if the run-up wasn't fast and the angle wasn't high. Before practicing the roll, you need to learn to lift the rear wheel consistently and straight and to accelerate confidently. The goal at this stage isn't to lift the rear wheel as high as possible at the end of the braking distance (as most beginners do), but to roll as far as possible. For this you will have to accelerate faster and reach the angle faster. Active steering and brake work in a stoppie will be needed when the angle is high enough.

• To keep going straight, balance with your body and steer slightly.

• To hold the angle, work the brake. Asphalt is never perfectly smooth, so you have to correct the angle with the brake.

Professionals accelerate over the 30 m as effectively as possible, managing to shift into second without the clutch.

Numbers

From a hard 30-meter run-up:

• A 15-meter roll is done at a safe, low angle.

• A roll of up to 25 m is done at a medium angle.

• A distance over 25 meters is done at a dangerous angle on the edge of balance.

At shows most pro riders do stoppies at a medium angle to avoid mistakes. In the video the guys showed stoppies with different rolling distances for clarity, and Nikitos even rode off the lot!