We'd been resting on the rear wheel for over 10 seconds, accelerating upwards of 100 mph in a wheelie toward Circuit de Barcelona's diving turn one, when I knew I'd bitten off more than I could chew.

Willie Rodriguez squatted beside his motorcycle, tucking his knees and elbows like a pro. Rodriguez, who raced for four years, demonstrates how he’d gently sway his body to make a smooth turn on a ...