How do you wheelie on your busa ?
- Thread starter hionbusa
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Once the art of the infamous "Wheelie" is mastered, you can wheelie just about anything as long as it's not so heavy the tire spins rather than lift the front such as a Boss Hoss. I see Kyle Woods doing 12 o'clock wheelies on that big Triumph, whatever it's called? Must weigh 800 pounds? I guess you could call him an expert?
I find the busa is not hard to wheelie but takes a bit more skill than a liter bike. Two things, the front is so heavy, if you loose the balance point and let the front come down just slightly over center, you can't always catch it with power and bring it back up. Secondly, the busa is sooooooooo wide it's almost impossible to see around the tank and fairing when doing a sit down. You'll find yourself leaning so far out to see where you are going the bike will want to turn in that direction. You'll find yourself going back and forth from side to side to keep it in your lane while trying to see the road ahead.
I rarely bring my busa up in second gear. I like bringing it up with the clutch in first gear and as soon as she comes up to about 10:30 shift to second and go. It's much easier on your machine to clutch it up in low gear than higher gears. I usually stay in second unless I'm doing long fast wheelies then I'll shift into third.
Wheelies are a blast and always an eye catcher with onlookers. My theory is, "Practice-Practice-Practice", if you don't practice often, you'll never master that wonderful experience of a sustained wheelie?
I can't imagine riding a sport bike and not spending some quality time on the rear tire!
I find the busa is not hard to wheelie but takes a bit more skill than a liter bike. Two things, the front is so heavy, if you loose the balance point and let the front come down just slightly over center, you can't always catch it with power and bring it back up. Secondly, the busa is sooooooooo wide it's almost impossible to see around the tank and fairing when doing a sit down. You'll find yourself leaning so far out to see where you are going the bike will want to turn in that direction. You'll find yourself going back and forth from side to side to keep it in your lane while trying to see the road ahead.
I rarely bring my busa up in second gear. I like bringing it up with the clutch in first gear and as soon as she comes up to about 10:30 shift to second and go. It's much easier on your machine to clutch it up in low gear than higher gears. I usually stay in second unless I'm doing long fast wheelies then I'll shift into third.
Wheelies are a blast and always an eye catcher with onlookers. My theory is, "Practice-Practice-Practice", if you don't practice often, you'll never master that wonderful experience of a sustained wheelie?
I can't imagine riding a sport bike and not spending some quality time on the rear tire!
I have to agree with the clutch wheelie. It's easier to practice them in an empty parking lot in low gear. You have to clutch them b/c in parking lots you dont have much space, therefore not much speed will be needed. TufBusa nails a lot of it on the head.
I love doing the powerwheelie when bangin the limiter. Many times I wont know the front wheel is up until I let off just a little and I'll feel the front touchdown. Gotta be careful about not panicking and bringing the front end down too fast. Fork seals are delicate.
I love doing the powerwheelie when bangin the limiter. Many times I wont know the front wheel is up until I let off just a little and I'll feel the front touchdown. Gotta be careful about not panicking and bringing the front end down too fast. Fork seals are delicate.
Ononewheel
Registered
In my busa days, I just liked to clutch it up in 2nd. Any where from 45 to 60 mph. It felt very unstable though. The back wanted to do that side to side wobble thing and that ain't good.
1127 TO 1299
Registered
in never wheelie
I get her up to about 30-40 mph chop the throttle then on the rebound I open her up again. Make sure when you do this you carry an extra pair of draws you're gonna need them. Also put some money aside for fork seals.
There must be tons of info on this located throughout the org, and I have read alot of it. Yet still, no matter how much info I gather, I STILL can't do it!
Well, actually, I just don't have the nerve to hold it up. Get it up .... yes. Hold it up .... uh-uh.
Well, actually, I just don't have the nerve to hold it up. Get it up .... yes. Hold it up .... uh-uh.
when you guys are clutching, what RPM are you letting it out at to bring her up....seems sorta freaky to me, as I was in 2nd gear, clutched it about 2000 rpm ( started at 7000 rpm & clutched it to 9000rpm) & the experience still rattles my cage.
Just cracking the throttle in first gear with stock gearing brings up the front end way before I need to shift into 2nd. And becareful with a passenger. Had the fiance with me and and told her i was going to crack the throttle when we got on the Hwy, off of a big clover-leaf...she said cool....so I did, and I dont think the wheel hit the ground until I was bouncing off the Rev limiter in 4th gear. Top of 1st gear wheel started to rise, but at the top of 4th Gear, the bike was going vertical real quick....would never do that again with a passenger...some scary sh!t.
Just cracking the throttle in first gear with stock gearing brings up the front end way before I need to shift into 2nd. And becareful with a passenger. Had the fiance with me and and told her i was going to crack the throttle when we got on the Hwy, off of a big clover-leaf...she said cool....so I did, and I dont think the wheel hit the ground until I was bouncing off the Rev limiter in 4th gear. Top of 1st gear wheel started to rise, but at the top of 4th Gear, the bike was going vertical real quick....would never do that again with a passenger...some scary sh!t.
Ononewheel
Registered
Wide open for a split second, I have no idea what RPM's it was, it just takes practice to get a feel for it. ALSO! If you are doing a wheelie, it has to be SMOOTH SMOOTH SMOOTH. The only way to get this is practice. Use the clutch just to get the tire off the ground, then power it up from there. If you do a wheelie and you get to where it feels like your gonna flip, welcome to the balance point, BUT, you shouldn't feel like your gonna flip. You were not smooth enough. You want to ease into it so that you feel weightless and your stomach is just floating. It shouldn't scare the #### out of you. Its a hell of a feeling. Second only to dragging a knee for the first time.
