My first wheelie

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OB_insinu8

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Last night I managed to not only scare the crap out of myself, I also did my first wheelie. After an evening with the local bike group touring around silicon valley, I was headed home about 12:30. I had been mad with myself about my fear of actually doing a wheelie all night. (not a new event) I had talked to so many people, both hayabusa owners and other motorcycle enthusiasts about HOW to do a wheelie, that I was wondering why I hadn't/couldn't do one. As it turns out, my reluctance to fully twist the throttle was to blame and my lack of knowing how to "bounce" the front end by letting off the gas a tad before punching it.

So there I was, scooting along in first gear, sort of feeling my way through higher and higher throttle responses, when I felt a slight "thump". I didn't feel the front wheel go up, just the landing, and I wasn't even sure I had done it. So, true to my now angry nature, I wanted to make sure I was doing it right. Next wobbly bounce and I snapped my wrist HARD. Well, as most of you know, and many of you will find out, the damn thing just about left me standing there as the front end climbed effortlessly skyward. For just a split second I was thinking, "Oh **** , I'm gonna loop it." I was looking straight ahead and all I could see was my key in the ignition. Somewhat of a fixation, I might add, at that moment. I had my foot on the brake but was so startled I forgot to use it. Instead, as the bike came up(forcing my throttle hand to give it MORE gas!) I could hear the motor winding up and I panicked. I started to grab the clutch (fingers not being there to start so I could hang onto the bar) and instead, I pretty much let go of the throttle altogether. The resulting return to the ground hopped me off my seat and smashed my nuts into the tank. So, I'm trying to catch my breath from the impact, when the widest sh_t eating grin starts across my face and I'm howling inside my helmet with laughter. MAN, that was a rush. I think I need to do that again, a LOT.
 
If you time things right, you can do it without snapping it hard (i.e., a somewhat slower application of the throttle more like rolling it on). I am working on this. The 16 tooth front sprocket definitely helps.

If you snap it, it certainly comes up quick, but, to me, seems a bit hard on the chain.
 
I definitely went with 16/42 sprockets for the wheelies and it helped at the track when the x-swing is on. My trick to a nice long wheelie is to start of in a higher gear like 2nd and lay on the throttle until I feel it lift about 2ft. above the ground and then shift into 3rd and then shift to 4th,this will give you some hangtime while your shifting. I can easily pull of a 1/8 mile wheelie doing well over 65mph before it taps down. I am trying to master the stoppies now....if you decide to try this you should upgrade your front brake pads, discs and brakelines...it helps 100%.
 
Wheelies can be scary as hell if you have never found the balance point on a motorcycle. There is a point on all motorcycles when doing a wheelie as the front end lifts and gets to a certain magical point you feel the bike is rock solid even on one wheel. Here you're able to wheelie through the gears like Evil Knevil.
As a punk, know it all 20 year old on my new '85 GS550EF Suzuki I found the magical balance point by accident. I didn't even know it existed until that day. I was on a back road just popping little wheelies in 1st gear and riding them out to the redline as far as I could. I mistakenly gave the bike too much throttle and the front wheel came up higher than it ever had before. Instead of panicing I rode it out in the balance point and shifted into second as it started to come down. It was waaaay up, so far that I had to look around the mini fairing to see the road in front of me.
After that one mistaken wheelie I became the king of wheelies in our town.
I think the reason that so few people can do a respectable wheelie is that they have never gotten the front wheel up high enough (without panicing) to find the sweet spot.
Anyone who can shift gears while doing a wheelie knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Don't try this on my say-so. I don't want to be responsible for anyone wearing their new Hayabusa like a hat when it flips over on top of them.

later
 
Well I havn't laugh that hard in a while.I think the reason for it is that it sounds like something that happen to me. Well i guess that we both survived.Be careful that BUSA will go airborn. Still laughing........
 
Cisco,

Wasn't there at the blessing. I wanted to go, but had other obligations. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it to RoadRider on Saturday. I have a ride planned with some buddies and then a detail job on my busa.
If I can drag my sleepy *** up early, I'll hop on down there. I've got blue/black Dainese gear w/black helmet covered in reflective strips. I'll look for yah.

Gonna have to try something besides that "popping" wheelie style. I'll try the 2nd gear roll on next.

