That's a tough loss. By big brother was a jerk to me growing up and most my life. Still kinda is at 69. But I would miss the hell out of him if he passed. My deepest condolences.
We all start out, young, enjoy as much fun as we possibly can, age, and then move onto whatever is next. I’m glad your brother shared this type of fun with you. Thank you for the heartfelt reach out, we all share so much on this planet. Wishing you all the best! May your brothers memory stay alive in all of you and your family. Cheers! And do your best to keep the wheel up.
I think it's strange that when we pass, we'll all leave behind our uploads on the internet.. I come here to watch the old man ride a wheelie once in a while.. I am sorry for your loss but I am certain that he lived a full and prosperous life. May God bless his soul and give him peace and rest, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
2thumbs up. At 65 yrs old , I understand what you are saying. I still have items my Dad gave me . And these are my MOST CHERISED/PRIZED possessions. I too, Miss my Dad. Would love just 10 more minutes with him. God Bless.
I'm 55 and can still "Mono" my MTB the length of my street.... It might not mean much to most... But it's a skill you never forget and always makes me feel like a kid again with a big fat smile.. Richard's vid demonstrates the pure joy that comes with a few of the simple things in life.
We did all this stuff in Jersey in th 70's! Tight streets, cars on both sides, building ramps out of scrap wood. Hell, the parents not only encouraged this they used to watch and clap! We used to dream about doing this in California with the weather. Hats off to you. Never stop. Stay Young.My kids see this and can't believe it.They are shocked about how unsafe it is! I just give them the look.
I am 60 years old now... I can remember the true feeling of riding a wheelie as far as I could.. that feeling that you and your bike are the only two things that exist in the whole world.. true bliss and finding your zen as you ride a wheelie down the neighborhood street.. not caring or even thinking about who might be watching.. it really was a different world way back then 9 or 10 years old.. peaceful serenity.. nice to see you can still enjoy finding your zen at nearly 60 years old.. fun to watch and Thank you! Rich! for sharing with the world!
Man....this brings back memories! I too....was a wheelie king. I could ride the back wheel for as long as I wanted. I’m 64....and first wheelie bike was a Mattel stallion with chrome double tube frame and shocks....then graduated to a Schwinn Orange Crate with the small front wheel and earles fork and ball buster 5 speed shifter. From there I started racing dirt bikes and quite about 4 yrs ago. Thanks for the memories!
Brought back some memories Richard...my Schwinn Stingray with a banana seat, doing one-handed wheelies around the corner in Pasadena, Ca. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Now sixty, just pulled the trigger on the Sondors LX e-bike, delivers end of October. Time to make some new memories.....
@@dickflinghammer58 Hey Dick- I have a Sondors LX on order. I have to wait at least through October for delivery. 90lb tank but should be fun. Doubt I’ll be wheeling that tank but I’ll sure try….
@@keeferdog5617 There's a guy on Facebook that builds battery boosters for the LX. Like 10 volts or something enough to overvolt without changing hub motor or controller cheap too.
@@dickflinghammer58 Very cool! Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll have to check it out on the wife’s acct as I think Zuckerberg is a fucking asshole and I never created an account- lol
I’ll be sixty in two weeks and this brought back the memory of my longest wheelie which was about 1/2 block . Never give up just because we are getting older. I still ride dirt bikes and practice my balance daily. Thanks for the memories, now get outside and play!
And do you own a Power Wagon? I do. And it's almost as old as my Sting Ray. Well, not quite as old... www.ramchargercentral.com/threads/my-74-power-wagon-i-ordered-from-dodge-on-8-73.162259/
I had a friend who lived just behind me whose father worked worked at "Murray" in Lawrenceburg, TN , in the design department. He used to get 'test bikes'. Riding wheelies and jumping ramps were our Evel Knievel days. This guy rides wheelies now better than I did then. We quickly went on to motorcycles, but this guy is awesome!
I'm 50 and two years ago I quit the cubicle life and started working at a bike shop. While I don't have my Western Flyer Dirt Duster from the late 70's, I now have a 2020 Giant Trance 29er 2 and trail riding. Keep rolling!!!!
I had that same bike when I was seven. It made me feel like a real biker. The ape hangers were the key that unlocked the passion I still have of riding down a long stretch of road and leaving my pain behind. Thanks for the memories....
I’m 58 and this video was very special me. I grew up in the South Bay of Southern California and that was me in the 70’s, I was doing the exact same thing! What a great time to grow up in! Still ride my bike to this day and will continue to do so as long as my legs work. Thanks for this!
Thank you Richard for making this video. I was that kid, wheelie as long as I wanted to, even around the block. I’m 65 now and thinking about buying a stingray JUST to see if I could get it up again, the front wheel, that is. This has really encouraged me
He still has great balance!I was known as the"Wheelie King"on my block.I taught my partner Bill and he turned out real good too.I announce one day I was going to ride a wheelie all the way around the local church .I nailed it in one try.I started riding them on my ten speed and found I could shift gear all the way to high gear.Dont think I could ride ten feet now.Cool video man! Thanks
Man this is great! I am almost 57 and grew up a little town in southwest Iowa, Emerson, had a population of 500. We rode bicycles around all the time, I never could wheelie like that, I had about 3 friends that could, they would get it balanced and could go for miles. I was pretty fearless at hitting our old board ramps though. Looking back I see now that those were some pretty awesome times. It’s been a pretty good ride for the most part, I’ve had some sad and hard times, I guess that’s the way she goes. All things will pass, just like I will someday, we just have to enjoy the time we have left and never forget the good times we had. For some reason this video brought just happy tears to my eyes. ❤️
Thank you for this. I’m only 37 but have been through a lot of things only older people should experience. I’m considered an “old soul”. This video reminded me of why I haven’t given up. So thank you. Truly.
