Stunters

Stunters are a controversial subculture of motorcycling. "Stunters" perform stunts such as wheelies, stoppies and burn-outs on sportbikes, on public roads and in private venues. Some "stunters" have organized commercial teams.

(The term "stunters" is also used in the video game TrickStyle.)

History

A wheelie on a motorized vehicle is nothing new. In drag racing they are considered a problem, robbing power that could be used to accelerate the vehicle faster, and many classes of drag racing use wheelie bars to prevent them.

But those are for vehicles specifically built for drag racing, which rarely are street-legal, or unmodified from stock. In contrast, since at least the 1970s, some motorcycles straight from the showroom floor were able to be wheelied.

In the late '80s and continuing today, motorcycles, and especially sportbikes, have become lighter and more powerful, and have therefore become easier to wheelie. Other stunts have also become possible if not easy with the advancement of motorcycle technology. As Martin Child wrote in "Bike", "With lighter, shorter, better-braked bikes on the market, the stoppie has never been so easy for so many." [Martin Child, "Stoppies,""Bike", March, 2007, p. 152] But at the same time, the cost of a motorcycle has remained relatively low compared to other street-legal vehicles with similar power-to-weight ratios.

In the '90s some riders made performing stunts the primary focus of their riding. A wheelie or other stunt was not just something to do while riding, it became the main goal in riding.

Commercial Stunting

Some stunters form teams and make stunting into a commercial endeavor, such as the [http://www.starboyz.com/ Star Boyz] . They sell branded merchandise, videos of their stunts, produce shows and even offer schools on stunting. The StarBoyz formed in 1996 in Akron, Ohio, USA, and another commercial team, [http://www.lasvegasextremes.com/ Las Vegas Extremes] formed in 1999.

Rebadged as "Streetbike Freestyle", the sport is becoming recognized by more mainstream venues, such as AMA Superbike races, which sometimes feature professional stunters as "halftime" entertainment. [Mike Seate, "ibid."]

Equipment

Stunters will modify their motorcycles to better adapt them to the sport. Stunting equipment includes:
* Frame sliders -- these large knobs are attached to a motorcycle's frame to protect the fairing from damage should the rider lay down the bike. Also used by many non-stunters. Frame sliders should not be considered a substitute for a cage when learning how to stunt. Although Frame sliders will reduce the damage to the plastics and certain parts of the bike they are not enough to keep from cracking motor cases and or cracking the frame itself.
* Crash cages -- these cages provide more protection from damage than frame sliders. Mostly used by stunters. There are many examples of cages on the market today and a vast array of different designs and styles. It is very important to check around based on the type of bike you have as to what cage will work best at maximizing the protection for your specific motorcycle. A cage should be one of the first things purchased when learning how to stunt due to the fact that most drops and falls will occur during this time! ( [http://www.freestyleingenuity.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=19 Commercial example] )
*subcages -- subcages are very similar to crash cages but for protection of a different sort. While crash cages are protection for the frame itself and motor mounts and cases subcages focus on protecting the subframe of the motorcycle. In certain subcage applications will also eliminate the stock passenger pegs and relocate them to a different spot which is more becoming for staggered stance wheelies among other tricks. These pegs will in some cases be solid mounted to eliminate the possibility of them folding up on the rider when doing wheelies on the passenger pegs.
*front Upper Stay -- Meant to replace the upper stay on the motorcycle which usually holds the upper fairing and gauges in place. This is only necessary when running a full fairing bike and is meant in like fashion as both the subcage and crash cage to protect the front of the bike and provide increased stability for the front end of the motorcycle. This will not save the front fairing from damage!!!!
* 12 o'clock bar -- 12 bars as they are referred to are commonly used on stunt bikes. These bars attach to the subframe of the motorcycle and are used when "12ing" the bike. These bars are meant to scrape the ground in place of the exhaust or tail section. Furthermore, with the introduction of the 12 bar came an array of bar tricks which all occur while the motorcycle is resting on the bar itself. These tricks include but are not limited to the "ape hanger", "watch tower", and various other acrobatics while the bike is on the bar. Only used by stunters. ( [http://www.freestyleingenuity.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=21 Commercial example] )
* Hand Brake -- A handbrake came onto the stunting scene much later and in actuality within recent years gained popularity. With the sport pushing its bounds into new territory came tricks that involved the rider in a position in which he cannot access the rear brake to control the balance point of the motorcycle. When tricks such as "seat standers", "highchairs", and "spreaders" came on the scene at first it was not necessary to use a handbrake, however these tricks quickly developed into scraping while in a "highchair" or "spreader" which involved the use of a hand mounted rear brake
*Round bar-- a variation of the 12 bar round bars are becoming more and more popular now a days with riders straying away from bar tricks and increasing the technicality of Circle combinations. A round bar is the same principle of a 12 bar as far as scraping the bar instead of the tail section or exhaust with one difference. The round bar is just that, its a curved bar that hugs the contour of the motorcycle tail section with no "flat sections".