Thanks for the warnign about the local bad boyz.

Btw, what can anyone recommend to prevent the ball crushing when the wheel comes down? I don't want to wear a cup, but DAMN... I suppose standing on the pegs would help.
 
WELL I DO THEM ALL THE TIME WITHOUT SNAPING THE FRONT END TRYING 1st GEAR ABOUT 4000 RPM HOLDING STEADY THEN JUST NAIL IT IT WILL COME UP REAL HIGH RIGHT IN THE BALANCE POINT WORKS EVERY TIME FOR ME THEN YOU CAN SHIFT TO SECOUND THEN TO THIRD FOR A ******* LOT MORE OF A RUSH LOVE WHEELING
 
I would NOT stand on the pegs unless you had full throttle control. If you happened to slam the front shocks down again standing on the pegs you WILL!!!! be thrown off the front. I would recommend bringing it up a few times and really feeling where you are in the air, and when it starts to come down lay into the throttle some more. Over time you will be at the point where you actually could bring it up and down and up and down without touching the ground.
 
I'm never sure why this fixation for wheelies. Maybe because I'm not very good at them. I've never had any problem getting any of the bikes I've had up, It's landing the bloody things afterwards that always scares the **** out of me. I always seem to land 'em crossed up, or I hammer the bloody things down so hard I think my forks are going to start spewing fluids! I'd appreciate some guidelines on putting my baby down gently. I've done two front-wheel flyers on my 'busa, both unintentionally I might add. Both came down OK, but I wasn't trying to loft one up, they just happened 'cos I was pushing it.

On that subject, had a great pig-bait couple of days ago. GSX750 comes up to me at the lights and sits next to me giving it a large portion. Lights go green and we're both off to a good start, though he's slightly got the better of me off the line (gotta get that clutch moded!) 'Not going to get away with that you bastard' I thought, and nailed it. After a period of about a nano-second I'm back in the lead and leaving him for dust. Just as I thought it was all over, in my frenzied rush to piss on the opposition I completely fail to notice the oncoming junction, lights changing to red before me. A quick glance at the clock and I'm doing 130+ mph, no WAY I'm going to stop. At the point of running the lights (It's late, thank god, not much traffic) I notice johny-law looking on just off the junction. Well, the upshot was, he came at me with blues and two's running and gave up about three seconds later as I disapeared off into the night in a blaze of adrenalin induced throttle. Can't figure out if he took one look at my disapearing tail-light and thought bollox to it, or if the poor sod on the 750 got nicked.
 
Insinu8,see you at RoadRider this weekend,Big sales up to 50% off on some items,free Hotdog and coke.Get there early for the best buys,starts at 9am,I'll be on my Copper/Silver Busa.Oh ya watch out for some of the local San Jose Riders they like to make friends with you know where you live and some times take your bike.Ask Philp at RoadRider about the bad boys.Anyways see you at RoadRider,me part Hawaiian,long hair back and short flat top and side,did you make it to the San Jose Bike Blessing,I did see a Blue/White Hayabusa there with a woman on the back was that you.I was on my Harley and was about the twenty person to get Blessed with Holy water.Ride safe.
 
Congratz!! Just take your time and you will be switching gears in the air in no time. The hardest part of wheelies is overcoming the fear of being "so high" in the air. It's never as high as you think. Ask Max Biaggi.

iz
 
I'm not a wheelie master by any means but if your having trouble landing your bike smoothly you should try a clutchless shift into second while there is still plenty of air under the front wheel. Before you open up the throttle to power the front end off the ground apply upward pressure on the gear shift so that when your ready to shift all you have to do is blip the throttle. Do this and your landings will greatly improve.

And I agree with what someone else said earlier. Don't off\on the throttle to get your front end off the ground. Just roll up to around five grand and then smoothly and quickly roll on to full throttle. The Busa will smoothly and predictably give you a nice wheelie. The height is up to you. If your apprehensive just do the clutchless shift thing as soon as the front wheel lifts off. Each time just wait a little longer to make the shift. Before long you'll be making the shift in the sweet spot and be doing one fast wheelie. One word of advice. Take your time. Don't go any higher than what you feel completely comfortable with. Take your time and you'll get there safely.
 
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