OMG!!! I had a StingRay with a banana seat!!! Those were great years to grow up in. Cool bikes! Cool music!!!! I haven't seen anyone riding wheelies these days. The present generations are missing out!!!!
Reminds me of my youth in Costa Mesa, CA in ‘67 when, during a nice extended wheelie on my Sting Ray, the front wheel fell out of the fork. I was already on my way back down so I couldn’t react fast enough. When the fork hit the street, so did I. The laughter of my “friends” far exceeded the level of my pain and blood letting.
That made me remember a time in my life when all I wanted to do was to be was on one wheel .now 57 years old and seeing this I m going to take my bike out and ride some one handers by the young ones in the neighborhood
My dad bought me a 73 XR 75 just like the one in this video. Rode it right into our living room. My jaw just dropped and my friend said " dude! You got to coolest dad ever!" Best bike I've ever owned and I've had plenty.
That's awesome! I got mine hand me down from my older brother and that bike was the centerpiece of my childhood. I was like a stunt woman on that thing. I wish I still had it.
Richard, I came on this by mistake. But, now after watching I know it was meant for me to see. I never did ride a wheelie; but in my heart I did. I loved every minute of this video. The big wheel jump reminded me why I took chances and worked on innovation in my life. At 69 I am still living it. Still going after dreams. All your words in this video got to my heart. Carry on!!!!
I was born in 73 im miss those days, thank you for this video i have tears in my eyes just thinking of those times no phones, video games just good times with my neighborhood friends
This put a big smile on my face! Brought back so many memories of my first bike, an orange banana seat 20” bike. Memories of making wooden Ramps and jumping over yellow Tonka dump trucks ran through my mind along with the many friendships I’ve shared that passion with! I could never ride a wheelie like you Richard. You are still the man!!! Thanks for the nice video and wise words.
I was never a real good wheelie rider but I had a unicycle and was one hell of a skateboarder! Shit hurts more when you crash when you're older! Nice job Richard Kelley! I'm impressed!
Richard great job, being able to ride a wheelie for that long on a coaster brake bike is very very impressive. I was never able to get passed 4 or 5 peddles, I either went off to the side or over the back. How times have changed, bicycles were the most important thing to us, we rode them all the time, now it's a cell phone that is the main interest for kids. Boy if you had a Schwinn Sting Ray you were at the top of the heap Lol. My friend had a Schwinn two speed " kick Back " Sting Ray, oh man did I every want of those. Those were great times Richard and thank you for the memories.
I remember when my uncle gave me a red Schwinn stingray, white sparkle bandana seat, and electric tape wrapped the handlebars. I had no idea back then how cool it really was, but I loved it! We were super poor, so it meant allot
Yes impressive once me and a classmate had a no hands peddling down hill we both went distance of blacktop he stopped cuz tracks and dirt road I was still going but he claimed road ended I was the winner cuz no hand over railroad tracks and over dirt
hey man, one benefit from being older, the balance point isn't as far back as it use to be - LOL - yea, I was the same in the 70's in Pacoima on my Schwinn and rear bendix brake - could ride for miles on one wheel - now doing it on motorcycles - never went away - one of my favorite things - great job.
Came across this video and it brought me back my youth. I grew up in riverside CA. The same time period. It all started with wheelies on my schwin, then the 10spd and on to dirt bikes. Ohh and the big wheel jump.. crashed it everytime. LOL Thank you for bringing me back to a special place in life.
How do you know you couldn't do it anymore? I'm 53, and it wasn't really all that long ago that after several decades, I was able to pick up one of my son's skateboards and after just a minute, or two tops, it was like the last time I rode was yesterday. And that included the learning curve of having to deal with a symmetrical board, one with a tail on both ends, which was something that didn't even exist back then. There was a front and rear of skateboards when I was a kid, the back having a swooped up tail and a level front. Just try it, you might just be surprised at how quickly it all comes back to you. It was pretty quick for me despite the notable difference in skateboard shape, and Oh yeah, I forgot mention earlier, but... I'm also about 40 lbs heavier than I was as a teen.
SpEd : I still have a couple of vintage Stingrays (a ‘72 Krate and a ‘76 Five Speed.) I tried with those. Maybe I have to re-discover my center of gravity.
@@bartceljavier4209 Those weren't as good as the first ones that came out. To many fancy things in the way. My '63 Sting Ray was very basic. No fenders, no shifters. It has a level with the seat sissy bar. You can slide your rear end right up on it to get the weight way back for easy long distance wheelies.
As kids up in La Habra , we did the exact same thing. Stingrays, Xr75’s, 10 speeds. Lol I got back into dirt bike riding and mountain biking about 8 years ago. Couldn’t be happier. Even though I live in Az now, you will still see me at the cliffs surfing and doing wheelies a couple of times a year. Some things never change. Biking keeps you alive and able to get around much easier than walking or driving. Cheers bro.
Wow that was such a cool vid and brought back so many memories. I'm almost 65 years old and I rode a Schwinn StingRay and a Sears knockoff during those times but more importantly I still have my Mission Honda Jersey! I now ride a MTB and a Dual Sport motorcycle. After all these years I still love dirt (and wheelies)!
I also grew up in So Cal in the 70s, always loved the excitement of a good-long wheelie on my Stingray. Had several "blow overs" in the learning process, just a few corners were rounded off. Thanks for your current talent update.
