wheelie anyone??
#1
01-06-2012, 01:41 PM
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#2
01-06-2012, 03:34 PM
What is your defintion of a wheelie?
Is it pop the front wheel for a sec or 2 or actually riding at balance point?
I could pop the front the first day but not anywhere near balance point.
within a couple weeks I could ride out first gear from about 25km/hr to 90ish km/hr.
Balance point still scares me as I never did wheelies on bikes before as I was a skateboarder.
Best advice I have heard is to practice by yourself, as you don't have anyone to try to show up and maybe loop it.
and start small and slowly work them up slowly.
Other then that good luck.
Is it pop the front wheel for a sec or 2 or actually riding at balance point?
I could pop the front the first day but not anywhere near balance point.
within a couple weeks I could ride out first gear from about 25km/hr to 90ish km/hr.
Balance point still scares me as I never did wheelies on bikes before as I was a skateboarder.
Best advice I have heard is to practice by yourself, as you don't have anyone to try to show up and maybe loop it.
and start small and slowly work them up slowly.
Other then that good luck.
#3
01-06-2012, 06:16 PM
Retired Super Moderator - At large E=MC2
Never wanted to go through the thrashing it takes, to learn to wheely on a street bike.
If I had any dirt time, I might have learned. Too cautious to try learning now. I save
my nerve for the twisties. If I were going to, though, I think I'd start on a dirt bike
first, and then transfer the skills to the street.
Ern
If I had any dirt time, I might have learned. Too cautious to try learning now. I save
my nerve for the twisties. If I were going to, though, I think I'd start on a dirt bike
first, and then transfer the skills to the street.
Ern
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01-06-2012, 06:40 PM
February 2012 ROTM
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01-07-2012, 08:10 AM
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01-07-2012, 08:55 AM
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I learned to wheelie on 2 stroke dirtbikes when I was kid, started riding them somewhere around 8 or 9 years old. Much better place (dirt) to learn. 
I'm no stunting pro but I've pulled of a few half miles wheelies in my day and I've had it up, even 2 up, at 130/140mph for a little while so I have a reasonable idea.
I guess here's my take...
INSERT MASSIVE DO NOT TRY THIS IT HOME FOR FEAR OF DEATH OR WORSE DISCLAIMER GOES HERE <------------ITS NOT MY FAULT IF YOU DO STUPID THINGS.
Thats said.....Basically there are 2 kinds of wheelies.
Power wheelies are where your using the acceleration of the bike to keep the wheel up, these are the easiest to learn but are the most dangerous simply because when things go wrong your at full power. Generally keep your butt in the seat, weight 'centered' and not full back or forward. You want to have enough body movement to make corrections but not too much at first. Most people pull all the way back and then when the wheel comes up they go all the way forward. Then if its coming up to fast or hard theres no more forward body lean left. Not good. Also keep your feet on the pegs and your toe over the rear brake, thats your panic button.
When learning, there are ways to help get you started. One point to remember is to keep your arms VERY relaxed and bent, no weight on the bars and maintaining the weight you feel in your butt the whole time. First is to use the road to your advantage like a crown in an interesection. Gas it lightly at the peak as your cross and the wheel should glide off the backside into a smooth little power wheelie. Next level would be to use the suspension, your can either tap the front brake and then gas it on the rebound, or do so with the throttle. Gas it firmly , let off smoothly and then hit it hard again as the forks extend. Lastly (for simplicity sake) you can use the clutch. This is how everyone thinks they should do it but its how most people crash not to mention it will kill your clutch eventually. Hold the bike at a steady RPM , something like 3k for starters. All you want to do is to 'slip' the clutch, you dont need to pull it all the way. Put pressure on the clutch and just as you hear the revs start to take off, gas it firmly and snap out the clutch at about the same time, its all about timing. That will get it up in a hurry so be ready. Just be careful, do it on CLEAN dry roads with PLENTY of run off and breaking room. $hit happens fast.
That leaves you with true balance point wheelies. Obviously these are the hardest of the 2. They require exceptional throttle control, of course great balance instincts and an often overlooked point... a very tight drive train. Worn chains/sprockets , cush drives and slack in all associated parts can make these difficult, impossible and dangerous. Generally you will need to clutch it up at relatively low speeds and hit the balance point very quickly and precisely. You kinda only get one shot at it. It helps to be off the seat and use your body and legs. You still need to keep yourself as centered as possible and NOT leaning all the way back pulling up as hard as your can. Start standing then drop all your weight down and use the clutch slip method to get it up. Again this is all a timing issue as you want to get your weight back on your feet just as your appoach the balance point. You can do this standing on the rear pegs, it help the front come up much easier but it changes the fulcrum point way back, this may give you too much 'input' so you really need to be comfortable riding back there like that. This is why I really only recommend learing these on MUCH smaller unpowered bikes, even like a scooter. It's not at all about power, its about balance and your cant teach what the feels like and extra power will do you in asap. I actually learned back in my BMX days on a 20" bike.
