Wheelie tips?

[Beemer]

Nah, I'm not offended and you should wear a Santa hat, ha!. You didn't say anything about safety gear to me so I wasn't directing that at you. I should've worded that better so that's my fault you responded to that part. I don't agree that skill can't keep you out of trouble, though. The last time I checked, riders over a certain age had way less accidents than the youngest age group. I'm sure skill is involved in that equation and I'm sure many retired racers would agree with that. Have a great day!

Lack of riding skill is not the problem. The lack of awareness of ones skill is. People can have very high level riding skill and still go over their own limit for lack of awareness. In most cases, people in the younger age group don't lack the riding skill. They lack the right mentality.
Great day to you too, ride safe.

What you say makes sense but how do you know that that's the case in most accidents? I don't deny it can happen in some and even to the best of riders but where's the evidence that supports your claim that it's the "precipitating factor" in most motorcycle accidents. I don't see it even mentioned in any report but I do see rider error (talking about skill) as being a leading factor in single vehicle accidents.

[Cruizin]

Lack of riding skill is not the problem. The lack of awareness of ones skill is. People can have very high level riding skill and still go over their own limit for lack of awareness. In most cases, people in the younger age group don't lack the riding skill. They lack the right mentality. Great day to you too, ride safe.

What you say makes sense but how do you know that that's the case in most accidents? I don't deny it can happen in some and even to the best of riders but where's the evidence that supports your claim that it's the "precipitating factor" in most motorcycle accidents. I don't see it even mentioned in any report but I do see rider error (talking about skill) as being a leading factor in single vehicle accidents.

 
There was a study of motorcycle deaths recently and the highest rate of death group is/was middle aged men on cruisers. A lot of 50 year old men buy big heavy cruisers as first bikes and then ride without helmets and wreck in corners and die.

[Beemer]

What you say makes sense but how do you know that that's the case in most accidents? I don't deny it can happen in some and even to the best of riders but where's the evidence that supports your claim that it's the "precipitating factor" in most motorcycle accidents. I don't see it even mentioned in any report but I do see rider error (talking about skill) as being a leading factor in single vehicle accidents.

There was a study of motorcycle deaths recently and the highest rate of death group is/was middle aged men on cruisers. A lot of 50 year old men buy big heavy cruisers as first bikes and then ride without helmets and wreck in corners and die.

Thanks for that, it just goes to confirm that new people on bikes, no matter the age or the type bike, get into wrecks more often from lack of skill. 

[jake]

I want a dirt Bike now......

[norcal616]

Or just buy a unicycle ... One wheel all day long!!!

[jake]

Or just buy a unicycle ... One wheel all day long!!!

 

[letitsnow]

I want a dirt Bike now......

Ever notice how most dirt bikers limp?  I just sold my last dirt bike 'again'....  

[Beemer]

Or just buy a unicycle ... One wheel all day long!!!

Cool but man, that pesky blind spot right in front of you, lol!

[liami]

I used to do wheelies all the time. Second gear clutch ups. Then one day, about two months ago, it came too far up for my liking. It was my longest wheelie, but it was significantly higher than any others I've done so I hadn't built my way up to that high just yet. Scared me sh*tless and now whenever I try to wheelie, I panic and barely get it an inch off the ground. I eventually just stopped trying. I'll let it happen if it happens, though. Like today, I sped away from a dangerous driver to get as far from him as I could, and my bike came up as I let out the clutch in second

[r1limited]

Wheely for safety always
 
Someone said learn in the dirt, I will say 100% get a cheap ass dirt bike or trash bike.  Rip that to shreds first
 
Get a Unicycle, you will thank me later
 

[Guest ChicagoAJ]

I'm ~230lbs or 260lbs with gear. I've of course done some unintentional ones in first while slipping the clutch too hard. But I never done a power wheelie in second. I'll try when I get off work here in 30 minutes. I don't see how it can be possible. 
Maybe if I sit on the passenger seat...