Thanks for sharing this ! Took me back in time. I’m 57, raised in central NJ and remember spending countless hours hanging out summers practicing riding wheelies on sting rays and upped the ante by mastering Schwinn 10 speed bike wheelies one-handed. I have all the knee/arm scars to prove it. Haha! Amazing, just like you I was riding my mountain bike recently with my teenage girls and popped a wheelie and rode it down street and around corner. Girls were like, WTF? Dad teach me that!!
YOU WHEELIE GOT ME...good tunes, too!! Watching this, recalling you'd have to coast, intermittently, trying to control your speed, on those old, banana seat, coaster bikes.
Absolutely Beautiful to come across this Video...It brings back so many memories of my childhood in the 70's doing exactly like Richard is here and popping Wheelies for miles....There was no other feeling like it...I have to say though Richard to still see you popping Wheelies is just Sensational and your Balance is Amazing...You are a Natural sir and this is an Absolute Treat to see...Thank You Mate for keeping our Childhood Dreams Alive...By the way Richard I'm in my mid 50's now and I recently purchased a 1970's 3 Speed Dragster...It is absolutely beautiful...Safe Riding Young Man :)
That's awesome... makes me want to get back out on one wheel. I had a Free Spirit ten speed as a teenager in the 1970s, used to ride wheelies all over the place: up hill, down hill, around corners... haven't practiced in so long I'm now a newbie... at 60. lol
I used to do the same thing on my bike, could ride a wheelie for almost half a mile, even made wheelie bars one day just for fun used to do the same thing he could, brings back such memories, way to go Richard
This slice of life video is so much more than it appears to be on the surface. Words cannot describe entirely. I absolutely love this! It takes me back [like many of us boomers]. Every time I get on my racing bike, I feel like I’m 18 again! Kudos to you Richard for inspiring me to ride my bike today! Ride that wheelie forever!
Way to go Richard! I saw that kid at the beginning of on any Sunday and knew I had to do that! What a great memory you gave me today to see you on one wheel! Thanks
I'm a little jealous so I have to toot my horn here Richard. In 1967 I went to Schwinn school in Chicago and became a factory trained Schwinn mechanic and worked 13 years at Foxies Bike Shop in Highland Park. From there I was hired by Nishiki as a technical advisor, where Shimano Japan took notice, and hired me. After 5 years at Shimano/Japan group, I invented MTB Bar/Ends and started onZa, and later created the Panaracer Smoke & Dart tires. My last job before I semi-retired in 2003 was developing tires for Specialized... But all this amounts to a hill of beans, watching you Willy effortlessly at the age of 60... You're the MAN!!!
Brings back wonderful memories as a youngster in the 70s. We used to measure our wheelies by Lamposts (Distance). I'll leave it to you Richard. Cool Dude. Best Handlebars for wheelies
Thank you Ill never forget this video It meant much more to me than just your excellent riding skill. God bless you and your loved ones. I wrote down the words of wisdom and they will always be nearby..
When my parents moved here to the desert from Anaheim in '69... I brought my '63 Coppertone Schwinn Sting Ray with me. We had a lot of guys in my neighborhood and around our house in Indio, California that would terrorize our streets with wheelie contest. My favorite was peddling as fast as you could, and then riding a wheelie for distance with out peddling. I think I crashed as hard as I ever did doing that. But I dominated the distance record just before that wreck. LoL! We sure had a lot of laughs those hot summer evenings. AND I still have that Schwinn Sting Ray. It's do for another restoration. I want to ride it again now that I'm almost 67. I also had an Honda XR 75 like the one in your video that I used to race motocross with back in the early 70's.They would stick me in the 100 class because I was too old the race the younger guys.
@@jeffmullinix7916 I'm pretty sure your right. But the first ones came out in '73. I got one of the first ones in the United States when I purchased it from San Bernadino Honda. I couldn't afford a "real" motorcycle because my parents told me... "If you want to buy a motorcycle, your buying it yourself." By the way... it was the first motorcycle Honda sold the public that had number plates. I know it wasn't '76... that was the year I got married. And I was building a Redline framed Honda 125 Yoshimura 4 stroke- 2 stroke killer that I never finished. That's when I had to get semi- serious with my life. Now that I'm older and been married for 45 years... I can start goofing off even more... www.ramchargercentral.com/threads/my-daytona-clone-project.326770/
Thanks for the archival wheelie footage and all the wheelies done not so long ago, judging by the cars, by the gent on, what, a Manta Ray? And I was there for it all myself back in the day, my bike from the Summer of Love in '67 until I was a military dependent in Frankfurt, West Germany in '75, thumbnail is a snap of me jumping my bike on an asphalt lot across from our apartment building in the Drake-Edwards Housing Area, was a basic Sting-Ray and it taught me everything and prepared me well for the bicycles and motorcycles I have ridden throughout my life. So big cheers and gratitude, always, for the Sting-Ray. And an irony, I didn't know it at the time, but Ignaz Schwinn was a bike builder in Frankfurt in the late 1800s before he made history with his own bike company in Chicago. I was representing without evening knowing it yet I truly enjoyed it as German kids would come over from their apartment complex and watch me jump and wheelie and do my thing as I missed my friends in Pacifica, California. And O my, the trails in the hills of Pacifica were a lot of fun to ride.
Thanks for the warm, heartfelt reply. Life is a journey for all of us and it’s great that we had a chance to start out with some fun and fond memories. Thank you for all you did for the democracy in America and I’m glad it brought back a feeling of a good time. This just goes to show how close we are together no matter where we are in the world. Wishing you all the best. Thank you again my friend.
