[MANGOSTENE]

I'm not really looking to do this anytime in the future but it's one of those things that sometimes make you wonder "hmm, wonder if I can do it?" kind of moments.

Anyway, thought I'd ask everybody and anybody who's ever attempted a wheelie. Did you get it the first time? Did you eat it? Did you keep trying and finally succeeded without dropping the bike? Did you eat it the first time and have never attempted it ever since?

MANGO

 

[psycho_penguin]

Originally posted by MANGOSTENE
I'm not really looking to do this anytime in the future but it's one of those things that sometimes make you wonder "hmm, wonder if I can do it?" kind of moments.

Anyway, thought I'd ask everybody and anybody who's ever attempted a wheelie. Did you get it the first time? Did you eat it? Did you keep trying and finally succeeded without dropping the bike? Did you eat it the first time and have never attempted it ever since?

MANGO

im pretty sure no one in the history of mankind was good at a wheelie on the first attempt. i cant even remember how many tries it took me to get the freakin thing more than the little 1 inch hop of the ground. you just gotta work up to it and get the feel of the bike and how it feels when its light in the front end. it takes awhile. beware though, it can be very addicting.

 

[spitz04]

I remember a few years ago when i got my first sportbike, we'd practice behind our high school because it was secluded, i was bound and determined to get wheelies down pat but i never really did.. Just after riding and being one with the bike after many many miles of riding is what helped me the most.. You do have to have balls to an extent to get wheelies up to a point where its balanced but thats just a fear everyone faces, going over! If i were to go about it again i wouldnt beat myself to death on the issue, just work small on rides, maybe do a few on a nice straight road to see how the bike reacts and what you can do with it.. I'd have to say you'd really have to screw up to loop a bike.. You always feel a lot higher up then you really are and even the balance point is a way from looping it, its just you have to push yourself a little every so often to advance otherwise you'll never get it.. Now a year or so from trying my first wheelie i can ride mine however long i can keep the bike on the road, and its really no big deal.. I focused my attention to cornering now.. More enjoyment out of throwing the bike down in the corner to feel it power out and stand itself up.

 

[burtonsbs5114]

just give it time. Ive never been a big wheelie guy. Im not gonna lie, i suck ass at them, but then again, they dont do much for me. One thing i noticed when i forst started trying them, is if you power them up, you really have to crack the throttle. My problem was when the front wheel would start comming off the ground, i would subconcsiously(sp?) let off the throttle a little, or hold it there, and the wheel would come down. Yopu just gotta crack WOT, and keep it that way untill you've reached the desired height.

 

[joonyaboy]

my first one on the 636 was accidental... i was going about 40ish, and i wanted to nail it. I chopped the throttle and cracked it and it came up. I looked like an idiot with my legs flailing all over the place. It felt like a 10 o clock one, but it was prolly a 5:30 one LOL. From there I just kept doing little ones. no reason to try to do a long one until i feel comfortable. Check the stunters section too

 

[reintr0ducing]

i looped my old bike... by the time i realized how high the front was, i couldn't react fast enough to bring it back down. i guess it was my inexperience that screwed me up. not even gonna try on my new baby.

 

[GT636]

WHEN you do feel comfortable, start powering it up in first a little bit. First gear is really nasty though for a beginner. The gearing makes it really snappy and I gaurantee you're gonna slam it down and crush your shit on the tank. Anyway I think it was once I got to where I wasn't slamming it down anymore that I started doing 2nd gear clutch ups sitting down, 2nd is alot easier to fluctuate your wheelie height to find BP because the gearing isn't so tight. Then move on to stand ups staggered. The standup feeling is like nothing else man it's awesome but don't rush it. And remember, Cover that REAR BRAKE!!!

 

[mr.q]

The first "wheelie" wasn't on purpose. I'd just go WOT .. and thought; 'Hey! that's nice!'
All I did was just a couple of inches, maybe even just one or two. But it felt GREAT!

And then the addiction begins ....... []

 

[ZeRo_C0oL]

I'm going to buy some fork seal stock because of you guys. What company makes that shit? lol

 

[FLOJOE]

First time was on accident. Had a low tank and gunned it in first, it only came up a few inches but it felt a lot higher at the time. Be careful, wheelies are addicting.

 

[FightingFalcon]

Maybe I'm not WOTing fast enough because every time I do it (basically at every red light), I never get off the ground.

Ya'll aren't pulling up on the bike, right? As soon as you WOT the front end comes up?