Mine could've flipped me over backward in 2nd gear if I was cruising around 30-35mph let off the throttle completely and then pinned it. Stock gearing with Akra Carbon, snorkel removed, and 2WDW ECU flash and I weigh about 200 pounds geared up. Always had to cover the rear brake just in case it got too high.  
 
 

[Guest 2wheeler]

I'm ~230lbs or 260lbs with gear. I've of course done some unintentional ones in first while slipping the clutch too hard. But I never done a power wheelie in second. I'll try when I get off work here in 30 minutes. I don't see how it can be possible. 
Maybe if I sit on the passenger seat...

Mine could've flipped me over backward in 2nd gear if I was cruising around 30-35mph let off the throttle completely and then pinned it. Stock gearing with Akra Carbon, snorkel removed, and 2WDW ECU flash and I weigh about 200 pounds geared up. Always had to cover the rear brake just in case it got too high.  
 

For me, it is either red lining 1st, then speed shifting into second... the degree of how hard I hit second will dictate the height of the wheelie; or doing about about 4500 rpm in 2nd, backing off completely then hitting it about half throttle which is always good for a baby wheelie of about a foot off the ground. Once again the degree of the hit will dictate the height. 
 
 
 
 
 

[pitapola]

Second gear, anything over 5k rpm, cut off the throttle and momentarily step on the rear brake at the same time, back on the throttle immediately and off you go.
The rear brake helps a lot in bouncing the front even more and it's also practical to have your foot there in case you get too much air.

[rhb]

Second gear, anything over 5k rpm, cut off the throttle and momentarily step on the rear brake at the same time, back on the throttle immediately and off you go. The rear brake helps a lot in bouncing the front even more and it's also practical to have your foot there in case you get too much air.

Never thought of using the brake, interesting, I haven't needed to do that, sometimes just accelerating suddenly in first from 3,000 the front drifts nicely and controlably up. I tried second gear off throttle and on again at about 4,000 @ 20 kph that works well too. I have to say, when I first bought the bike from all the reports I heard about it being a wheelie machine, I was a little apprehensive, but you have to try to get it to pull a wheelie.  so far its really predictable and easy to control. I'm a lighter rider it seems at 170 with gear. I think if you were 250 plus it would be a little harder, but there is a you tube video of a big German doing wheelies with his SC system exhaust, and he seems to just accelerate into his wheelies with out any effort, maybe a result of exhaust and a flash tune.  

[pitapola]

Second gear, anything over 5k rpm, cut off the throttle and momentarily step on the rear brake at the same time, back on the throttle immediately and off you go. The rear brake helps a lot in bouncing the front even more and it's also practical to have your foot there in case you get too much air.

Never thought of using the brake, interesting, I haven't needed to do that, sometimes just accelerating suddenly in first from 3,000 the front drifts nicely and controlably up. I tried second gear off throttle and on again at about 4,000 @ 20 kph that works well too. I have to say, when I first bought the bike from all the reports I heard about it being a wheelie machine, I was a little apprehensive, but you have to try to get it to pull a wheelie.  so far its really predictable and easy to control. I'm a lighter rider it seems at 170 with gear. I think if you were 250 plus it would be a little harder, but there is a you tube video of a big German doing wheelies with his SC system exhaust, and he seems to just accelerate into his wheelies with out any effort, maybe a result of exhaust and a flash tune.

Yeah, the tap on the rear brake works really well. I was doing small power wheelies before trying it and I found that the bike comes up much easier and with even less throttle, which makes the wheelie more controllable for a rookie. BTW, it's not my discovery, I saw it in this video. 

 
 
 

[Beemer]

Not saying this is the easiest method but you don't have to do anything fancy to pull a wheelie on this bike. I simply accelerate slowly until I'm @ around 5k rpm, maybe a hair more and then I momentarily let off the the throttle so that the front end slightly nose dives. Right when you know it's going to snap back up you hit the throttle about half throttle quickly and the front just jumps up. It's the same for 1st gear, only easier. I'm right about 200 lbs. and it may take some practice to do it that way, it took me awhile to learn it and get the timing right but I've been doing it on/off for 44 yrs. now. Works on every bike I've ridden. (1st gear anyway)