I almost didn't click on this. I'm glad I did! I'm 58 and still ride skate boards. Most people think I'm in my 40s. Age has taken its toll on my body but inside I feel no older than early 20s with the knowledge and wisdom of someone twice as old. I'm still a Bad Ass on any pinball table. Ice skate, roller skate, hold my own on any pool table. All the things I did when I was young I can and still do. In this video I think this guy has a few years on me! My hat is off to him!!! To him I'd say - Keep going, I'm right behind you!
Summer of 1975 when I was just turning 13 we moved to the best neighborhood on earth. There was this one kid my age who lived one street over that was an acrobat on and off a bicycle or a dirt bike. He could do gymnast stuff like back flips, front flips, ride a wheelie for 1 mile straight and was amazing on his 4 stroke Honda 125. He used to stand on the back foot pegs of his Honda and ride wheelies like it was a chariot. The kid was absolutely FEARLESS...
I remember all the fun on the Stingray's. We used to make parachutes fron sheets and string and drag race each other and pull the chutes at the end (many tangled in spokes) but we had hours and hours of fun without a cell phone or video game
Awesome video man, I had the same dirt bike, XR-75. I road the bike for years. I out grew it but still rode it everywhere possible. Be for the motorcycle ,I had a cheap 20" bike. It had the banana seat on it but I told my Dad, who's now is 78 & rides his Heritage Softail . I wanted a chopper. So he ended up cutting the forks and extending them about 18 inches. Put a pair of Ape hangers,a new slick & painted it bright orange. That was a cool bike then. My mom, who just turned 80 gave my the nickname Chopper the Wheelie Popper. Thank you for sharing your video which brought back many childhood memories for me. Thank you, God bless.
Richard, What a GREAT video. From 1 RK to another. this is proof we 60+ year old guys can still get it done. I am 65 and still enjoy the fun things from youth. Keep the wheel up & movin' forward. God Bless.
Awe this is so cool ,, I couldn’t wheelie like this but my friend Jim B. Could go up and down the whole street. It was phenomenal. Thanks for bringing me right back. ...
Man I was 10 in ‘73. I wanted one of those stingrays back then. We didn’t have money pop’s was sick had to many hospital bills. Finally got a hand me down from a neighbor. She was rough but the happiest day of my life right then. I say it all the time, we were lucky to have grown up when we did. I miss the old San Francisco. It had a sweet way about itself. Now it’s been overrun. I mourn this loss.
Oh yeah! This was me in the late 60's-early 70's. Also did this with my Honda 50 and later on my Honda 70. Could go on for miles on the mini bikes. Memories.
Only the kids who grew up in the 70’s know the feeling.....Nobody else , Nobody else !!!
thats very closed minded of you
My brother just passed away this Saturday 7/3/21 he was the wheelie king he still could at 60 Thank You
My condolences to you friend. I turned 56 yesterday, and our Dad passed 5/20 at 84. Cherish your memories and your future time!
That's a tough loss. By big brother was a jerk to me growing up and most my life. Still kinda is at 69. But I would miss the hell out of him if he passed. My deepest condolences.
We all start out, young, enjoy as much fun as we possibly can, age, and then move onto whatever is next. I’m glad your brother shared this type of fun with you. Thank you for the heartfelt reach out, we all share so much on this planet. Wishing you all the best! May your brothers memory stay alive in all of you and your family. Cheers! And do your best to keep the wheel up.
I think it's strange that when we pass, we'll all leave behind our uploads on the internet.. I come here to watch the old man ride a wheelie once in a while.. I am sorry for your loss but I am certain that he lived a full and prosperous life. May God bless his soul and give him peace and rest, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
I identify with this 1000% I still have my Schwinn Stingray dad got me in 1967. I wouldn't trade it for the world...miss you dad.
Does it have the gear shifter knob that you bust your nuts on?
2thumbs up. At 65 yrs old , I understand what you are saying. I still have items my Dad gave me . And these are my MOST CHERISED/PRIZED possessions. I too, Miss my Dad. Would love just 10 more minutes with him.
God Bless.
Don't forget the banana seat........ 👍
Where did my Schwinn stingray go I don't know I think mom decided in 1977 I was to big for it dam I miss that bike
I still got mine.
The coolest dude on the block in any time period.
No doubt!
could he ride a Unicycle?
Yes
Most Definitely !!
Yup!
Who ever could ride the longest wheelie was DEFINITELY considered the “coolest kid in the neighborhood”!
I’m 57. This is the greatest for me! This guy is inspiring to me! Hats off to you Sir.🇺🇸💯💯🙏🙏
I'm 55 and can still "Mono" my MTB the length of my street.... It might not mean much to most... But it's a skill you never forget and always makes me feel like a kid again with a big fat smile.. Richard's vid demonstrates the pure joy that comes with a few of the simple things in life.
55 Still wheelie, jump, bunnyhop now riding an all mountain plus bike. Great to hear mate😁
Why do I have tears in my eyes.... :)
I'm 70. This brings back good memories.
“When you get older you realize that the soul never ages”. That so true
We did all this stuff in Jersey in th 70's! Tight streets, cars on both sides, building ramps out of scrap wood. Hell, the parents not only encouraged this they used to watch and clap! We used to dream about doing this in California with the weather. Hats off to you. Never stop. Stay Young.My kids see this and can't believe it.They are shocked about how unsafe it is! I just give them the look.
Great memories! I grew up during the same time period. I often wish I could return to those simpler times.
Good job brother..."don't let the old man in"
Growing up in the 70’s this brings back great memories for me
Thanks
Spend my entire teenage years in the 70’s, good times!
