Wheelie problems!

[bronco95tgp]

I own an '04 KDX220. I can pull the front wheel up pretty good in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, then occasionally in the upper gears if the terrain is right. :yeehaw: I was wondering what I am doing wrong to ride a slow, balanced wheelie all the way down the road, keeping a fairly constant speed. The sport bikes and fiddy's seem to make it look easy. Is this accomplished by hours of practice to find the 'balance point' as I have heard the stunters in my area talk about? ( www.256north.com ) Or will the fact that the bike is a 2-smoke make this extremely hard? I am tire of running to the top of each gear in my wheelies and having to let the wheel back down to shift. :bang: I just want to keep a constant speed, at least slow enough to stay in the same gear, preferably 2nd. HELP!!! Check out the vids at that link by they way, they are... amazing to say the least. And it is all filmed here in Huntsville Alabama! These guys are fun to watch.

 

[mxmatthew]

well i do the same thing as you when i try to wheelie on a dirtbike, ive decided to stop trying the other way after a few bent up sub-frames. I can, however, perform catwalks and manuals on my mountain bike for quite a while and i believe it is sort of the same thing. A lot of it has to do with finding the balance point and for dirtbikes id assume throttle control. What i do with my mtb is get the front wheel up and try to get to the balance point as fast as possible (itll take a while to get used to where it is) so that you dont have to gain any speed to get it up any further. Then just keep steady throttle to keep it there. You also need a VERY good feel for your rear brake so that if you're about to fall backwards you can get your front wheel down but not so far that your wheelie comes to an end. Trust me, itll take a lot of practice. Hope this helped, i leave most of the showin off stuff for my mtb as its a lot less painfull and cheaper.

 

[LukeRips]

I learned stoppies on the MTB first. It hurts alot less than endoing a 250. I always rip a handful of 3rd gear while on the back of the seat and I get a goggle full of sky, but I never try to keep it in that balance point. I guess it's because, when your pinning 3rd gear your moving pretty well anyway. I may get 50 yards out of it on occasion.

 

[adam728]

It takes practice, lots and lots of it. I used to be able to go probably 1/2 mile or more on my old KDX. Not riding for a few years took it's toll, if I get lucky I'll get 100 yards now, but it's usually more like 30-40 yards.

It's SOOOOOOO much easier on a 4 stroke because of the compression braking. You start to loop out, let off. Crotch rockets are pretty easy to wheelie, but I've never been comfortable trying slow / steady ones on them. 4 stroke quads aren't even a challenge, you can't tip over, and it's really hard to go over backwards. I was doing them on a Predator at 2-3 mph for probably 100-150 yards at a time. Just ease in and out of the throttle to stay up.

 

[Shig]

It sounds like you are using only the throttle to keep the wheel up. You might need more practice with the back brake to control your speed and balance. Even the best riders spend very little time at the "balance point" in a wheelie. Usually, you teeter slightly like when you are leaned back on two legs of a dining room chair. You use the throttle and the back brake to keep you as close to the balance point as possible. Sometimes, engine braking alone is enough to keep you from looping out when you go past the balance point. Always keep your foot on the brake pedal just in case.

Like MXM and Luke, I practice wheelies on my MTB. If you learn how to do a coaster wheelie on a bicycle without pedaling, then you will have the back brake finesse needed to control your speed on a motorcycle.

Learn how to slow the bike down in a wheelie by going beyond the balance point and using a slight drag on the back brake to keep you from looping out. Once you've mastered this skill, you won't have any problem wheelying in the same gear all the live long day. Do all of your shifting during the brief moments when the bike is balanced.

 

[KDXFreestyle]

if you want to do a lowspeed wheelie and ride it forever, here is what you have to do. Ride the gear you want at about half throttle. Right before the powerband. Then ride the rear brake slightly. Now pull up untill your right on your balance point. Now you can rock back and fourth with the gas, or the brake. I still havent got it down yet, but that is how its done. Practice, and dont kill yourself.

 

[bronco95tgp]

Thanks for all the advise guys, yea the rear brake will take some practice, I think that starting out I will not wear my riding boots when I practice... I think I would have better control over the sensitivity of the brake in my cowboy boots honestly. Anyone want to take bets on how soon I will order a new rear fender? Or maybe I could fabricate a wheelie bar, kinda like training wheels, but for stunting! Now there is an idea!

 

[mxmatthew]

lol, well if your anything like me youll have a new fender on order by your second day trying them.

