TexasCHLforum.com

Nice wheelie, as long as we're sharing.

http://media.putfile.com/Speed-4-Onboard

I've been told by LEO friends that it's most likely reckless driving (riding?) and that charge was changed recently to a much worse thing and would stop a CHL from being approved, I can't remember if it's 5 or 10 years though.

I have one more story, a friend who is a local radio meteorologist and I were riding some country roads and did a side by side wheelie right past a hidden LEO, after we got our bikes stopped and PPE (personal protective equipment) off, I asked my buddy "Think he saw the wheelies?", the officer strolled over and said "Nice wheelies", my buddy said "Is this one of those cases where if we admit it we get tickets?" Long story short, the officer was as nice as could be, said he was dead tired of scraping kids off the curves but he didn't feel we would be a problem. The really cool thing is after letting us go he led the way so we could have some fun in the corners, very nice guy.

This was around 2002 and before I had a CHL, I'm waiting on mine now. I was riding my sportbike (hence the nickname) down Bay Area Blvd in Clear Lake, I had a really bad week at work so I treated all my guys to a nice dinner and drinks. I only had sipped one beer over several hours so that wasn't an issue. As I was leaving I did a wheel up salute to the guys and right past a Harris County LEO, he pulled me over into a vacant parking lot and when I got my helmet and leathers off, he looked shocked. I had my DL and insurance out and gave it to him. He said he thought I was a kid, but I was well into my 40's then (and should've known better). He asked if I knew why he pulled me over and I said "Sure officer, I did a long wheelie right by you". He said to keep my hands on his hood, he was calling for backup. I thought, oh well, going to jail. About 10 minutes go by and a large crowd had gathered (several restaraunts are nearby) to watch me get arrested although I'm sure none saw the wheelie. The second car pulls up, he's gesturing to the other LEO what he saw me do, they walk over to me and say "You know we can arrest you for that". I say "Yes officers I do". The first LEO said, "Here's what we're going to do, if you can wheelie to the freeway again, I'll just write you a warning, if you can't, we come get you and write that big ticket". I thought I misheard and asked for him to repeat it, he smiled and said "We're both riders and want to see another one". I said "This isn't one of those things where I do and you come beat me is it?" They both laughed and said no. So I gear up and wait for no traffic and wheelie to the freeway. I can't imagine what the folks who were just out of earshot of the whole conversation thought when I left on one wheel! I did go buy a lottery ticket that night, but I guess my luck had run out. And now that I've applied for a CHL I can see how that would have been very bad. I've been riding fast bikes since I was old enough to work and buy them (age 13), and are the only things that might get me into trouble enough for CHL purposes. All my moto buddies are doctors, NASA scientists, engineers and I'm the youngest of the bunch and we all ride the same way and most of them are CHL's. When we get stopped as a group we never get tickets, I think the gray hair helps a bunch (for those of us who have hair that is ). I don't speed or drive aggressive in my truck, but I do love to get to the hills and ride a brisk but safe (and illegal) pace. But now I'm rethinking that area of my life too.