How do I wheelie?
Discussion
bogie said:
bennyboysvuk said:
I feel that we've done the 'how to do a wheelie' ad infinitum. Can we move onto more advanced stuff like stand-up wheelies and how to steer a decent wheelie?
what about braking ? everyone knows the rear brake does not do anything and is not worth using on any bike in any conditions. Should you use the front brake to slow down when performing a wheelie? 
bennyboysvuk said:
bogie said:
bennyboysvuk said:
I feel that we've done the 'how to do a wheelie' ad infinitum. Can we move onto more advanced stuff like stand-up wheelies and how to steer a decent wheelie?
what about braking ? everyone knows the rear brake does not do anything and is not worth using on any bike in any conditions. Should you use the front brake to slow down when performing a wheelie? 
hen I do a wheelie its usually in 2nd or 3rd gear, I accelerate sharply and ping the clutch while pulling on the bars, usually its straight onto the balance point where I will gently add or not add power.
I like to do them as I am heading towards a slip road so I can indicate and pull off while still wheelying.
I sometime "peep" the horn to.
I like to do them as I am heading towards a slip road so I can indicate and pull off while still wheelying.
I sometime "peep" the horn to.
[quote=3DP]
A well executed wheelie, especially a non clutched one. ie. powered/tugged combo'ed up and landed under throttle does zero damage and causes no more wear and tear than normal 'fast' riding.
The issues that cause damage are the following.
1. Learning to wheelie, you do not perform well executed ones, so in the interests of mechanical sympathy I always recommend people start with crests and just keep the power on, or buy a bike designed to take that abuse - namely an enduro bike.
2. Although I will occasionally clutch them up, when I have done lots of clutched up ones in the past, I've tended to stretch the chain a bit. I've also burned out a clutch on a 250 doing this. Obviously the more powerful/torquey/short geared the bike, the less clutch abuse is needed to pop it up, but on lower powered bikes and heavy bikes, it's your only option and I agree it causes extra wear.
3. Missed gears - my own personal issue, is once you can go through the box on the rear wheel, the nature of what you are doing means that false neutrals are more likely. When you pop it a bit higher to change from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th, then get a false neutral, it drops like a stone. Bikes will take it, but I'm always angry with myself when I grab a false neutral and have a hard landing. Having a well tensioned chain helps avoid this.
There's no real right or wrong way, just what works for you. I will only say that the key is to relax. If you stiffen up, anticipate the wheelie, or fight it, you won't be smooth and it'll be a crap wheelie.
Another tip, is learn in 2nd gear, not first. 1st gear has too much torque effect when touching the throttle whilst up, so when learning, the wheelie is jerky and hard to hold. The longer the gear, the more 'smooth' the wheelie as the effect of your throttle movements is less severe giving finer control. You'll see experienced guys try to get into 3rd or 4th relatively early on the rear wheel, but the bike has to be high to sustain the wheelie in higher gears.
Regarding road vs wheelie school - I'd say if you are a DAS rider, or just passed your test and bought a shiny expensive bike, you don't necessarily want to go through what people learning on £500 bikes did when they were spotty 17yos. Wheelie school is a good option to abuse someone elses bike with your fists of ham, in a legal and safe environment. I've seen how they teach and although not a massive fan of their technique I understand why they teach in this way (mechanical sympathy, keeping speeds down etc). The main thing is that it will get you comfortable with the bike being 'up'. Once that confidence is there, it's like refining any other aspect of riding, just a slightly more tricky area.
Good description!but you forgot one thing
You Will flip the bike
A well executed wheelie, especially a non clutched one. ie. powered/tugged combo'ed up and landed under throttle does zero damage and causes no more wear and tear than normal 'fast' riding.
The issues that cause damage are the following.
1. Learning to wheelie, you do not perform well executed ones, so in the interests of mechanical sympathy I always recommend people start with crests and just keep the power on, or buy a bike designed to take that abuse - namely an enduro bike.
