Wheelie crashes - who has/hasn't?

**skelstar** · 1st March 2007, 11:37

Accidentally wheelied once (in 2nd gear maybe?), apparently it was pretty good but didn't know I was doing it until the front started drifting sideways and I dropped it down more in confusion than anything else.

I think I'd like to do wheelies. I think my bike wold be pretty easy to wheelie, but would be worried about dropping it and excessive tyre wear.

**Motu** · 1st March 2007, 11:47

I'm not a wheel standing type on the road....if the front comes up in my normal course of riding I handle it,but I don't do it on purpose.I guess I must of crashed at some stage farting around,but not a wheelie as you must be thinking.

Off road of course having the front wheel in the air is par for the course,and I've lost plenty of bikes that got seriously out of shape on me.With a trials bike lofting the front wheel at will is part of the technique for clearing obsticals and turning....but having a bike that is made to get the front wheel up so easy also means there are plenty of times you have to fight to keep it down.The most violent dumping I gave a bike was when we were practicing in Waikumete Cemetry,I was on my TY175 with a brand new set of Renthal bars,having bent the last ones at a trial the week before.We were trying to get up a very steep hill and I looped the TY,I just stepped off the back and to the side.The bike looped and came down directly on the bars upside down - it didn't even fall over! Just like an upsidedown pushbike.It bent the Renthal bars,and it takes a serious hit to do that.

**Smorg** · 1st March 2007, 12:07

Ive put the front up a couple of times on the old CBR with mates watching, felt like I was at least a metre and a half off the ground but when I ask them......"na man like 10cm" it was a piece of shit for wheelies though. Dont wanna try on the gix until ive got sliders and insurance.

**Chaosmage** · 1st March 2007, 12:53

Originally Posted by riffer

I've wheelied the RF900 about a dozen times but I chicken out before the balance point every time.

Riffer I had heard the RF would pull up in first under power at about 9000rev's. I tried this but even with a few variations on it, nothing. However talking with someone last night it might be because of soft rear suspension.

What do you think or did you use the clutch to bring the RF up?

**V4ME** · 1st March 2007, 13:10

My Road experience - started off as an unintentional wheelie dicing a mate on my SV650 - Loved the feeling so have been doing it more often.
Used to do it a lot on offroad bikes - easy of course - mind you I binned it on an unintentional front wheelie (came down from a regular wheelie straight onto a hidden rock in the grass to perform a front wheelie and over the handlebars - not so pretty)

**N4CR** · 1st March 2007, 13:24

crashed a million times on the pushie, and gone over the front stoppying it a million times hence why when i crash i never hit my head... motorbikes wise i have looped something can't remember what mighta been drunk? lol mighta been a minibike.
almost looped nickstas fxr150 once (whoops) and texmos old scooter almost. the zx10 almost looped heaps clutching it too hard, gone backwards a few times on that thing at 150+ but managed to save it, usually 2nd clutching it up i stuff up.

can now hold em for a while but i want to get better and use rear brake etc to keep em indefinately.

**Buster** · 1st March 2007, 13:53

Its a great feeling when it goes right. Ive never crashed (touch wood), but have had the front come down pretty hard a few times. The SV does nice off throttle ones in first but it needs a prod in second. You know it was a good one when the front wheel chirps and lets out a nice puff of smoke on touchdown.

**riffer** · 1st March 2007, 15:05

Originally Posted by Chaosmage

Riffer I had heard the RF would pull up in first under power at about 9000rev's. I tried this but even with a few variations on it, nothing. However talking with someone last night it might be because of soft rear suspension.

What do you think or did you use the clutch to bring the RF up?

Mine will pull up the front (just) under hard acceleration in 1st. Especially if you sit back a bit and wind the throttle back as fast as you can. My rear shock (and front as well) are stiff as hell.

The easiest way to get the front up on an RF is to get to 7 grand, close the throttle, then give it WOT just as the front is nearly down as far as it will go. It comes up quickly then.

But as others have said, a foot high in the air feels bloody high if you're not used to it. I've never had the RF sit happily at the balance point. It feels just too damn heavy for me when its up in the air, and I'm scare it will smash the fork seals out when it lands.

But then, I'm crap at wheelies.

**roogazza** · 1st March 2007, 15:07

I always start my weekend rides with a wheelie, usually the third corner from home. Strangely , the first ones are usually the best ones ( before the fear sets in !) Gaz.

**2much** · 1st March 2007, 16:48

what kinda muppet would bin while doing a wheelie?

**BarBender** · 1st March 2007, 17:03

Originally Posted by 2much

what kinda muppet would bin while doing a wheelie?

Have got my old 12 up under power a few times. Dont know if Id call them wheelies though.

The one time I clutched it up was at about 110k and kept it up at balance point for 3 or so secs before dropping the front down at about 150.

Did I shit my pants?...........Yah!
Did I know what I did?........Nah!
Would I do it again?...........Fark Nah!!

Hats off to those of us who play with the power.

**desmo dave** · 1st March 2007, 17:10

just hooked 4th gear on an xr200a on the back wheel going up a motor way over bridge and over it came .i'm left skating down the road and the bike goes into a fence. bent forks that i made unbent with the aid of a block of wood and the back of an axe. damage my knee that still gives me shit 25 years later. my wheelies were never the same after that. i can do them just on the throtle on my duke but i wouldnt say that its 100% under control. but bloody good fun though.

**cowboyz** · 1st March 2007, 17:40

I power wheelie which is the pussy way to do it. Havent binned doing it and it is realitively easy compared to clutching. Bit scared of the clutch on the 9. Little bit aggressive.