I am 60 years old now... I can remember the true feeling of riding a wheelie as far as I could.. that feeling that you and your bike are the only two things that exist in the whole world.. true bliss and finding your zen as you ride a wheelie down the neighborhood street.. not caring or even thinking about who might be watching.. it really was a different world way back then 9 or 10 years old.. peaceful serenity.. nice to see you can still enjoy finding your zen at nearly 60 years old.. fun to watch and Thank you! Rich! for sharing with the world!
Thank You for the memories and the bits of wisdom. Keep that front wheel flyin' brother.
Just found this video. Brings back so many good memories of the 70's. My friends and I went everywhere on the back tire...
Man....this brings back memories! I too....was a wheelie king. I could ride the back wheel for as long as I wanted. I’m 64....and first wheelie bike was a Mattel stallion with chrome double tube frame and shocks....then graduated to a Schwinn Orange Crate with the small front wheel and earles fork and ball buster 5 speed shifter. From there I started racing dirt bikes and quite about 4 yrs ago. Thanks for the memories!
So glad to see MY generation. This was the best thing I've seen on YT in a long time!
I miss those days!!! No cell phones and no internet!!!! People outside having fun!!!!
That's right brother you know what's up. I love and miss them good old days bigtime buddy. May God bless you and your family and friends.
Thank you! Cheers to your life too!
Brought back some memories Richard...my Schwinn Stingray with a banana seat, doing one-handed wheelies around the corner in Pasadena, Ca. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Now sixty, just pulled the trigger on the Sondors LX e-bike, delivers end of October. Time to make some new memories.....
I'm 55 still wheelie. Big mountainbiker these days. I got a Sondors Mad Mod Scrambler on the way should be just a few weeks now
@@dickflinghammer58 Hey Dick- I have a Sondors LX on order. I have to wait at least through October for delivery. 90lb tank but should be fun. Doubt I’ll be wheeling that tank but I’ll sure try….
@@keeferdog5617 You will! Hey Schwinn has a new 70s style stingray now🤔
@@keeferdog5617 There's a guy on Facebook that builds battery boosters for the LX. Like 10 volts or something enough to overvolt without changing hub motor or controller cheap too.
@@dickflinghammer58 Very cool! Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll have to check it out on the wife’s acct as I think Zuckerberg is a fucking asshole and I never created an account- lol
I’ll be sixty in two weeks and this brought back the memory of my longest wheelie which was about 1/2 block . Never give up just because we are getting older. I still ride dirt bikes and practice my balance daily. Thanks for the memories, now get outside and play!
And do you own a Power Wagon? I do. And it's almost as old as my Sting Ray. Well, not quite as old... www.ramchargercentral.com/threads/my-74-power-wagon-i-ordered-from-dodge-on-8-73.162259/
@@KurtfromLaQuinta Yep, 1980 W 150, 318 four speed and I’m on my third Cummins 2500, best trucks ever.
I had a friend who lived just behind me whose father worked worked at "Murray" in Lawrenceburg, TN , in the design department. He used to get 'test bikes'. Riding wheelies and jumping ramps were our Evel Knievel days. This guy rides wheelies now better than I did then. We quickly went on to motorcycles, but this guy is awesome!
This guy would bust your balls riding a wheelie.
Awww,the 70's the most overlooked yet put down generation. I grew up then. My teenage years.
I'm 50 and two years ago I quit the cubicle life and started working at a bike shop. While I don't have my Western Flyer Dirt Duster from the late 70's, I now have a 2020 Giant Trance 29er 2 and trail riding. Keep rolling!!!!
I had that same bike when I was seven. It made me feel like a real biker. The ape hangers were the key that unlocked the passion I still have of riding down a long stretch of road and leaving my pain behind.
Thanks for the memories....
Awesome! Time never ages, only our perception of it. I remember and will always keep those "Wheelie" memories..
I’m 58 and this video was very special me. I grew up in the South Bay of Southern California and that was me in the 70’s, I was doing the exact same thing! What a great time to grow up in! Still ride my bike to this day and will continue to do so as long as my legs work. Thanks for this!
Thank you Richard for making this video. I was that kid, wheelie as long as I wanted to, even around the block. I’m 65 now and thinking about buying a stingray JUST to see if I could get it up again, the front wheel, that is. This has really encouraged me
He still has great balance!I was known as the"Wheelie King"on my block.I taught my partner Bill and he turned out real good too.I announce one day I was going to ride a wheelie all the way around the local church .I nailed it in one try.I started riding them on my ten speed and found I could shift gear all the way to high gear.Dont think I could ride ten feet now.Cool video man! Thanks
Man this is great! I am almost 57 and grew up a little town in southwest Iowa, Emerson, had a population of 500. We rode bicycles around all the time, I never could wheelie like that, I had about 3 friends that could, they would get it balanced and could go for miles. I was pretty fearless at hitting our old board ramps though. Looking back I see now that those were some pretty awesome times.
It’s been a pretty good ride for the most part, I’ve had some sad and hard times, I guess that’s the way she goes. All things will pass, just like I will someday, we just have to enjoy the time we have left and never forget the good times we had. For some reason this video brought just happy tears to my eyes. ❤️
Thank you for this. I’m only 37 but have been through a lot of things only older people should experience. I’m considered an “old soul”. This video reminded me of why I haven’t given up. So thank you. Truly.
OMG!!!
I had a StingRay with a banana seat!!!
Those were great years to grow up in.
Cool bikes! Cool music!!!!
I haven't seen anyone riding wheelies these days. The present generations are missing out!!!!
Reminds me of my youth in Costa Mesa, CA in ‘67 when, during a nice extended wheelie on my Sting Ray, the front wheel fell out of the fork. I was already on my way back down so I couldn’t react fast enough. When the fork hit the street, so did I. The laughter of my “friends” far exceeded the level of my pain and blood letting.
