Wheelie report

S

Sourstraw

Member
Apr 17, 2003
50
0
Aloha everybody -

Well, since I haven't actually gone on a ride yet this year, I am feeling kind of left out. My shifter is actually loose, and I just ordered a new one, so I can't go on a "real" ride until I have a new shifter that isn't totally worn out (the threads are almost non-existant). So, yesterday, after a stressful day at work, I decided to go out into the field next to my hosue and drive around for a little bit. My boyfriend recently adjusted my throttle control, and he said he was doing wheelies on my bike - a feat that I thought was next to impossible (I have an RT 180 - not the lightest bike in the world, and certainly not as much oomph as a 125). So, I started practicing my wheelies, and I did a few really small ones - I was having a hard time getting the bike off the ground... and then I set up perfectly, pegged the gas, and the front tire literally flew up into the air - Aaron (my boyfriend) said that it came up about as high as his chest, so I was really excited about that!! I repeated it a few more times, and it was a lot of fun - then I rode around in circles like a hamster practicing my sharp turning and keeping on the gas in the turn. Next task is to learn a wheelie on the RM 125.

Ha, so it wasn't a big deal... but it was my first wheelie... *sniffle*.... :) Not that I am a complete yahoo or anything, but it is fun to know how to do them at least. Anyway, that is my riding report for the year so far... ha ha... I'm getting jealous reading all of your great ride stories - hopefully I'll have one in the next few weeks! :)

Ciao,
Stacy :yeehaw:
 
M

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
0
Congratulations Stacy ;)

My first (and last) big wheelie was into the plum tree at the back & almost into the fence ;) I'm just too unco to do them on purpose and can't get my head around them. Ah well, we can't all be good at everything (and I admit I'm no good at anything, oooh I lie, I'm good at falling & getting stuck).

Hopefully you'll get to go riding again soon :)
 

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
4,765
0
Try as I might, I can't seem to wheelie for schitt. Except by accident of course. I was at Stonyford last November and was giving it a good go up a rutted and rocky hill and I gunned it and wheelied up the last 15 feet or so. Amazing what happens when you really twist the throttle, lol.

I thought my bike was not really a wheelie kinda bike to begin with but I guess its all my lack of skill when I watched my friend Mick do stoppies and wheelies in front of my house, on my bike, no doubt.
 
K

KP33

Member
Apr 16, 2004
9
0
Hey Sourstraw, how exactly did you get your front wheel off the ground?
[-in need of wheelie advice]

I must wheelie!! :eek:
I'm improving a little bit; I can get the front wheel up about a foot for probably 8 feet, but only when I pop the clutch and take off in 1st in GRASS-not much, but a start, I guess :think:
Good news: I could actually start to feel the bike balance pretty well, so I guess at least I'm making a little progress on finding the balance point. But, after a few feet(in 1st gear), the wheel goes down by itself. Does this mean I need to start practicing shifting gears?

:yeehaw:
 
S

Sourstraw

Member
Apr 17, 2003
50
0
Not that doing 6 wheelies makes me a pro or anything.... but this is what worked for me...

I prefer to do it while standing on the pegs, and then when the bike goes up, I plop into the seat. I did all my wheelies in first gear - I tried a bunch of times in 2nd gear, and I just couldn't get it. So, I would put around and then when I was ready I would almost do a "scooping" motion with my arms - press down and then pull up - I almost imagined that my hands were tracing a "U" or a "J" shape with the handlebars, and then I just pegged the throttle as my arms reached the lowest point. Something else I found to help was to look for a spot that mentally or visually looks like it is sloping up a teeny bit - and then imagining myself going up the little slope (I'm talking a VERY small incline - like inches). I also found that if I tried to do several right in a row then I had more success than when I built up to doing just one... i.e. I would try one, and then if I didn't get it, I'd go down for another one a few feet later. Does that make sense?

Now that I can get the bike up, I need to work on riding the wheelie for a big longer. I have really good balance - believe it or not, I actually used to ride a unicycle when I was younger (I can still ride it)... I'm lucky that I have my nice field next to my house so that I can practice.... and hopefully once I get my shifter I'll actually be able to go riding. :)

Let me know how your wheelies work out! :)

Stacy
 
K

KP33

Member
Apr 16, 2004
9
0
wheelies again

A few days ago, I was practicing again, and I popped a few more wheelies. I actually rode one farther than I ever have. But I still haven't been able to pop one while I'm actually moving; I can only do it when sitting totally still, then revving the engine and popping the clutch in first. And for me this has a huge disadvantage- when taking off in a wheelie, I am totally off-balance, since I have no momentum. A few times I got up pretty good, and once I felt like the bike was really balanced, but then I let off the throttle and the front wheel went down. Plus, because I'm so off-balance, I end up hanging off of one side. My main problems are:

*I can't pop a wheelie while moving.

*I can't even pop one from a standstill unless I'm in grass or something-no gravel or loose dirt, my back tire just spins.

*It seems like as soon as the front wheel is in the air, I lose all thought capabilities. :ugg: I nearly looped all the way out once, and I tell myself before I take off, 'OK, your foot is over the rear brake, all you gotta do is tap it,' but I never do. At least I don't think I do... :think: Plus, I go into a kind of panic mode :ohmy: , not the kind where you're actually scared, but the kind where you know you've got to do THIS, THIS, and THIS, THIS WAY to get THIS to happen, otherwise THAT will happen, and I think I usually end up whacking off the throttle, so I never stay up long. *very frustrating* But I'm just startin' out, so I will surely catch on some time or another. And once I find out what works best for me & my bike on whatever the terrain is* :clue: *, I will probably be able to get better(at least that's what people have told me). Hey, I never thought I could jump, but I do that all the time now. :thumb: Hope I get this sooner or later......It's driving be CRAZY!!!
 
A

altagirl

~SPONSOR~
Mar 17, 2003
169
0

Like you, I can do them when I don't want to, no problem!

Other than that, I can get the front tire way in the air coming out of a little gully or something, and I can get the front tire in the air to wheelie up onto rocks and stuff, but can't seem to get more than a couple inches off the ground when it's flat. Which I think means it's all in my head...
 
J

jboomer

~SPONSOR~
Jan 5, 2002
1,420
1
revving the engine and popping the clutch in first
Click to expand...

Trying doing this in any gear, while rolling. What I mean is, if you're in first, get going at about half throttle....then pull in the clutch rev the rpm's up HIGHER than they were at half throttle and pop the clutch (don't be too slow about it though). If you simultaneously do the "U" or "J" motion that sourstraw mentioned (pushing down on the handlebars, then pulling up just as you pop the clutch) you should get some really great wheelies!
 
S

Sourstraw

Member
Apr 17, 2003
50
0


This is exactly what I do - except I didn't pop the clutch as I revved. Do you think you can get better wheelies with a clutch pop? But I definitely have to be rolling in 1st gear to get the wheelie going. I prefered to stand up on the bike, and then kinda plop on the seat as the bike comes up to meet my butt. I also tried doing wheelies in 2nd gear to no luck whatsoever. I just can't get enough oomph... maybe that is something I will have to try on the RM125 - my RT180 isn't the most powerful bike on the planet. :)

Ciao all - have a great weekend. ;)

Stacy
 
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