I don't wanna use the clutch and I don't to get too high off the ground (don't wanna crash my bike yet again) but a few inches would be nice []

 

[Makenna]

Maybe you should have a look athe attached video clip. It provides a some help.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-6656191590638402466&q=how+to+wheelie

 

[FLOJOE]

Maybe I'm not WOTing fast enough because every time I do it (basically at every red light), I never get off the ground.

Ya'll aren't pulling up on the bike, right? As soon as you WOT the front end comes up?

I don't wanna use the clutch and I don't to get too high off the ground (don't wanna crash my bike yet again) but a few inches would be nice

Are you leaning forward over the tank? If so, try to get your weight back. Don't pull up on bike. Get up to 8K or so rpm's and roll on the throttle quickly and consistently. If you chop the throttle it will come up more violently and you will probably let off and come down hard on the front end. If your a heavier rider, you may want to try doing them on a low tank of fuel or on a slight incline. If you still having trouble, the easiest solution is to go down one tooth in the front sprocket. The clutch is really the way to go though, it sounds scary at first but it is actually much safer IMO.

 

[warbuk]

the best wheeli's are clutched up. if u just nail the gas to bring it up, thats called a power wheeli. POW POW POW POWER wheeli's can get u fucked up imo, if u wanna just play around and get about a foot off the ground thats fine, but if u try getting high or near balance point on a power wheeli thats kinda asking for it. try 2nd gear round 60mph, bout 6-9 grand and clutch it up start slow and small and always remember the rear brake is your best friend. also some people are not meant to wheeli. i know a dude that looped two bikes and after numerous attemps on mumerous rides he never accomplished a decent wheeli. never, after spending 4 days in a burn center he decided he wouldn't try anymore lol

 

[FightingFalcon]

Originally posted by FLOJOE


Are you leaning forward over the tank? If so, try to get your weight back. Don't pull up on bike. Get up to 8K or so rpm's and roll on the throttle quickly and consistently. If you chop the throttle it will come up more violently and you will probably let off and come down hard on the front end.

Maybe I'm sitting too close to the tank. I don't wanna try wheelies too soon because I just shelled out a ton of cash fixing my bike from my crash so I don't feel like crashing it again. But one day I gotta learn how to do this shit. I don't wanna be the only rider in the world who can't wheelie

If your a heavier rider, you may want to try doing them on a low tank of fuel or on a slight incline. If you still having trouble, the easiest solution is to go down one tooth in the front sprocket. The clutch is really the way to go though, it sounds scary at first but it is actually much safer IMO.

I'm only 130 pounds so weight shouldn't be an issue []

 

[FLOJOE]

I'm only 130 pounds so weight shouldn't be an issue

Yeah, that thing should fly up even with stock gearing.

 

[ZeRo_C0oL]

Originally posted by FightingFalcon
Maybe I'm not WOTing fast enough because every time I do it (basically at every red light), I never get off the ground.

Ya'll aren't pulling up on the bike, right? As soon as you WOT the front end comes up?

I don't wanna use the clutch and I don't to get too high off the ground (don't wanna crash my bike yet again) but a few inches would be nice []

It's not just going wide open throttle, but it's got to be at a higher RPM too. You can't go wide open between 4-6k rpm's and expect the front wheel to be at 12'o'clock.. it probably won't start coming up until 9-10k, but I'm not sure about that. You're a scrawny little fucker aren't you? lol

 

[FightingFalcon]

Originally posted by ZeRo_C0oL



It's not just going wide open throttle, but it's got to be at a higher RPM too. You can't go wide open between 4-6k rpm's and expect the front wheel to be at 12'o'clock.. it probably won't start coming up until 9-10k, but I'm not sure about that. You're a scrawny little fucker aren't you? lol

Bah...maybe I'll just get a liter bike so that I can do power wheelies a lot easier...

Hey now....just because I only have like 4% body fat left, that doesn't mean I'm scrawny

 

[hokie636]

My first attempt was on my new 6R in 2000. I was leaving Hooters and a drunk guy said he'd give me $20 if I rode a wheel out of there. I'd never tried a wheelie on purpose, but figured what the hell. I took his money, got out on the road and clutched it up in 1st. It came way up and I rode it for maybe 50 feet (no stand up, I stayed on the seat). I didn't freak out, and set it back down smooth. Not bad for a first try, but wheelies aren't my thing especially on my new 636. I'd hate to wad it up so I don't even try.

 

[GT636]

That was a really great story