How many wheeliers here?

[bennyboysvuk]

I was thinking, when I go out on the bike I think I wheelie on every journey I do. I consider it a natural part of riding, whether it's just the front nipping up over a crest or at the start of a dual carriageway where it's more erm, permanent. ;)

Anyone else find the same thing?

[stig]

Depends on what I'm riding. If it's the DRZ, then errr... yes, lots if it's the R1 then errr.. yes, but not as much (mainly as you end up well north of the speed limit VERY quickly).

[Mad Dave]

Nope I've tried but I can't do them. The only time I wheelie is when doing silly race starts off the lights with a mate!

[Andymx5]

Mad Dave... Next time I'm going through Salisbury we will swap bikes and I will show you what to do! I know yours is the lardy slow version of my bike, but the extra torque should help!!

By the way, yes, I try to wheelie each time I'm out. I'm still not very good. The wheel comes up to about headlight height and I'm lucky to hold it for 2 seconds (Bout the time to go from 30 - 70 and need to change gear)

[veetwin]

Yes Ben, I think after the Dawn Raids a year or so ago seeing you and Nutcase unicycling for most of the journey inspired me to master the artform. Apparently the CBR1000rr is a bitch to mono-wheel. I had evidence to the contrary. 2nd-3rd gear hangers are now available at any dual carriageway (private of course). Landing at over the ton is the real scary bit. 15t sprocket will be going on before the weekend. We will see what happens then.

I suppose its a bit like getting your knee down. If it doesn't happen at least once on a hoon then it can leave you somewhat deflated.

Stoppies, now that is something I haven't tried. I fear loosing the front!!

[Andymx5]

veetwin said:

Yes Ben, I think after the Dawn Raids a year or so ago seeing you and Nutcase unicycling for most of the journey inspired me to master the artform. Apparently the CBR1000rr is a bitch to mono-wheel. I had evidence to the contrary. 2nd-3rd gear hangers are now available at any dual carriageway (private of course). Landing at over the ton is the real scary bit. 15t sprocket will be going on before the weekend. We will see what happens then. I suppose its a bit like getting your knee down. If it doesn't happen at least once on a hoon then it can leave you somewhat deflated. Stoppies, now that is something I haven't tried. I fear loosing the front!!

Stoppies are easy... just be very willing to release the brake if it doesn't 'feel' right.

[veetwin]

We saw Craig Jones at Track Attack last week at Donington (Birthday Trackday). Now, he could do stoppies!! World record 266m! Two and a half football pitches long. Pretty good at wheelieing as well.

[bennyboysvuk]

I'll stoppie if it feels right, but you have to check for following traffic if you're going to do a proper one from around 50-ish.

If learning stoppies, look out for shellgrip, you'll never slide the front on that.

[chilli]

I've only recently worked out how to go round a sodding corner!

[Mad Dave]

Andymx5 said:

Mad Dave... Next time I'm going through Salisbury we will swap bikes and I will show you what to do! I know yours is the lardy slow version of my bike, but the extra torque should help!! By the way, yes, I try to wheelie each time I'm out. I'm still not very good. The wheel comes up to about headlight height and I'm lucky to hold it for 2 seconds (Bout the time to go from 30 - 70 and need to change gear)

LMAO@'lardy slow version'! A friend has an S plate ZX6R and mine is definately faster than his. Not by huge amounts but I definately noticed the lack of midrange grunt when I rode his. We should meet up for a blat though next time you're in the area.

[Andymx5]

Mad Dave said:

LMAO@'lardy slow version'! A friend has an S plate ZX6R and mine is definately faster than his. Not by huge amounts but I definately noticed the lack of midrange grunt when I rode his. We should meet up for a blat though next time you're in the area.

Yeah, but then you'd be able to tell people on here the horrible truth that I never go above 45 mph, can't wheelie or do stoppies or scrape my pegs and I haven't worked out what to do with the flappy gear thingy is on the left hand side, yet.

[and]

I either find myself compulsively wheelying from every traffic light or barely lifting a wheel depending on my mood. Unexpected bonus of a recent supermoto event I attended was how easy those things lift in almost any gear!

[Mad Dave]

Andymx5 said:

Mad Dave said: LMAO@'lardy slow version'! A friend has an S plate ZX6R and mine is definately faster than his. Not by huge amounts but I definately noticed the lack of midrange grunt when I rode his. We should meet up for a blat though next time you're in the area. Yeah, but then you'd be able to tell people on here the horrible truth that I never go above 45 mph, can't wheelie or do stoppies or scrape my pegs and I haven't worked out what to do with the flappy gear thingy is on the left hand side, yet.

Well I can't wheelie, scrape pegs or do endos either, though I do tend to ride rather fast. As for the flappy gear thing - do you mean the clutch or the gearlever? Because the former isn't needed when going up the 'box anyway

[m1spw]

How do you wheelie?

Ok, I admit I probably don't have any chance on a 30mph Gilera DNA, but I wanna try it anyway

[Caduceus]

Anyone here done wheelie school yet? I'm seriously thinking of doing it.
I can only power wheelie in first, which gets a bit boring after a while. So I want to learn how to do it properly, off the clutch.
Maybe this might be a good excuse for a few of us to do it in a group and get a discount.
Any takers?

[Andymx5]

Caduceus said:

Anyone here done wheelie school yet? I'm seriously thinking of doing it. I can only power wheelie in first, which gets a bit boring after a while. So I want to learn how to do it properly, off the clutch. Maybe this might be a good excuse for a few of us to do it in a group and get a discount. Any takers?

I can wheelie off the clutch, but only in 1st... would be tempted to do a wheelie school.... depends, how much are they normally anyway?

[DennisTheMenace]

Mad Dave said:

Nope I've tried but I can't do them. The only time I wheelie is when doing silly race starts off the lights with a mate!

Bollocks , yes you have Dave , But can i have my trolley jack back now

[bennyboysvuk]

If you've got a sportsbike and can wheelie in first then it's time to change into second whilst the front's in the air.

Once the front is up, do a positive clutchless change to second. If the front is high enough, anything 600 sized or over will then easily pull the bike up to the balance point...when it gets to this point things go all floaty and you can just open the throttle a touch or back off a bit to keep everything dreamy.

[stig]

bennyboysvuk said:

If you've got a sportsbike and can wheelie in first then it's time to change into second whilst the front's in the air. Once the front is up, do a positive clutchless change to second. If the front is high enough, anything 600 sized or over will then easily pull the bike up to the balance point...when it gets to this point things go all floaty and you can just open the throttle a touch or back off a bit to keep everything dreamy.

Yup, things go all floaty, then before you've had a chance to dab the rear brake it's WHOA SHIIIII.... and you watch your pride and joy scrape its a$$ off down the road

[veetwin]

What sort of damage can one expect from wheelieing? I had an issue last night where my future children met abruptly with my tank pad due to selecting neutral instead of second with the front wheel pointing towards the clouds. This put considerable strain on the front end as it landed with me on the petrol tank. Doh! Now, I can probably guess that Headstock bearings, Wheel bearings, Tyres, Rims, Fork springs/seals all take a hit when landing wheelies but what amount of abuse will they take?