In vehicle acrobatics, a wheelie, or wheelstand,is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to sufficient torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels,or rider motion relative to the vehicle. Wheelies are usually associated with bicycles and motorcycles, but can be done with other vehicles such as cars, especially in drag racing.
The first wheelie was done in 1890 by trick bicyclist Daniel J. Canary, shortly after modern bicycles became popular.Wheelies appear in popular culture as early as 1943, as U.S Army motorized cavalry are pictured in Life magazine performing high speed wheelies.Daredevil Evel Knievel performed motorcycle acrobatics including wheelies in his shows. Doug “The Wheelie King” Domokos has accomplished such feats as a 145-mile (233 km) wheelie.
