help a spode with wheelie advice

[linusb]

I've read the old threads and think I know the basic wheelying technique, however, I still can't do one worth a darn.

I was at the track yesterday and there was a C class racer on a CR125 who was wheelying through half the track. Are MX specific bikes just that much easier to wheelie or is it just a matter of technique? I don't know if my Husky has the top end hit to give me a good power wheelie. Is this likely the case? Should I just give up my pursuit of wheelying until I get an MX bike?

 

[James]

Push down on the front and then pull back hard on the bars (to bounce it) while giving it a little gas...it will come up. SOme are easier than others.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

As a generaliztion, I would say that any bike with a "hit" is harder to wheelie. Bikes with smooth power are easier to wheelie. Four strokes with a lot of compression braking are the easiest.

 

[Gladiator]

It is mostly technique. I saw a guy wheelie a yamaha venture for several blocks! The same guy took an XT350 and had it straight up, the license plate fender was scraping the ground. He was real good at staying on the brake. The best wheelies I ever did where on RM125. It seemed I could keep the front end up as long as I wanted. It took alot of practice. Once you get that perfect balance the first time you will be able to do it over and over.
First balance point, then using the brake, throttle, brake, throttle to keep it where you want.
Good Luck!

 

[Battered Sav]

Used to have a '91 RM125, couldn't then, and still cant, wheelie very well at all. A friend of a friend ( A grader ) showed up one day and asked for a ride, you guessed it, huge long wheelies. " But my bike cant do that" I said. ;)

 

[Boozer]

Originally posted by High Lord Gomer
Four strokes with a lot of compression braking are the easiest.

spot on. they are also the safest, if wheelies can be called safe!

it really comes down to confidence. riding with people who can do wheelies well is a good way of developing confidence. if you are the slowest rider in your group, given time, you will become better/faster because your friends subconciously push you to become better. It is a bit like jumping. A big double may seem impossible to you, but if your riding friends are consistantly jumping it, you too will find the courage/confidence to give it a try.

one of my riding friends was really good at wheelies while sitting on the seat. thinking about it, he was excellent. the problem was he couldn't do one while standing on the pegs at all! since i live on the back wheel, i enjoyed wheeling past him while on the pegs every chance i got. he didn't like that much. But all of a sudden one day, he pulled a pretty good one, then the next week an even better wheelie. now he does them great! i don't like to say it was because of me, but, well yeah i think it was!