starting a wheelie

[highcountry]

I have tried and tried to get a wheelie. I just can't seem to get the front wheel to loft. I am on an XR 600 so I would think I have the power to do it. Is there a different technique for starting a wheelie on a four stroke. All the two stroke articles say let out of the throttle to compress the front then WOT to loft the front wheel. third gear seems to be the favored gear. when I do this I the front just dips then I accelerate really fast. Should I try a lower gear or dumping the clutch? This is very frusterating

 

[BullDog KX125]

try to time it to where you help compress the suspension, then nail the throttle while jerking back.

something like this


push handle bars, lean back with throttle full

thats the way i used to do it and when i timed it right i went vertical(but when i did it this way it scared me to death) :p

 

[High Lord Gomer]

That 600 should have more than enough power...you shouldn't even need to lean back nor pull on the bars.

My guess would be that the back end is spinning, otherwise you'd be asking how to keep from looping it out. :)

Try 2nd gear...you'll be going slower when/if you hit the ground, but the front end kill come up quicker.

Another thing to try would be to use a bump to help get the front end up. Be on the gas as the bump helps lift the front wheel for you. Again, the biggest problem with an XR600 should be keeping it from coming all the way over on you.

 

[MikeT]

Adding to what Gomer said, make sure you are starting the wheelie in the lower rpm range. I mean you cant try to pull the wheelie if you are at 3/4 throttle already. Try starting out at around 1/4 throttle. An XR600 will pull incredible wheelies. Practice and cover that rear brake because you're going to need it!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I'm no wheelie expert, but a friend of mine (who was) told me to bring the front wheel up while already on the pipe. He claimed that if you brought it up at low RPMs, when the power did hit, it would be harder to control.

I found that he was right. Most people will bring the wheel up and gradually speed up until the power hits. At that point it will come up quickly, they'll let off, the front will drop, they'll twist it to compensate, then they'll loop it out. (Sound familiar, Ivan? :p)

The smooth power delivery of the XR600 will let you bring it up at low RPMs, but for most 2 strokes, I think it is more controllable to do so at higher RPMs.

Side Note: It used to really tick me off to see my friend pulling away from me in fairly tight woods while riding a wheelie.

 

[lovetoride]

wheelie ridin

Hey, try 1st gear ,then after ya got the hang of it try 2. I ride an xr 600 an the front end comes up fast enough so beready to use your brake or let off. Good luck

 

[MikeT]

Originally posted by High Lord Gomer

The smooth power delivery of the XR600 will let you bring it up at low RPMs, but for most 2 strokes, I think it is more controllable to do so at higher RPMs.

Exactly. For a 2stroke you have to be higher in the rpms in the powerband. As we all know the power on an XR600 starts in the lower part of the rpm range.

Any luck yet??

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Hey Mike, I see you're still living "In Limbo"...sell the house, yet?

Any chance of making it to Shelby, NC this Saturday night for a race?

 

[highcountry]

I think the High Lord Gomer got it. I'm not hooking up. After a failed attempt I can look back into a huge cloud of dust which is a good sign of spin. I did get it once and you are right as soon as the wheel gets off the ground it just keeps coming (whoa!). I'll just keep on trying. I am going to find a place I can get the rear wheel to hook better. Thanks!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Just noticed that you're in Colorado. What altitude?

I was amazed at the power loss when I rode out there around Divide (9-10K feet). I never did get the jetting completely straight, but the power was way down from sea level. That could help explain why it isn't coming up as easy.

 

[lovetoride]

yeah you would be superised at the power lose but i live in the same town as highcountry does an there is plenty of power in my 600. Oh an the altitude is 5800

 

[highcountry]

Actually I live outside Montrose at about 7600 feet. I have been goofing with my jetting and I think it is about right. It has a lot of power, I can vouch for that. However it has a big tank and Kenda DOT approved tires so the hook up out in the nice soft grassy pasture where I've been practicing isn't great. However, I became sucessful in first gear yestarday evening, and a few times in second. It is all in the timing. My bike still has the annoying tendency to bog slightly when I go WOT at a low RPM. Haven't been able to completely erase that with jetting so I figure it is just normal. I'm gonna lower my tire preassure a bit and go play somemore. I'll let you know what happens!

 

[Magellan]

Well, I'm still getting the hang of the wheelie thing myself, but one thing that helped my out is that when I pull back on the bars (I have a TTR250, so this is required), I push down with my legs. I mean I consciuosly try to push the rear wheel into the ground and I pull the front up.

I'm not sure if the downward force helps with traction, or if it just improves my timing, but I can pretty much get the front wheel lofted when I need/want to. Still can't ride one for long, but I can get over logs easier now.

Mag

 

[georgieboy]

hai guys, i use my lower revs with my 250 twostroke, and 1st gear. I pop the clutch the moment i give a little throttle. I need a lot of traction though. Going in 2nd or 3rd i need more revs. but in that case i just power wheeling and not what i want to learn, and that is a controlled low speed balance wheely. The biggest trick is getting used to the angle of the wheely.It is scaring the hell out of you the first time you near the balance point. But after hour and hour and hour etc. you starting to become more relax with that and so controlling it better. good luck george

 

[cr125_king]

I can start a wheelie in any gear i want, even when i had no clutch because i busted my pirch. I never start a wheelie in first because it is too low geared, and to easy to go over backwards.In the last year i've went over 3 times. All of them were in lower gears (thank fully), or i wouldn't be here today:p .I now need a new rear fender but now i'm really good at wheeling. Can anyone here do those walking speed wheelies?. I've tryed and tryed these but cant get it. They are extremly hard, and i've only seen a few freestlyers do them(Regan Sieg, Rick Hedle).Once you master wheeling you can always try wheeling on the front tire (stoppies) .I've been doing these for a while and I'm getting really good at these too! . But now my front disc is warped and i need new brake pads. Well talk to u later:cool:

 

[Jeepboy]

I consider myself good at wheelies, although I do them different than most it seems. I start off in the lower part of the power band and blip the clutch while giving it full (or slightly less than full depending on traction) throttle. Once the front is near the balance point I just adjust the throttle to keep it up. It takes practice and works well with underpowered bikes. I have a 250 now that has tons of power, but I still use this technique since I'm comfortable with it.