For the last two years I have put all of my time in learning how to fly through curves. I have got that down now. I'm a knee dragging FeWl. I want to put my effort into riding wheelies now. Not to show off but for my next step in total bike control. I can now pic it up to pivot point in second with out using the clutch but I can only hold it up for about 20 to 30 yards then it comes down. How do you keep it up ????? I have tryed and tryed and failed. If anyone lives around me would you help me ??? Post pointers fellaz !!!!!!

 

about 20 to 30 yards then it comes down.

You are not bringing the front end up high enough. There is a "balance point" where you no longer have to accelerate but the bike will stay vertical. The best way to get yourself to the balance point is to take someone out with you and videotape/snap pics of yourself.

Only then will you realize that your monster wheelies are only a foot off the ground. What king of bike is it? some bikes like the hondas have a very high balance point 11 o'clock or so.

Are you doing your wheelies standing or sitting? Most bikes will not power wheelie to the balance point in any gear but first. You really should learn how to slip the clutch as you dont have to get the bike so high in the revs.

I would assume you are running out of tach before you hit the balance point.

Check out stuntlife.com. A message board for stunters.....

Also here are a few good how tos here:
http://www.teamx-treem.net/htm/home.htm (click on the how to wheelie section)
and here:
http://www.garyrothwell.com/Gary_s_L.../wheelies.html

Most of the people in here arent into stunting so i dont think you will get much help in here.

All i can say is wear your gear and do this at your own risk.

 

Get going about 10, rev your 954 to 9K in first and dump the clutch. No really I have no clue. I have never wheelied on purpose.

Stuntlife.com is a good resource, as well as SBN, and cycleforums.com

 

Height and throttle control are key. If you keep going to the rev limiter you're not high enough. Finding the "balance point" is only the first step in riding them far. You really have to be past that point if you want to keep em up for miles without gradually gaining speed. Standups will feel more safe when learning but sitdowns are easier on your arms, but that doesn't matter til you start getting over 1 mile long wheelies or so...I learned standing up in 1st gear to get used to it. Progressed to 2nd gear and learned to ride em for miles in 2nd. Eventually you'll learn to shift while in the wheelie and stuff like that What I do nowadays usually is clutch it up in 2nd and just ride em til I wanna stop, shift to 3rd if necessary, etc, etc HTH.

Oh yea, as previously suggested, go over to Greg's site stuntlife.com for more help. I used to be the mod of Stunterz Corner on SBN and most everyone from there is on stuntlife...

Justin


[Modified by justinCO, 5:04 PM 10/30/2002]


[Modified by justinCO, 5:04 PM 10/30/2002]

 

Are you pulling up and chopping on the throttle? At what rpms are you doing it? Roll on throttle wheelies can be done on that 954 either standing or sitting. I would stand up and bounce on the foot pegs while chopping on the throttle at about 7-8000rpm. The front end should come up pretty easy, but just be careful using the bounce technique as I almost looped my F4 a few times doing this cuz it came up too high too fast. You can also check some clips on socalelite.com Alot of my buddies use the bounce technique and you can actual see and hear how they do it..

 

I use the bounce on the peg thing. I am getting it to pivot point every one is saying that I'm getting high enough I just can't hold it. I don't need to use the clutch I can get it up no prob in 2nd without the clutch. Today I rode one for maybe 50 yards or so. Once I get it up I just can't figure out where to stick the throttle. I have race tires on my bike also. My friends I ride with say the shape of these tires make it alot harder to hold steady on the back wheel. No fellaz not the ones you buy at the store they are race take offs. <<<--The real deal. lol

 

What is making the front wheel come down? Are you hitting the rev limiter or gaining speed too quickly? Are you bobbing the front wheel up and down cause your throttle control isn't smooth enough? If you really are balancing the wheelie, keeping your throttle control smooth and adjustments small, you won't come down and you won't gain speed. I can slow my wheelie's down from 80mph down to 65mph if I want to. It's all about the height and balance...there is no spot to "stick" the throttle, you will always have to be adjusting it. I know so many ppl that say the hit the "balance point" but all they do is wind out the gear until they hit the limiter. Just keep practicing and work on throttle control and height. Also, about the clutch, it's not a matter of whether you "need" to use it or not. I can pull my 929 up in 3rd at 5500ft altitude but I don't. I use the clutch because it gets the front wheel where it needs to be (up high) a lot quicker than bouncing it up. The result is that you are up in the wheelie at a lower rpm than if you would have bounced it and used a few k rpms to get the front wheel up. Lower rpm in the wheelie means an easier to control bike. As far as tires go it won't make that big of a difference. I actually like wheelie'ing on my track tires cause the center section of the tire is narrower. Makes it a lot easier to steer the bike in a wheelie. Just keep practicing and don't try to learn it all in a day, you will screw up and hurt yourself that way.

