Wheelies -how?

Author
Discussion

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

273 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
OK as an experienced biker of 9 months , I'd like to know the basics or how to do a safe and controllable wheelie, without making an absolute pratt out of myself.

Stig

11,823 posts

299 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Right:

1) Get hold of a cheap bike (or better, someone else's) as you are bound to bin it

2) Techniques are as follows

a) Get up to about 10-15mph (speed dependent on available power) close throttle suddenly, then open wide. As front wheel lifts (and this happens pretty quickly ) roll of throttle to achieve balance point

b) Not enough power for a)? Then you'll have to 'clutch it up'. Get to same speed, pull in and release clutch whilst opening throttle. Wheel comes up, roll of and continue.

3) Once you've perfected this (and got out of A & E), you can work on going up through the gears which is a must if you want to go any distance. You use clutchless upshifts (duh) and need to balance them against your throttle input.

There you go. Simple 'innit

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

276 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Buy a trials bike

I'm trying to learn too, afraid of binning my PAJ though

Mad Dave

7,158 posts

278 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Ive got an old trailie thats worth bugger all - and ive been practising wheelies on it Tis very easy on a trailie due to the high-up stance and wide bars.

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

273 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Thanks all.

Must say I don't want to bin the bike so may try little ones first!

victormeldrew

8,293 posts

292 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Mmm, brute force and ignorance!

Ok, most biked today have a surfeit of power and are borderline anorexic, so power wheelies (on throttle or clutch) are easy enough. Fair do's.

It is possible to wheelie pretty well anything. It used to be a lot harder to wheelie say a Yam RD250, but it was possible. Brake to compress the forks, then shift body weight back while opening the throttle and even the most underpowered fat pig of a bike should lift the front. Its just a matter of timing and balance.

Best not to try too hard on a GSXR750 though! If it lifts with no effort on the throttle then stick with that!

Tim2100

6,287 posts

272 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
I've wheelied my new GSXR600

Was not good!!

Came flying past a few cars braked hard for the camera, pulled clutch in dropped down a few gears came past camera, opened throttle, dropped clutch - aaaargghhhh!!!!(didn't realise I dropped into 1st!), off throttle, Bang(Back to earth), opened throttle, aaaaaarrrggghhhh!!!, off throttle, Bang(Back to earth). 2nd gear & open throttle so I didn't see the car drivers laughing at me!!!!

Think I need to perfect the technique

stooz

3,005 posts

299 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
wheelies are stupid and observers think your just a git
(until I can bloody well do one anyway.. )

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

276 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
stooz said:
wheelies are stupid and observers think your just a git
(until I can bloody well do one anyway.. )
Fancy a go at wheelie school then ??

trackdemon

12,830 posts

276 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
So tell me biker dude's whats the holy grail for you bikers - knee down, or holding a wheelie?

Seems like the equivalent to powersliding a car - stupid and dangerous but bl00dy good fun and seriously addictive

barry sheene

1,524 posts

298 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
trackdemon said:
So tell me biker dude's whats the holy grail for you bikers - knee down, or holding a wheelie?



Neither. On the road, there's no place for either of these. Unless your a poseur of course


I ride bikes to enjoy them , not to show off to others.


>> Edited by barry sheene on Friday 30th April 14:58

stooz

3,005 posts

299 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
by sheenys definition - I am a knee down poser!

stooz

3,005 posts

299 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Incorrigible said:

stooz said:
wheelies are stupid and observers think your just a git
(until I can bloody well do one anyway.. )

Fancy a go at wheelie school then ??


stuntwheelieschool.com? oh go on then.. if you do so will I..

Davel

Original Poster:

8,982 posts

273 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
Talking about knee downs - how do you do em then?

Are they easier than wheelies?

tycho

11,969 posts

288 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
trackdemon said:
So tell me biker dude's whats the holy grail for you bikers - knee down, or holding a wheelie?

Seems like the equivalent to powersliding a car - stupid and dangerous but bl00dy good fun and seriously addictive


Kneedown is relatively easy, but holding a 12 o'clock minger going through the gears is a whole lot harder. Mind you, on the new ZX10-R apparently you can wheely in 3rd at over a ton

tycho

11,969 posts

288 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
[redacted]

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

276 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
stooz said:
stuntwheelieschool.com? oh go on then.. if you do so will I..
thewheelieschool.com seems to be £25 quid cheaper

Hertfordshire, better or worse for you ?

Pigeon

18,535 posts

261 months

Friday 30th April 2004
quotequote all
I've wheelied a... Yamaha V80 scooter with a Honda 90 engine in it

It had a habit of conking out at low revs, so it was necessary to stick it in neutral at junctions and keep the revs up on the throttle, then stamp it into first to pull away... wheelied every time