Haha!
That made me remember a time in my life when all I wanted to do was to be was on one wheel .now 57 years old and seeing this I m going to take my bike out and ride some one handers by the young ones in the neighborhood
Nice 🤙
The only good thing a about today's world: hey @Bill Gagnon be sure and video we don't care if you fail or kill it record that %$@$
My dad bought me a 73 XR 75 just like the one in this video. Rode it right into our living room. My jaw just dropped and my friend said " dude! You got to coolest dad ever!" Best bike I've ever owned and I've had plenty.
Definitely can relate sir. I was born in 1970. I can still pop wheelies on my MTB lol. Beautiful trip down memory lane. God Bless.
Awesome. I still ride my stingray every day I got it in 76.
Awesome, keeps us young, right? Cheers to you too!
@@949Realtor exactly. Everyone tries to buy it but I wont sell it
That's awesome! I got mine hand me down from my older brother and that bike was the centerpiece of my childhood. I was like a stunt woman on that thing. I wish I still had it.
That’s awesome Joe. God bless
@@mikelute77 🤘😁🤘
Richard, I came on this by mistake. But, now after watching I know it was meant for me to see. I never did ride a wheelie; but in my heart I did. I loved every minute of this video. The big wheel jump reminded me why I took chances and worked on innovation in my life. At 69 I am still living it. Still going after dreams. All your words in this video got to my heart. Carry on!!!!
I'm 39 and trying to relearn riding wheelies and this dude gives me hope lol you are truly a inspiration
Hey Jeremy, learn to balance on the back brake and you'll never flip.... Oh, and practice unclipped..... From experience!
I was born in 73 im miss those days, thank you for this video i have tears in my eyes just thinking of those times no phones, video games just good times with my neighborhood friends
This put a big smile on my face! Brought back so many memories of my first bike, an orange banana seat 20” bike. Memories of making wooden Ramps and jumping over yellow Tonka dump trucks ran through my mind along with the many friendships I’ve shared that passion with! I could never ride a wheelie like you Richard. You are still the man!!! Thanks for the nice video and wise words.
I was never a real good wheelie rider but I had a unicycle and was one hell of a skateboarder!
Shit hurts more when you crash when you're older!
Nice job Richard Kelley!
I'm impressed!
Richard great job, being able to ride a wheelie for that long on a coaster brake bike is very very impressive. I was never able to get passed 4 or 5 peddles, I either went off to the side or over the back. How times have changed, bicycles were the most important thing to us, we rode them all the time, now it's a cell phone that is the main interest for kids. Boy if you had a Schwinn Sting Ray you were at the top of the heap Lol. My friend had a Schwinn two speed " kick Back " Sting Ray, oh man did I every want of those. Those were great times Richard and thank you for the memories.
I remember when my uncle gave me a red Schwinn stingray, white sparkle bandana seat, and electric tape wrapped the handlebars. I had no idea back then how cool it really was, but I loved it! We were super poor, so it meant allot
Yes impressive once me and a classmate had a no hands peddling down hill we both went distance of blacktop he stopped cuz tracks and dirt road I was still going but he claimed road ended I was the winner cuz no hand over railroad tracks and over dirt
Really pulled some heart-strings...thank you for inspiration.
I use to do that on my bike all the time in the early 70's. Oh Yeah ! 👍🚴
Right? We're the lucky ones. This experience lives with me every day. Cheers to you too!
hey man, one benefit from being older, the balance point isn't as far back as it use to be - LOL - yea, I was the same in the 70's in Pacoima on my Schwinn and rear bendix brake - could ride for miles on one wheel - now doing it on motorcycles - never went away - one of my favorite things - great job.
COOL ! ,,,I LIVED IN PACOIMA A LONG TIME AGO,,,,,,,,I JUST BOUGHT A 86 SUZUKI LT250R 🗿🚬
Came across this video and it brought me back my youth. I grew up in riverside CA. The same time period. It all started with wheelies on my schwin, then the 10spd and on to dirt bikes. Ohh and the big wheel jump.. crashed it everytime. LOL
Thank you for bringing me back to a special place in life.
Damn! Still got it after all these years. I'm 52 and couldn't do it anymore on my Stingray. Mybe I should install a wheelie bar. :D
Always find your 'happy place' in whatever you do my friend. Cheers to you too!
How do you know you couldn't do it anymore? I'm 53, and it wasn't really all that long ago that after several decades, I was able to pick up one of my son's skateboards and after just a minute, or two tops, it was like the last time I rode was yesterday. And that included the learning curve of having to deal with a symmetrical board, one with a tail on both ends, which was something that didn't even exist back then. There was a front and rear of skateboards when I was a kid, the back having a swooped up tail and a level front. Just try it, you might just be surprised at how quickly it all comes back to you. It was pretty quick for me despite the notable difference in skateboard shape, and Oh yeah, I forgot mention earlier, but... I'm also about 40 lbs heavier than I was as a teen.
SpEd : I still have a couple of vintage Stingrays (a ‘72 Krate and a ‘76 Five Speed.) I tried with those. Maybe I have to re-discover my center of gravity.
@@bartceljavier4209 Those weren't as good as the first ones that came out. To many fancy things in the way. My '63 Sting Ray was very basic. No fenders, no shifters. It has a level with the seat sissy bar. You can slide your rear end right up on it to get the weight way back for easy long distance wheelies.
@@KurtfromLaQuinta I remember those.
We as kids were so cool riding wheelies everywhere on our bikes. Funny thing is now you are so much cooler! 👊😎 God bless 🙏
Hey! We did it in Nor-Cal too!!
The ramps, the track around the house,
the “Block” contests. Good Times!