Justin

 

Everyone does know that when you wheelie that high up you are starving your oil pump right? I don't mind doing it I just don't do it for very long. I still have a problem getting to that balance spot. Always feels like I'm going to go back to far. Dirt bike is easy because if I dump it damage is minor. Street bike is another story. Iam afraid my bike will look like yours did Justin .


[Modified by nsxxtreme, 4:48 PM 10/31/2002]

 

The oil pump issue is not that big of a deal. The older 900rr's were a little prone to that problem because of where their pump was at. Most newer bikes will not suffer from oil starvation. I've done many many many multi mile wheelies with no problems. And there are plenty of ppl doing them longer than me...

Justin

 

Bottom line I need to learn throttle control with the front wheel in my face. he he he !!! I just get angry b/c I have no patience. In time if I keep good practice in mind I'll figure it out one day. "F" IT !!!!

 

Just to cement the point, throttle control is constantly changing to hold the bike up. Small, smooth very minute changes. At first you may find yourself cranking and cutting the throttle trying to balance it. I did this and others have said so as well. Race takeoffs shouldn't affect your ability to get the bike up. And what kind of take offs can you buy from a store? I wasn't aware of any "fake" race take offs. Also make sure you're heating those up well before trying to get serious grip as they like it somewhere around 30F hotter and up than "sport" street tires. Especially the pilots if that's what you have

 

Rick Fowler of Sport Bike Hype rode one for 41.5 miles and it is on tape. That is the longest one I have seen or heard about.

 

You have to be licensed to purchase my tires. They do make it harder to hold a wheelie steady b/c they are more of a triangular shape than street tires wich makes the bike go into and exit corners faster. Yes I know they need a good temp. Dunlop D208 GP. They are the B series not the A wich has less tread on the sides. No they are not the D208's that you can buy at the bike shop or magazines. I got this set from Road Atlanta. I wonder who rode a few lapes on them ????

 

41.5 miles? Cripes that is a long wheelie, lol

If you're that worried about your tires go get some street Dunlops. They are nice and flat. The only thing a race tire is going to do in your wheelie is make the side to side movement easier. You know what you need to practice though, throttle control and patience

Just a few laps at RA? Was it your first track day or something? hehe. I would have ridden there all day!

Justin

 

you're talking about track tires. R compound and much quicker turn in as well as larger contact patch when leaned. No need for the fookin sarcasm. Not sure exactly but if I'm not mistaken the gps don't have tread all the way to the side to begin with. Also not sure why those would make it more difficult for you to wheelie, the quicker turn in makes it much easier to steer the wheelie since you only have the wide *** rear to control attitude. I'm assuming you have a 180 rear. Unless you're really having a problem holding it steady, try not to think about it being harder. That may **** you up as well. Also make sure your throttle grip is very quick and smooth. I had trouble on a bike w/ a sticky throttle. Had to kind of push the throttle off instead of letting it close by itself. Very subtle difference but definetely made it harder for me. Just trying to be constructive

 

Yea good point. Don't think about the little stuff like tires, contact patches, and all that crap. Any (sport) bike will wheelie in almost any configuration. I used to think my old track GSXR 750 wouldn't wheelie good cause I had race clip-ons and rearsets. I thought it would mess up the angle at which the bike would balance and stupid **** like that. You just need to get better and you get better with practice and small steps. Remember, throttle control and height are #1

Justin

 

In the wheelie concept fuel injection is kinda suck azz ! With fuel injection on these bikes throttle responce is always different. For example : You yank on the throttle at 5 grand in second and the bike lurches forward then you do the same thing again and it almost roles back on your azz !! I don't get it. I could ride a wheelie pretty darn far on my YZF 600R I had but I'm having problems on this 954. One day I'll post that I did a mile long stand up wheelie I just need to practice.

 

You're thinking too hard about all this again My bike is fuel injected too, it's not that big of a deal, if any at all. My last carbuerated bike was hardly any different in the way the throttle response was. Just concentrate on making tiny throttle adjustments and not yanking it back and forth when compensating for wheel height changes...

Justin

 

Maybe if I smoke some " rOcK " it will aid the attempt !!!! I'll just keep going through tank after tank of gas until one day it clicks in my brain and I hold one up for a while. LOL !!!!!