Wheelie

"Only has one wheel. Control is unorthodox."

- Wheelie Bike's Flavor text

Wheelie is a regular enemy in the Kirby series.

Wheelie is a tire-shaped enemy that is currently one of the few sources of the Wheel Copy Ability. Normally he resembles a tire with two eyes; sometimes he has a bright red covering over his top half, handle bars, and exhaust pipes. In the games they speed right into Kirby. In Kirby Air Ride, Wheelie also appears as an Air Ride Machine that Kirby can ride. Wheelie can also appear as a scooter-like vehicle known as the Wheelie Scooter and a bigger machine called the Rex Wheelie.

Physical Appearance
Wheelie resembles a tire with two eyes and red eyelids. As a Helper, dubbed Wheelie Bike in more recent games, the top half of him is now covered with a red plate acting as a seat, he has a pair of handle bars, and exhaust pipes sticking out from the back.

Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Wheelie is a common enemy in this game, and the only regular enemy that gives the Wheel ability. In this game Wheelie often speeds right into Kirby and damages him when he collides with him. If a Wheelie crashes into a wall, he will simply ride off in the opposite direction.

As well as being the second opponent in the Quick Draw sub-game in Nightmare in Dream Land, a mid-boss named Grand Wheelie is also fought at various points in the game.

Kirby's Block Ball
Wheelie appears as an enemy in Kabu's and Poppy Bros. Sr.'s stages. He remains stationary and drops a Flip item when defeated.

Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra
Wheelie is the same as he was in Kirby's Adventure, but now has a completely new design when used as a Helper. The enemy Wheelie is just like he was in previous games, plus he occasionally jumps a couple times before approaching. When Kirby has a Wheelie as a Helper, he and the Wheelie can fight enemies separately. Kirby and also jump on top of Wheelie and become Wheelie Rider. It has the same abilities as Wheel, but is faster and can now jump. Kirby will wear a helmet while using this ability, but he will retain his skin color (e.g. green if he has Plasma) In multiplayer, Player 2 controls the Wheelie while Player 1 can shoot little stars in eight directions. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, Wheelie is a selectable character in Helper to Hero. He is green in color.

Wheelies play a role in a couple of the sub-games. In Revenge of Meta Knight, when Kirby fights the Reactor, Wheelies can be seen racing to and from in the background. Once the Reactor is defeated, the Wheelies escape their generators and are seen racing about the scene, though they do not harm Kirby. However, their escape stirs up a fuss among the crew members. Kirby also escapes the sinking Halberd by jumping on a Wheelie, and riding off.

In Revenge of the King (Kirby Super Star Ultra), Grand Wheelie appears as one of the henchman that King Dedede summons to try and stop Kirby. Grand Wheelie also appears in The True Arena, as the second representative of the "True" Mid-boss All-Stars.

In Samurai Kirby, a sub-game, Wheelie appears as the second enemy Kirby faces.

In the movie section of Kirby Super Star Ultra, Wheelie Bike stars in a part of the Special Edition Blooper Reel. The Wheelie Bike escapes the Halberd and lands, but is seen without a rider. A couple seconds later, Wheelie Rider Kirby falls in from above the screen, and plummets into the water nearby the cliff. The Wheelie Bike takes no notice, and rides off as he would have with Kirby, ignoring the laugh track heard during the unfortunate Star Warrior's plunge.

Wheelie is the only helper whose design differs from his enemy version.

Kirby Air Ride
The Wheelie Bike appears in Kirby Air Ride as an Air Ride Machine. It is the first of three Bike Machines to be unlocked, not counting King Dedede's bike, the Wheelie Bike Dedede Custom. Bikes in general jump off ramps instead of gliding, and activate boost panels automatically (on hovering machines, the A button needs to be pressed). In addition to the Wheelie Bike, Kirby can also unlock and use the Rex Wheelie and the Wheelie Scooter.

The Wheelie Bike has decent stats all around, with slightly above average charging speed but slightly below average acceleration. It also has good offense. However, its Jump stat is poor.

Wheelie also appears as an enemy in a few race courses, namely Machine Passage. They typically ride in groups, racing across the raceway. This is the first appearance of enemy Wheelie Bikes.

Kirby Mass Attack
Wheelie appears in the Kirby Brawlball sub-game as an obstacle in the Heavy Lobster stage.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby: Planet Robobot
Wheelie using his Wheelie Bike design in these games. He behaves almost identically from previous games, although his speed has been greatly reduced.

Other Games
In each of these games, they all act the way they did in Kirby's Adventure. As usual, Wheelie gives the Wheel ability when inhaled.
 * Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
 * Kirby's Block Ball
 * Kirby: Canvas Curse
 * Kirby's Dream Course
 * Kirby: Squeak Squad

In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Wheelie appears as the main foe in the episode Born to Be Mild - Part II. He looks like a Helper Wheelie but much larger, though he is not to be confused with Grand Wheelie. Wheelie is a transformed state of Fang, the leader of a gang of bikers looking for the legendary biker, Steppenwolf.

When Fang attends King Dedede's second annual Cappy Town Grand Prix, Steppenwolf comes out of nowhere and bests Fang again just like he did last time in the past. Consumed by his rage, Fang transforms into Wheelie in a dire, final attempt to wreak havoc and defeat Steppenwolf. Luckily, Kirby intervenes and swallows a spare tire on the racetrack and became Wheel Kirby, who is easily able to outrun Wheelie. Dedede tries to give Wheelie an upper hand by activating a myriad of traps set inside the racetrack, but the plan backfires and causes Wheelie to lose control. Wheelie eventually crashes and lands on top of the statue in the middle of the stadium, which causes the whole stadium to crumble. Luckily there were no casualties except for Wheelie/ Fang, who's flaming wreckage was spotted a few feet away from the ruins alongside Steppenwolf.

In the Super Smash Bros. series
Wheelie appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

Related Quotes
"Wheelie crashes into Kirby at high speed. When he's a helper, he can carry Kirby."

- Instruction manual description

"A real speed demon. Once Wheelie gets going, he can't be stopped. Wheelies are sometimes known to run in packs too. Kirby can copy the Wheel ability, turn into a tire, and run over enemies. The momentum will keep him rolling until he runs into an obstacle such as a wall."

- Trophy description

"Pop quiz! What do cars have four of, bikes have two of, and this enemy would blend in with? That's right! Tires! Your prize is... more info! Wheelie like to charge ahead, and Kirby can ride on top of him when he's a helper. If Kirby inhales him, he can even turn into a tire!"

- Trophy description

Trivia

 * Wheelie, particularly his helper design, is a likely inspiration for Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Adventure Mode enemy, Roader, an enemy which has the same attack and a similar design.
 * In Kirby Super Star and its remake, Wheelie is the only helper that poses differently than Kirby on its ability icon.
 * In Kirby: Canvas Curse, he is drawn by Paint Roller in Paint Panic.
 * Mace Knight's dismay in the "Wheelies are abandoning ship" line may be from the belief that rats only leave a ship when it is doomed.
 * Strangely, the Wheelies that are spawned by Grand Wheelie don't actually give the Wheel ability, and in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, they use a pink palette.
 * In Kirby Super Star Ultra, however, they do give the Wheel ability when swallowed.
 * In Kirby Air Ride, the Wheelie Bike and Wheelie Scooter can be seen blinking if viewed from the side while in motion.