Hope that helps, oh by the way, my screen name does not mean I am a wheelie expert. It is from my screenname on the exriders forum... thats how I ride my banshee..
Yes you can!!!!!! If I can do it - anybody can do it!!! I've done it once and I have to say I won't be doing it again on my busa until I have learned it well on something else. What a blast!!!There must be tons of info on this located throughout the org, and I have read alot of it. Yet still, no matter how much info I gather, I STILL can't do it!
Well, actually, I just don't have the nerve to hold it up. Get it up .... yes. Hold it up .... uh-uh.
I've played with them more in 2nd 5500 rpms goose it let off when front drops as soon as it recoils back upwards full throttle her and she will come up!
The most difficult part of the wheelie for the bike is to get the front tire to break contact with the pavement. This is where the clutch comes in handy. By bumping the clutch as you twist the throttle, it gives your bike that little extra help to get the front wheel started. Once it's two inches up, the rest is all throttle control. As the front comes up, begin to close the throttle slightly. The front will slow in it's assent towards the heavens. I like shifting to the next gear before I reach the BP. This makes the front more manageable once you are balanced. A higher gear let's you do sustained wheelies a lower RPM. It takes much practice to get brave enough to bring it all the way to balance. You will swear you are going on your backside long before you actually reach balance. I find not to many guys are willing to put in the time on one wheel to get comfy riding the BP? But once you have achieved this skill level, it's such a rush!
The side to side movement you get when you are up is most likely due to an over inflated tire. You won't get this side to side wobble until you get up pretty high. As long as the front is low with the bike under accelleration, there seems to be no side to side movement. Believe it or not, the faster you go, the easier it is to wheelie. Sustaining a wheelie at 60 mph is much harder than at 120 mph.
You don't have to crash to learn how to wheelie. Just take it in little baby steps. Learn to wheelie a foot high, then two feet and so on. Make sure you feel quite comfy doing a one foot wheelie before you move to a two footer. Then, start going for distance. First try doing a 100 footer then 125 etc. Pretty soon you'll be on one wheel for miles not feet.
The way I do a clutch wheelie (Start in low gear if you are inexperienced) is to begin with a rolling start. Once you are moving apply the throttle fairly aggressively, maybe half throttle. As the tach comes up through about 5K just bump the clutch with one or two fingers and increase the throttle at the same time. Not wide open but just slightly more than you have. If the front don't break contact, try it again and give it just slightly more throttle when you bump the clutch than you did the previous try. Soon you'll find that sweet spot on the throttle that works just perfect.
My suggestions to an inexperienced wheelie guy, is to learn to get the front up with throttle alone in low gear before working with the clutch. Master low gear throttle wheelies before moving up. If you are trying to learn how to get her up, the clutch just adds one more thing to think about. Keep it as simple as possible in the beginning.
I remember my first clutch wheelies. My fear was the bike would just flip violently over backwards and send me to the ER? That's not the case as all. As long as you start with little baby steps and don't over step your skill level at any one time, it's a fun process while learning.
Remember, Wheelies are against the law in every state. Make sure you practice in some desolate place where LEO seldom treads?
The side to side movement you get when you are up is most likely due to an over inflated tire. You won't get this side to side wobble until you get up pretty high. As long as the front is low with the bike under accelleration, there seems to be no side to side movement. Believe it or not, the faster you go, the easier it is to wheelie. Sustaining a wheelie at 60 mph is much harder than at 120 mph.
You don't have to crash to learn how to wheelie. Just take it in little baby steps. Learn to wheelie a foot high, then two feet and so on. Make sure you feel quite comfy doing a one foot wheelie before you move to a two footer. Then, start going for distance. First try doing a 100 footer then 125 etc. Pretty soon you'll be on one wheel for miles not feet.
The way I do a clutch wheelie (Start in low gear if you are inexperienced) is to begin with a rolling start. Once you are moving apply the throttle fairly aggressively, maybe half throttle. As the tach comes up through about 5K just bump the clutch with one or two fingers and increase the throttle at the same time. Not wide open but just slightly more than you have. If the front don't break contact, try it again and give it just slightly more throttle when you bump the clutch than you did the previous try. Soon you'll find that sweet spot on the throttle that works just perfect.
My suggestions to an inexperienced wheelie guy, is to learn to get the front up with throttle alone in low gear before working with the clutch. Master low gear throttle wheelies before moving up. If you are trying to learn how to get her up, the clutch just adds one more thing to think about. Keep it as simple as possible in the beginning.
I remember my first clutch wheelies. My fear was the bike would just flip violently over backwards and send me to the ER? That's not the case as all. As long as you start with little baby steps and don't over step your skill level at any one time, it's a fun process while learning.
Remember, Wheelies are against the law in every state. Make sure you practice in some desolate place where LEO seldom treads?
Uhh ... yeah ... and what happened to your faceshield again?Yes you can!!!!!! If I can do it - anybody can do it!!! I've done it once and I have to say I won't be doing it again on my busa until I have learned it well on something else. What a blast!!!There must be tons of info on this located throughout the org, and I have read alot of it. Yet still, no matter how much info I gather, I STILL can't do it!
Well, actually, I just don't have the nerve to hold it up. Get it up .... yes. Hold it up .... uh-uh.
Spigga said:
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Exactly!!! Again, make sure your tires are properly warmed up, esp. this time of year. It's real easy to try to clutch wheelie in low gear and just end up spinning the tire, possibly losing control.
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