Monday Funny - Trying to Wheelie

[DirtFamily]

Got the 280 Pampera and I'm soo comfortable on it that I wanted to try to do a wheelie. It can't be that hard, right?? Yeah, right! :think: So all weekend I'm trying to wheelie and not getting very far. Best was going down a ditch and coming up the other side on the incline and getting a feel for it. John, of course, is shaking his head at me. "it's just not that hard, Katie...lean back and give the throttle a twist.." And, of course, he wheelie's the bike up and down seemingly without effort. I got a couple inches of air a few times for about a foot! :silly:

Sunday evening I'm out playing around on my Cannondale bicycle with my 13 year old son on his BMX bike and I'm trying to wheelie...just can't get it popped up much so my son says "Here Mom, try my bike and just pretend you're doing a thrust kick in karate." Ok, son. So, I'm bound and determined to make this work and give it all I've got, pulling with my arms and pushing on the peddle, and end up looping out and landing on asphalt on my butt and elbows. :o Sheeeeesh....I can't even call my road rash a "war wound" from riding the dirt bike, just plain stupidity 'cause I wasn't wearing any gear at the time. :uh:

Can't wait to try it on the Pampera now!! :aj:

Katie

 

[BunduBasher]

Can't wait to try it on the Pampera now!!

I only wheelie or get air by accident :eek: - how you liking the Pampera otherwise Katie ? :)

 

[Girlrider]

Katie,

The reason most can't do a wheelie is because the are not doing it right. Go to www.gasgas.com. Then look for Magic Mark Manniko. He has instructions on there. Do it on your enduro bike just like he shows on a trials bike. Remember you DON'T pull the bars to your chest with your arms. You have to keep your body in the SAME position on the bike (When it is in a wheelie) as when it is not. This freeks people out. You HAVE to lean back when you wheelie. If you feel like you are going to loop it then just apply the rear brake. Let us know how it goes.

Nicole

 

[firecracker22]

LOL I am not brave enough to twist the throttle too much! I can pop the front tire up to go over a log or something but can't pull it up and ride like that. I might try someday . . . I'm sure it will be amusing!

What kind of karate do you do? I took 2 years of Kenpo. I miss it--might start again soon.

 

[GETMETOCA]

Nicole, are you going to teach us how to do wheelies in Oregon?? Hey everyone, this weekend I got the "beginnings" of an endo trying to go down a hill I had no business on. Served me right, I guess!! At least it scared me enough to slow down a bit the rest of the day. I have to admit, though, the adrenaline that came with the "scared" part was kind of a thrill....ha! Can't wait for Ladies Riding School. It's really all I think about......counting the days!

 

[Girlrider]

Natalie,

We will go over the wheelie. Not really how to ride a wheelie but how to use it to get yourself over things and how to compress your suspension to get you over things. When I was riding with CJ I noticed that in the sandy whoops she just rode through them. Then I told her to pull her front end up with the gas on so that her front would only skim the whoops and her rear suspension would absorb the brunt of the whoop. She did it and it helped. You will learn a lot. And the nice thing is it from a women's perspective. Men tend to "muscle" through stuff and we have to use technique since we don't have as much muscle. See you then!!!

Nicole

 

[dell30rb1]

Good luck wheelying. I can wheelie across my whole driveway on my mountian bike. (I'll have to upload some pics)

 

[SpeedyManiac]

I found to do wheelies that it was best to compress front forks then pull back while giving it gas. This works well for me, but I don't do prolonged wheelies, just enough to get over obstacles and such. I think the farthest I've ridden a wheelie is maybe twenty feet, with the front end about 2 feet off the ground. I can do wheelies with the front end about 1 foot off the ground no problem.

 

[dell30rb]

on my bike I just stand in attack position and wind it on, when the bike hits the powerband it just lifts off the ground. Grip the seat, tank with your knees when doing standing up wheelies.

 

[bluerider125]

hey dell... how long is your driveway? is it longer than a block and a half, cuz thats how long i can do it on my BMX'er. well, $88 walmart bike...:eek:

 

[E-Ticket]

Oh, I HAVE to get Susan on this thread...!

We spent almost an entire afternoon watching the Ant trying to wheelie her BBR. Despite heroic efforts and *much* advice ... no go.

It was fun watching her trying to *levitate* her bike by sheer willpower and upward jerks on the bar.

Remember all .... it's not a "lifting" action - it's a "pivoting" action.

Best of luck and "lift on"...... (grin)

-- E-Ticket

 

[E-Ticket]

P.S. My hobby as a kid riding dirtbikes - was every monday going down to the local motorcycle dealer to buy - yup - another tail-light lens.

(It took me quite a while, too...... (grin))

-- ET

 

[CJ Rider]

LOL! We'll have to try this again this weekend, Katie!

I know our bikes can wheelie because I watched Mark Manniko wheelie his Pampera at Pueblo one weekend. However, I ALSO watched Mark RIDE A STOPPIE down a REALLY steep slope that I had to think twice about riding up; 'Don't think I'll EVER be able to do THAT even IF I know my bike can; LOL!

Girlrider's advice to pull up on the front end, get my weight way back, and re-position my feet back slightly on the pegs for whoops DEFINITELY helped in Reno this year. But, I still need to work on it. When the whoops get too deep, I still end up out of control and all over the trail. I got small and medium sized ones down pat, though, and now they're even fun!

Katie- Have you had your Pampera on steep loose stuff yet? I went out to the Woodland Park trails last weekend and tried some steep loose stuff. Trails I used to ride up in first gear, it seems I now have to carry more speed and ride in second gear or else my tire spins. This is kind of a new thing for me. I was wondering how you were finding it?