As kids up in La Habra , we did the exact same thing.
Stingrays, Xr75’s, 10 speeds. Lol
I got back into dirt bike riding and mountain biking about 8 years ago. Couldn’t be happier.
Even though I live in Az now, you will still see me at the cliffs surfing and doing wheelies a couple of times a year. Some things never change. Biking keeps you alive and able to get around much easier than walking or driving.
Cheers bro.
Wow that was such a cool vid and brought back so many memories. I'm almost 65 years old and I rode a Schwinn StingRay and a Sears knockoff during those times but more importantly I still have my Mission Honda Jersey! I now ride a MTB and a Dual Sport motorcycle. After all these years I still love dirt (and wheelies)!
I also grew up in So Cal in the 70s, always loved the excitement of a good-long wheelie on my Stingray. Had several "blow overs" in the learning process, just a few corners were rounded off. Thanks for your current talent update.
Thanks for sharing this ! Took me back in time. I’m 57, raised in central NJ and remember spending countless hours hanging out summers practicing riding wheelies on sting rays and upped the ante by mastering Schwinn 10 speed bike wheelies one-handed. I have all the knee/arm scars to prove it. Haha! Amazing, just like you I was riding my mountain bike recently with my teenage girls and popped a wheelie and rode it down street and around corner. Girls were like, WTF? Dad teach me that!!
This makes me feel good again. What a great time as a kid. Kids today are out of touch an deprived R.I.P. yester year and thank you
THAT was gangster AF rock on Rich, Rock On !
YOU WHEELIE GOT ME...good tunes, too!!
Watching this, recalling you'd have to coast, intermittently, trying to control your speed, on those old, banana seat, coaster bikes.
Absolutely Beautiful to come across this Video...It brings back so many memories of my childhood in the 70's doing exactly like Richard is here and popping Wheelies for miles....There was no other feeling like it...I have to say though Richard to still see you popping Wheelies is just Sensational and your Balance is Amazing...You are a Natural sir and this is an Absolute Treat to see...Thank You Mate for keeping our Childhood Dreams Alive...By the way Richard I'm in my mid 50's now and I recently purchased a 1970's 3 Speed Dragster...It is absolutely beautiful...Safe Riding Young Man :)
That's awesome... makes me want to get back out on one wheel. I had a Free Spirit ten speed as a teenager in the 1970s, used to ride wheelies all over the place: up hill, down hill, around corners... haven't practiced in so long I'm now a newbie... at 60. lol
I used to do the same thing on my bike, could ride a wheelie for almost half a mile, even made wheelie bars one day just for fun used to do the same thing he could, brings back such memories, way to go Richard
This slice of life video is so much more than it appears to be on the surface. Words cannot describe entirely. I absolutely love this! It takes me back [like many of us boomers]. Every time I get on my racing bike, I feel like I’m 18 again! Kudos to you Richard for inspiring me to ride my bike today! Ride that wheelie forever!
Heck yeah!!!Nice🤙
I’m 45 and still tearing up the streets keeps me young✌️
2:15 Like they say it’s just like riding a bike you never forget!! 🤜🤛
This is awesome to see!! Wish kids today still rode bikes like we used to back in the 70s and 80s, way before technology took over.
This sure did bring back lots of memories. So glad my kids get to learn to wheelie on a totally original Schwinn Pea Picker
This filled my heart ❤️ from the uk
Thank you, that means a lot to me. Live Well!
Definitely broke my concentration......😁
Way to go Richard! I saw that kid at the beginning of on any Sunday and knew I had to do that! What a great memory you gave me today to see you on one wheel! Thanks
Awesome riding. The inspirational words were exactly what I needed in my life right now. Thanks
Sick vintage wheelie footage. Dude still can wheelie! Could never get the wheelie down.
Simply awesome, once you have it you never lose it !
I'm a little jealous so I have to toot my horn here Richard. In 1967 I went to Schwinn school in Chicago and became a factory trained Schwinn mechanic and worked 13 years at Foxies Bike Shop in Highland Park. From there I was hired by Nishiki as a technical advisor, where Shimano Japan took notice, and hired me. After 5 years at Shimano/Japan group, I invented MTB Bar/Ends and started onZa, and later created the Panaracer Smoke & Dart tires. My last job before I semi-retired in 2003 was developing tires for Specialized... But all this amounts to a hill of beans, watching you Willy effortlessly at the age of 60... You're the MAN!!!
Respect. Love the big wheel part with the rag doll going off the roof cut to buddy laying there like he crashed . Wheelies are years of fun 😁
I just found this video today , and I just wanted to say everything about it and this man,is just plain Awesome.
We did the same in 70’s in Australia. What awesome memories that no one can ever take away from us😊😊😊👍👍👍👍
I could never do a wheelie ..... you make it look so easy!! Good memories!!!
Thank you for the step back in time...great memories.
This video should have more views and likes.
Brings back wonderful memories as a youngster in the 70s. We used to measure our wheelies by Lamposts (Distance). I'll leave it to you Richard. Cool Dude. Best Handlebars for wheelies
Brings back fond memories of my younger brother like you he could ride wheelies forever he's riding them now in heaven thanks for video....
You my friend are a true scholar. Never stop learning. Never stop teaching. You have a beautiful outlook on life.
Absolutely stunning- hip, hip, hooray!
Thank you Ill never forget this video It meant much more to me than just your excellent riding skill. God bless you and your loved ones. I wrote down the words of wisdom and they will always be nearby..
My very best to you T Klykun, stay young inside forever!