 

[GrassMaster]

On my 97 220 I pull my whellie up in 2nd gear I get to my balance point and shift to 3rd without the clutch and so on to 4th with the front tire in the air the whole time. It will go for a while. It takes alot of practice and i think I have being young on my side too.

 

[billc]

Maybe you're like me.I'm 48 and been riding since 1969 but I can't do a long wheelie.I think some guys just have the gift and some of us don't.I ended up in the hospital once cuz I flipped it over on the street. Be careful.

 

[KX02]

I can only wheelie for short distances. For awhile I was starting to get the balance down and go a little longer, but seem to have lost it again. I really would like to be able to use the back brake for wheelies and other things as I have read about but anytime I'm in the attack position my feet are pointed pretty far down and getting my foot up onto the brake pedal seems out of the question. I did manage to get the brake to work a little better by taking Dick Burleson's advice and shortening it to match my foot (9) better.

 

[RBSOB]

New Rear Fender?

Order one now, but don't mount it until you are proficient or you quit trying :ohmy: I just can't resist practicing what i call "verticle wheelies" when the conditions are right. I don't have the brake control perfected yet and have a mangled rear fender on an '04 to show for it :ohmy: But I only fool around on cut hay fields or "non-rocky" areas so no injuries. Practice but pick your terrain with a "soft" landing in mind, Have Fun. Jim G

 

[mxmatthew]

i dont know what the newer bikes are like, but on mine when i flip over it mangles up the sub-frame. It doesnt on you guy's?

 

[bronco95tgp]

Not to brag, but I installed the Boyseen Power Reeds today on my 220 and wow, I can tell a difference for sure, so much that it now easily raises the front wheel up in 4th gear on flat land with minimal bouncing on the front shocks. I am very pleased with the power gain! I recommend the power reeds for sure, they were not to hard to install, and by the way, don't waste your money on a gasket like I did. The original gasket stayed on just fine and the $5.00 replacement gasket wasn't needed. :cool:

 

[GrassMaster]

^^^^ Where about in AL are ya?

 

[bronco95tgp]

I live in Huntsville, around Mt. Gap road. I see you live pretty near Mill Creek Motocross, have you ever ridden there? I have been there once and it was pretty fun, bit I would rather be in the woods any day than on a dusty track with no shade!

 

[GrassMaster]

Yea ive been to Mill Creek twice.....I mostly ride up there at Kentuck ever been there?

 

[bronco95tgp]

I have heard good things about Kentuck ORV Trails, I have yet to make the haul. We have a good bit of riding within less than 45 minutes from where I live. You may have read about Coalmine Mountain, Colonial Hills/Chapman Mountain, and Bankhead National Forrest. How is the trail traffic at Kentuck on Sunday mornings? I have been thinking about planning a trip and camping Saturday night maybe at Cheha, riding Sunday morning and then coming home. I would love to check it out, variety is nice. Alabama is great for that isn't it? :aj:

 

[RoostRider]

I think that starting out I will not wear my riding boots when I practice... I think I would have better control over the sensitivity of the brake in my cowboy boots honestly

I am certain you will have more sesitivity with cowboy boots, but I feel obiged to point out that breaking an ankle/toe/etc. practicing wheelies is more likely, in my opinion, than breaking an ankle/toe/etc. out on the trails. Especially when you are just starting to learn them. Also, you will need to know how to do it in riding boots or it won't help you much anyways.

I try to remember to wear all my gear when practicing stunts.

Just my input. Carry on.

 

[mxmatthew]

I am certain you will have more sesitivity with cowboy boots, but I feel obiged to point out that breaking an ankle/toe/etc. practicing wheelies is more likely, in my opinion, than breaking an ankle/toe/etc. out on the trails. Especially when you are just starting to learn them. Also, you will need to know how to do it in riding boots or it won't help you much anyways.

I try to remember to wear all my gear when practicing stunts.

Just my input. Carry on.

ditto

 

[bronco95tgp]

Yea that is a good point! When I first got my riding boots, I hated them untill I actually got out and rode for a day in them. I went out and tried them out right when I opened the box and I though I had really messed up because with my size 13 boot I was having a lot of trouble up shifting. I like them now that I am used to them and they feel natural.

 

[CodyY]

I had eleven stitches in my right knee from my CR250 and wheelies w/o gear. The street will chew you up in third gear.

The CR was too violent of a powerband for slow wheelies. I'm looking to buy a KDX this winter tho.

BTW: I raised my shifter to where the bottom of it is level w/ the top of the pegs and that cured my up-shifting problem in my size 12 boots.