faking a wheelie..

[bugjuice]

was going over in me nuggin what it's like when I try to do a wheelie, and 2 things come to mind - first up is how much gas to give it. It's not really something anyone can tell you specifically, it's something that you have to learn yourself.. Anyone can give it a fist full, you gotta make it work. So that bit, I'm working on.

The one thing that I really really wouldn't mind knowing, is how high up is the front wheel really? That's something that isn't to do with the physics of the engine, weight and distribution, that's just gravity. Well ya can fake that.

How hard could it be (and does anyone have any ideas) to hoist the front of the bike up, and sit on it? Find out how it feels to have the front wheel high up, so that while rolling, I know that when it's 'this high', I know for sure, it's not at the balance point.. I know it's not totally acurate, cos there's varibles like throttle, wind, road conditions etc, but you take that into account at the time. One thing that won't change, is the angle of a half decent wheelie..
At the moment, I feel like it's getting up there, but seeing some pics and vid footage of what I can, I don't think it's half of what I'm really achieving at the moment.

just a thought of how to improve riding techniques.

Also thought the same about cornering too. To lean the bike one side or the other, and again, lean off it. This is harder tho, cos gravity helps your butt to stay on the bike, but again, it's about feeling how far things go before they go..

ideas, thought, suggestion etc etc..?

[NC]

Kinda like faking a.......

[saiko]

Kinda like faking a.......

Please let on how it's done oh guru one...

[NC]

Please let on how it's done oh guru one...

Never needed to

[Riff Raff]

Why don't you get someone with a digital camera to film you doing wheelies, and you can play it back after each one so you can see how high it was while the feeling is fresh in your memory?

[saiko]

Never needed to

Virgin! Catholic girl?

[NC]

Virgin! Catholic girl?

Yeah both... Oh my secret shame

[StoneChucker]

back to the question...

I have exactly the same "problem" as you. When I get the front wheel up, I scare myself shitless and it feels like "fwoaaaar, any further and I would have flipped!". But, in reality, it's only like a quarter, or even a fifth of where I assume the balance point is (from pics I have seen of me doing monos).

Regarding the cornering, my question is howcome the pics of me cornering look like I could lean double the angle over, but I have almost no "chicken strip" left (literally 2mm). Any further, and the tire would be too far over right?

Obviously one thing to consider is the people taking pics aren't there just for you (at this past track day for example), so they don't catch you at your highest wheelie point, or greatest lean angle. So, might pay get someone to take pics of you where you know you'll lean the furthest over and be the highest up (on one wheel) before you try to go further based on pics from random people.

Either way, I'm keen to "master" a sustained wheelie. Since powering them up is proving erratic, I might trying clutching them up as suggested by the wise Swanman until I get the feel for the angle, and go back to powered ones.

PS: NC30, neither have I

[Quasievil]

Well Kit you had it up yesterday, not far to be honest with you but about a foot on average, I saw a pic of one decent height one tho.

I though (just an observation cause I suck at wheelies) that yesterday your revs and speed were to high.

I got mine up tonight on the way home (cause Im secretly practicing) and I find the best way (for me) is to get up to about 7ooo rpms in first throttel right off then punch the gas on with a pull on the bars. with this i get about a foot high.

Im figuring out (like you are) the hows and dos and donts .

just thought I would share my thoughts with you, you know one 636 rider to another ( we got to stick together)

Later

[NC]

Hahaha Dave!!!

[Two Smoker]

When doing wheelies, it feels like you are almost vertical, when your close to or on the balance point... before you reach it, you may feel like the front wheel is REALY high, but it is only 0.75-1.0metre high... But yeah, just go out with someone else, get a camera, and see how high your getting it...

[MOTOXXX]

i think the main thing is not to rush trying to learn them. Take your time and practice bringing it up smooth and down smooth.

sparky bills hasnt been doing wheelies for long but thats the way he learnt and is getting better all the time.

sometimes it helps dropin a tooth off the front which is what im going to do

[Wenier]

Yea i am the same. Some seem really high and others ya no arent but im sure it can be much higher. I find that clutching it in 2nd and taking off from there is the easiest way. Jus have to time it right otherwise it dont come up much at all.

[XTC]

Keep your foot over that rear brake...then no problems.

[Sensei]

Wheelie are something that takes time . Best practiced on dirt bikes to start with as they cost shit loads cheaper to fix when you Flip them & have a better balace point . Road bike take great skill to get them right & because of their weight can hamper balance point . Hp bike as 1000cc just need to be opened up in 1st or 2nd gear & use power to get into the BP {Balance point }
Smaller bikes may need alittle clutch action with some rev's as well to do this . Cover back brake all ways when learning it could save you from going 12oclock .As above try out a dirt bike for finding the balance point feel .Once you know what it is then you can judge how high you are going from there .

SENSEI