Anyway...
Of course thats just an outline but hopefully it covers some of the basics.
If you think wheelies look and are fun, well they kinda are but they are exponentionally more UNCOOL and miserable when you crash.
Don't be stupid.
I'm no stunting pro but I've pulled of a few half miles wheelies in my day and I've had it up, even 2 up, at 130/140mph for a little while so I have a reasonable idea. I guess here's my take...
INSERT MASSIVE DO NOT TRY THIS IT HOME FOR FEAR OF DEATH OR WORSE DISCLAIMER GOES HERE <------------ITS NOT MY FAULT IF YOU DO STUPID THINGS.
Thats said.....Basically there are 2 kinds of wheelies.
Power wheelies are where your using the acceleration of the bike to keep the wheel up, these are the easiest to learn but are the most dangerous simply because when things go wrong your at full power. Generally keep your butt in the seat, weight 'centered' and not full back or forward. You want to have enough body movement to make corrections but not too much at first. Most people pull all the way back and then when the wheel comes up they go all the way forward. Then if its coming up to fast or hard theres no more forward body lean left. Not good. Also keep your feet on the pegs and your toe over the rear brake, thats your panic button.
When learning, there are ways to help get you started. One point to remember is to keep your arms VERY relaxed and bent, no weight on the bars and maintaining the weight you feel in your butt the whole time. First is to use the road to your advantage like a crown in an interesection. Gas it lightly at the peak as your cross and the wheel should glide off the backside into a smooth little power wheelie. Next level would be to use the suspension, your can either tap the front brake and then gas it on the rebound, or do so with the throttle. Gas it firmly , let off smoothly and then hit it hard again as the forks extend. Lastly (for simplicity sake) you can use the clutch. This is how everyone thinks they should do it but its how most people crash not to mention it will kill your clutch eventually. Hold the bike at a steady RPM , something like 3k for starters. All you want to do is to 'slip' the clutch, you dont need to pull it all the way. Put pressure on the clutch and just as you hear the revs start to take off, gas it firmly and snap out the clutch at about the same time, its all about timing. That will get it up in a hurry so be ready. Just be careful, do it on CLEAN dry roads with PLENTY of run off and breaking room. $hit happens fast.
That leaves you with true balance point wheelies. Obviously these are the hardest of the 2. They require exceptional throttle control, of course great balance instincts and an often overlooked point... a very tight drive train. Worn chains/sprockets , cush drives and slack in all associated parts can make these difficult, impossible and dangerous. Generally you will need to clutch it up at relatively low speeds and hit the balance point very quickly and precisely. You kinda only get one shot at it. It helps to be off the seat and use your body and legs. You still need to keep yourself as centered as possible and NOT leaning all the way back pulling up as hard as your can. Start standing then drop all your weight down and use the clutch slip method to get it up. Again this is all a timing issue as you want to get your weight back on your feet just as your appoach the balance point. You can do this standing on the rear pegs, it help the front come up much easier but it changes the fulcrum point way back, this may give you too much 'input' so you really need to be comfortable riding back there like that. This is why I really only recommend learing these on MUCH smaller unpowered bikes, even like a scooter. It's not at all about power, its about balance and your cant teach what the feels like and extra power will do you in asap. I actually learned back in my BMX days on a 20" bike.
Anyway...
Of course thats just an outline but hopefully it covers some of the basics.
If you think wheelies look and are fun, well they kinda are but they are exponentionally more UNCOOL and miserable when you crash.
Don't be stupid.
Last edited by zaqwert6; 01-07-2012 at 09:02 AM.
#8
01-07-2012, 06:09 PM
Retired Super Moderator - At large E=MC2
#9
01-07-2012, 06:28 PM
Senior Member
I've only done a few. What I learned was I get the bike to about 8000rpms in first gear let completely off the gas for a second then open it full throttle. It tends to bring the front up kind of slowly but be ready for it. And there will be times you try that and it won't do it. But I don't recommend doing it that way. What zaqwert said is probably the best you'll hear. To be honest I don't like doing wheelies, it was more of a I read something and wanted to try it sorta thing. Now that I know how it works I'm content keeping the front on the ground.
#10
01-07-2012, 07:01 PM
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