When my parents moved here to the desert from Anaheim in '69... I brought my '63 Coppertone Schwinn Sting Ray with me. We had a lot of guys in my neighborhood and around our house in Indio, California that would terrorize our streets with wheelie contest. My favorite was peddling as fast as you could, and then riding a wheelie for distance with out peddling. I think I crashed as hard as I ever did doing that. But I dominated the distance record just before that wreck. LoL! We sure had a lot of laughs those hot summer evenings.
AND I still have that Schwinn Sting Ray. It's do for another restoration. I want to ride it again now that I'm almost 67.
I also had an Honda XR 75 like the one in your video that I used to race motocross with back in the early 70's.They would stick me in the 100 class because I was too old the race the younger guys.
The XR75 was built in 1976 .
@@jeffmullinix7916 I'm pretty sure your right. But the first ones came out in '73. I got one of the first ones in the United States when I purchased it from San Bernadino Honda. I couldn't afford a "real" motorcycle because my parents told me... "If you want to buy a motorcycle, your buying it yourself." By the way... it was the first motorcycle Honda sold the public that had number plates.
I know it wasn't '76... that was the year I got married. And I was building a Redline framed Honda 125 Yoshimura 4 stroke- 2 stroke killer that I never finished. That's when I had to get semi- serious with my life. Now that I'm older and been married for 45 years... I can start goofing off even more... www.ramchargercentral.com/threads/my-daytona-clone-project.326770/
@@KurtfromLaQuinta I'm pretty sure that was an SL 70
Looks like Archie Bunker, but rides like Doug Domokos. Seriously good footage and anecdotes. 👍🏻
I know both names. Damn I feel old. . 😆
Thanks for the archival wheelie footage and all the wheelies done not so long ago, judging by the cars, by the gent on, what, a Manta Ray? And I was there for it all myself back in the day, my bike from the Summer of Love in '67 until I was a military dependent in Frankfurt, West Germany in '75, thumbnail is a snap of me jumping my bike on an asphalt lot across from our apartment building in the Drake-Edwards Housing Area, was a basic Sting-Ray and it taught me everything and prepared me well for the bicycles and motorcycles I have ridden throughout my life. So big cheers and gratitude, always, for the Sting-Ray. And an irony, I didn't know it at the time, but Ignaz Schwinn was a bike builder in Frankfurt in the late 1800s before he made history with his own bike company in Chicago. I was representing without evening knowing it yet I truly enjoyed it as German kids would come over from their apartment complex and watch me jump and wheelie and do my thing as I missed my friends in Pacifica, California. And O my, the trails in the hills of Pacifica were a lot of fun to ride.
Thanks for the warm, heartfelt reply. Life is a journey for all of us and it’s great that we had a chance to start out with some fun and fond memories. Thank you for all you did for the democracy in America and I’m glad it brought back a feeling of a good time. This just goes to show how close we are together no matter where we are in the world. Wishing you all the best. Thank you again my friend.
I was smiling all the way through this video. Thanks
I almost didn't click on this. I'm glad I did! I'm 58 and still ride skate boards. Most people think I'm in my 40s. Age has taken its toll on my body but inside I feel no older than early 20s with the knowledge and wisdom of someone twice as old. I'm still a Bad Ass on any pinball table. Ice skate, roller skate, hold my own on any pool table. All the things I did when I was young I can and still do. In this video I think this guy has a few years on me! My hat is off to him!!! To him I'd say - Keep going, I'm right behind you!
Summer of 1975 when I was just turning 13 we moved to the best neighborhood on earth. There was this one kid my age who lived one street over that was an acrobat on and off a bicycle or a dirt bike. He could do gymnast stuff like back flips, front flips, ride a wheelie for 1 mile straight and was amazing on his 4 stroke Honda 125. He used to stand on the back foot pegs of his Honda and ride wheelies like it was a chariot. The kid was absolutely FEARLESS...
I remember all the fun on the Stingray's. We used to make parachutes fron sheets and string and drag race each other and pull the chutes at the end (many tangled in spokes) but we had hours and hours of fun without a cell phone or video game
Awesome video man, I had the same dirt bike, XR-75. I road the bike for years. I out grew it but still rode it everywhere possible. Be for the motorcycle ,I had a cheap 20" bike. It had the banana seat on it but I told my Dad, who's now is 78 & rides his Heritage Softail . I wanted a chopper. So he ended up cutting the forks and extending them about 18 inches. Put a pair of Ape hangers,a new slick & painted it bright orange. That was a cool bike then. My mom, who just turned 80 gave my the nickname Chopper the Wheelie Popper.
Thank you for sharing your video which brought back many childhood memories for me. Thank you,
God bless.
AWESOME!!!!!
This proves that you can't grow old if you don't grow up. Man I loved this video, thanks for putting it up.
Richard,
What a GREAT video. From 1 RK to another. this is proof we 60+ year old guys can still get it done. I am 65 and still enjoy the fun things from youth. Keep the wheel up & movin' forward.
God Bless.
Awe this is so cool ,, I couldn’t wheelie like this but my friend Jim B. Could go up and down the whole street. It was phenomenal. Thanks for bringing me right back. ...
Man I was 10 in ‘73. I wanted one of those stingrays back then. We didn’t have money pop’s was sick had to many hospital bills. Finally got a hand me down from a neighbor. She was rough but the happiest day of my life right then. I say it all the time, we were lucky to have grown up when we did. I miss the old San Francisco. It had a sweet way about itself. Now it’s been overrun. I mourn this loss.
Awesome! I’m in my late 40’s and I am still trying to pull controlled wheelies. 🤟
Oh yeah! This was me in the late 60's-early 70's. Also did this with my Honda 50 and
later on my Honda 70. Could go on for miles on the mini bikes. Memories.