 

[DirtFamily]

Thanks for the tips and support everyone!

E-Ticket - yeppers! Sheer will power is where I'm coming from! ;)

CJ - Check out the new Pampera video - they've added a steep downhill and some rocks- awesome! http://www.gasgas.com./Pages/2002-s/pampera-250-specs.html
Haven't been able to take it anywhere with steep loose stuff yet. I'd *better* get my bike back with the new pipe before next weekend! I want to try those hills you were telling me about where Nicole embarassed the guys!

Firecracker - I'm a black belt in Ryukyu (Okinawan) Kempo. It's a hard style with lots of grappling thrown in.

When I picked up my bike, this guy, I think his name is Tom, got on to warm it up and make sure the fan kicked it, etc.....he wheelied from a dead stop and did a full circle in the parking lot and then did a nose wheelie (or whatever they're called!) and did a bunny hop onto my trailer...geez, so I know it's the rider, not the bike!! :confused: That's it - I'm taking trials lessons!

Also met Mark Manniko (former GasGas team manager, 9 year trials pro) when I picked up my bike and we talked about setting it up for me as he got the prototype Pampera from the video. Got to see him ride at the OHV Expo last weekend too. Fun stuff! This 16 year old kid went clear across the arena doing a totally vertical wheelie! Now my 13 year old wants a trials bike!

Member of WAW - Women Attempting Wheelies!
Soon to be member of WWAW - Women Who've Accomplished Wheelies!
Katie

 

[BunduBasher]

Er, more like WHFOHBAAW - Woman who fell on her behind attempting a wheelie LOL ;) - keeping my foot on the rear brake while tipping over is not something I can get my head around, tend to drop my feet, and iy is allover after that. This puts me in the MHFOHBAAW category :eek:

 

[DirtFamily]

Gee thanks Bundu....I needed that!:aj:

At least I'm not afraid anymore: Over the back, Hard ground landing - been there, done that! Back brake? I hear you...it's just not a natural thing to do reaching for that back brake on the way backwards!

 

[E-Ticket]

This is a really fun thread... "cause we've all been through it!

If not *totally* over center, pulling in the clutch or hitting the kill switch can sometimes "save the ship." But they require just about as much mental focus as finding/using the dang rear brake.

Suggestion: borrow/bum a *really* small bike, such as a Z50. Try to wheelie the little pooper while dinking around in the yard or off in a field. The really small bike can be an asset to a) get the front up (by leaning back and shifting your CG) b) stepping off the back and running behind it (when things don't go so well....GRIN))

Wheelie-ing is one of the things.... A totally effing mystery till you do one or two and go...." oh! " Then you move to the next phase - thinking you know what you're doing and/or can do them on command.

One other thing. On the above-mentioned practice sessions, it's best to choose a soft grassy/dirt area with no large, solid objects nearby.

(grin) - E-Ticket

 

[CJ Rider]

Katie- You got a new pipe already? Didn't you like the stock one? I thought it was pretty nice, but I was concerned since there wasn't a stock spark arrestor for it. Then Girlrider told me that the Gas Gas guy in Pueblo custom makes 'em for that stock pipe. I'm headed to Pueblo after work today to meet with this guy and pick one up. I'll let ya know how it works out.

'Hope ya get yer bike back for riding this weekend. A good ride is starting to kick up already. It'd be a ton of fun with TWO Pamperas!!! We could have lame azz no-wheelie contests!

 

[Moteaux]

I don't know what my problem is.... even in jr. high and high school, I could literally do a wheelie on my bicycle as far as I wanted, well seemed that way. I did one for about a mile once. On my dirtbike, maybe 100 to 150 yards is the longest. I just never felt really comfortable on it. Now I only try to wheelie to clear a log, root or some other obstacle. :o

 

[DirtFamily]

CJ - got the FMF pipe on recommendation from Mark Manniko and GasGas.
We'll see.... the stock pipe was fine for me, except for the spark arrester...
I forgot that little tidbit of info about the guy down in Pueblo making 'em. Argh.

I *need* a good ride....I'm an addict....I admit I have a problem....there is no substitute. :o

Motohead: You don't have a problem except now a bunch of women are mad at you! :p

Katie

 

[Moteaux]

Originally posted by DirtFamily

Motohead: You don't have a problem except now a bunch of women are mad at you! :p

Katie

Katie, that seems to be the story of my life! The 100 to 150 yard wheelies ARE NOT the norm on my dirtbike. They are usually much shorter. My only point was why can't I translate the bicycle abilities to the dirtbike? Just can't seem to get it down.

MOTOHEAD00

 

[firecracker22]

LOL that's a big problem too!

I'm an addict too--it's been weeks. :think

 

[CJ Rider]

Hey KempoWheelieKatie- I picked up that spark arrestor from Stan, the Gas Gas guy in Pueblo, last night. It fits, works pretty well, and looks cool. 'Just wanted to let ya know for future reference. This weekend's weather is looking good for wheelies!

 

[DirtFamily]

CJ - I called the guy in Broomfield who has my bike and told him
that I'd *better* have my bike and that it wouldn't bode well for
him if I have to cancel my riding plans this weekend.:| My first totally
free weekend in like forever!!

KWK;)

 

[BunduBasher]

Thanks for the PM CJ, $75 for the spark arrestor - man nothings cheap these days - please post a picture of the thing.

Katie, just what are you doing to your bike, so far, all I have had to do was remove the buddy pegs, and add a few turns to the rear shock - nothing else !?