Common Stunts

* Basic Wheelie - Lifting the front of the motorcycle off the ground by means of either power or use of "clutching" the bike into a wheelie. There are many variations of the basic wheelie, some of which wil be listed below.
** Circle - A wheelie performed traveling entirely within a circle. "The Circle wheelie is the epitome of control on a motorcycle" -Matt Gorka (can also be combined with all other wheelie variations).
** 12 O'clock - Very high wheelie, past the normal balance point of the motorcycle.
** High Chair - Wheelie with the rider's legs over the handlebars.
** Spreader - Wheelie with the rider sitting on the tank with legs spread.
** Coaster - A wheelie that is balanced without the acting force of the motor i.e. with the clutch pulled in. The Wheelie is so far back beyond the balance point of the wheelie that the rider must constantly ride the rear brake to keep the wheelie from falling over backwards, effectively slowing down. A rider can pull in the clutch to create the effect of a wheelie with no engine noise. Conversely some riders will pull in the clutch and peg the engine on its rev-limiter, called a "rev-limiter coaster"
** Frog - Wheelie standing on tank during wheelie
** Seat Stander - Wheelie standing on the seat of the motorcycle.
* bar tricks
** Ape Hanger - Hanging from the bars with one's hands while doing a "12 O'clock", scraping the bike's "12 o'clock bar" and allowing the riders feet to drag behind the bike.
** Cliff Hanger - Hanging from the bars with one's feet while doing a "12 O'clock".
* Stoppie - Lifting the rear wheel of the motorcycle using momentum and braking force. Also referred to as an Endo.
** Biscuit Eater - Stoppie with the rider's legs over the handlebars. Also known as the "highchair endo"
* Burnout - Using the power of the engine and braking force to cause the rear wheel to spin, heating the rear tire and producing smoke.
** Suicide Burnout - Burnout with the rider dismounted and standing in front of the motorcycle.
** Chainsaw - An extreme form of Burnout performed by the stunter standing beside a motorcycle laying on its side holding the motorcycle exclusively by the right handle bar. Then causing the bike to "orbit" around the rider while maintaining control during the burnout.
** Merry-Go-Round Rider lays the bike on its side and climbs onto it. The rider then leans back on the bike while holding the throttle, causing the bike so spin round while doing a burnout.
*acrobatics
** Hyperspin
** Switchback - Any stunt performed with the body facing the rear of the motorcycle, opposite the direction of travel.
** Christ - A stunt performed with the rider standing straight up on the seat or tank of the motorcycle with both arms extended while the bike is in motion. Also called a "Jesus Christ" or a "Cross". Can be combined with a switchback.
** De activator - Riding a wheelie on idle and jumping off the back of the motorcycle.

(Note: the jargon of stunting is still evolving and expanding along with the sport. These terms may be used differently in different areas, and is by no means comprehensive.)

Controversy

The fact that many stunters perform their stunts on public roads draws the ire of other motorcyclists. They intentionally draw a lot of attention to their apparently reckless behavior, and other motorcyclists, especially sportbike riders, feel that stunters give all riders a reputation for being irresponsible and dangerous to others.

Many motorcyclists simply equate stunters with squids, and disregard them. However, stunters are not merely squids who have some talent. The squid is typically ignorant, inexperienced, and most likely will only ride a motorcycle for a short period before giving up the sport out of fear, boredom or financial pressure.

Stunters are dedicated to their sport. They practice, they discuss the sport with other stunters, they modify their motorcycles specifically for stunting. Some even turn stunting into their profession.

It might be argued that stunters are born of squids, but that same argument can be made of many motorcycle subcultures.

References

* Wayback Machine archive of [http://web.archive.org/web/20050901072542/http://www.stuntlife.com/glossary.htm StuntLife.com Glossary]

ee also

* Sportbike
* Squid (motorcycle)

External links