2. Although I will occasionally clutch them up, when I have done lots of clutched up ones in the past, I've tended to stretch the chain a bit. I've also burned out a clutch on a 250 doing this. Obviously the more powerful/torquey/short geared the bike, the less clutch abuse is needed to pop it up, but on lower powered bikes and heavy bikes, it's your only option and I agree it causes extra wear.
3. Missed gears - my own personal issue, is once you can go through the box on the rear wheel, the nature of what you are doing means that false neutrals are more likely. When you pop it a bit higher to change from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th, then get a false neutral, it drops like a stone. Bikes will take it, but I'm always angry with myself when I grab a false neutral and have a hard landing. Having a well tensioned chain helps avoid this.
There's no real right or wrong way, just what works for you. I will only say that the key is to relax. If you stiffen up, anticipate the wheelie, or fight it, you won't be smooth and it'll be a crap wheelie.
Another tip, is learn in 2nd gear, not first. 1st gear has too much torque effect when touching the throttle whilst up, so when learning, the wheelie is jerky and hard to hold. The longer the gear, the more 'smooth' the wheelie as the effect of your throttle movements is less severe giving finer control. You'll see experienced guys try to get into 3rd or 4th relatively early on the rear wheel, but the bike has to be high to sustain the wheelie in higher gears.
Regarding road vs wheelie school - I'd say if you are a DAS rider, or just passed your test and bought a shiny expensive bike, you don't necessarily want to go through what people learning on £500 bikes did when they were spotty 17yos. Wheelie school is a good option to abuse someone elses bike with your fists of ham, in a legal and safe environment. I've seen how they teach and although not a massive fan of their technique I understand why they teach in this way (mechanical sympathy, keeping speeds down etc). The main thing is that it will get you comfortable with the bike being 'up'. Once that confidence is there, it's like refining any other aspect of riding, just a slightly more tricky area.
Good description!but you forgot one thing
You Will flip the bike
If you wheelie in 1st gear.
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
If you wheelie in 1st gear.
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
If you wheelie in 1st gear.
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
Blacklemming said:
If you wheelie in 1st gear.
You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
You've never actually done one, have you? You rev it up until the powerband begins then close the throttle ,(when you close the throttle the bike shifts weight to the front preloading the fork)
Then open the throttle 3/4 and away you go .
The first time you Will think you almost flip the bike but the front wheel Will be 40 cm from the ground
When you do it this way the front wheel wil lift slow but !! At 3/4 of power in 1st gear.
It's good to get a feeling but the better way is using clutch.
2nd gear
Rev it up until the powerband begins then (verry fast) use the clutch,when relasing the clutch give1/2 throttle.
Beware:the front wheel will lift up verry quick,so don't flip the bike.
When owning a hayabusa
Use clutch in 1st gear;the backtire will start spinning and when it spins the front Will lift,those where the most brutal wheelies i ever did.
Then keep on shifting.
I loved to see sheakey do it on fast bikes
ks off on the back wheel. Thankfully it was off road and it didn't damage my mates bike. 
308mate said:
You've never actually done one, have you?
probably not, on a happier note I have worked out how to wheelie the SV properly today, pulled a 2-3 minger' all the way up the slip road this afternoon, going to have to buy a faster bike now as its not got enough grunt to keep the wheel up at 100mph......'wheelie speak, for all you lot who can't, or are too scared.
Jazoli said:
308mate said:
You've never actually done one, have you?
probably not, on a happier note I have worked out how to wheelie the SV properly today, pulled a 2-3 minger' all the way up the slip road this afternoon, going to have to buy a faster bike now as its not got enough grunt to keep the wheel up at 100mph......'wheelie speak, for all you lot who can't, or are too scared.
3DP said:
Nice one! Your bike has enough grunt, you just need to get it a bit higher - get 'under' it.
A bit higher Will give it a go
although I was on the balance point and it was all nice and smooth, my 'blade was good up to around 120mph then ran out of puff, the SV only has about 115bhp so I'm not expecting miracles (I'm also no BN!)Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff