Wheelie...

[SovietRobot]

Actually it would be quite easy. Where do you get the idea that this would be hard to do? Cerntainly not as easy as on an R1 but closer to very easy than to very difficult.

Clutch wheelies FTW

Best way to learn is on a cheap dirt bike.

I dunno, maybe I'm talking out of my ass, maybe I'm just speaking on personal experiences.

I should've said, it would be a lot harder to loop an FZ6 compared to most sport bikes.

Clutch wheelies are less predictable, but to each his own.
Honestly I don't care much for wheelies, but I felt like trying them on a private road so I did. It's not something I'll do often.

 

[jtarkany]

I weigh more than yamahamaxdrpms and I did wheelies using this method.

Don't let off the throttle for more than a fraction of a second.
Go from light throttle(to maintain speed) to fully closed, to fully open as fast as possible.

This does a couple things:
Introduces a "shock load" to the driveline
Uses the rebound of the front forks

Both of which aid in doing a wheelie

It's really smooth when it comes up, but it can be scary if you're not ready for it, and it takes some getting used to.

Well, I never really had a desire to do a wheelie on my FZ6 (ok, I'm lying ) but after seeing this thread and SovietRobots advice, I got a little curious.

After dropping my girls at school this morning, I went home and got my bike for the ride to work, as I left my driveway and headed down the street, the temptation over came me (quiet street, no traffic).

I did exactly as SovietRobot and slide_show suggested, from a roll (about 35 mph), in 1st gear at about 6500-7000 rpm, I let off the throttle, then goosed it about 1/2 throttle, the front end came up slick as snot, I let off, the front end dropped (no wobble), and my boys promptly kissed the tank, Ouch! :banghead:

As slide_show suggests, I will definitely find a safe, quiet place to practice this technique. I will also bring my wife along to dial 911, just in case

All in all, it worked fine, and it is at a slow speed. I kicked a little rep to both of you as it worked just like you said.

 

[inSaNo]

Since this is the most recent active wheelie topic, i'll post my question here.
I've been riding motorcycles for 6 years now, and i've allways loved wheelies..

But with the FZ6, i find it difficult to do a 2nd gear clutch wheelie..
I ride along in 2nd gear, doing about 7000rpm, and i then pop the clutch while giving some gas, and the bike lifts about 10cm, and thats it?!

With my other bikes, i've never had any problems like this..

1st gear wheelies go fine, as you can see [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkRKnqRrMOM"]here[/ame]. (too bad the parking lot was short)

But i really would like to do the 2nd gear wheelies also.. Any tips?
More RPM's in 2nd gear? and with what speed?
Or do i need to stiffen the rear suspension preload?

 

[NIN]

In my experience running @ 5,000 rpm in 1st, then clutching up to about 7,200 rpm and rolling into the throttle as you abruptly release the clutch works reliably. (Keep the back brake covered.) For 2nd, you'll need to rev up to around 10,000 rpm from 5,000. A little scary but there's really not enough torque to flip you in 2nd.

 

[jcfz6]

I've done it twice, running around 6k rpm in first and clutching it up to about 9k rpm, I don't really feel to comfortable with it. I'm about 240lbs and it seems like I have to push it pretty hard to get the front to lift up. But I'm fine never doing it again, just wanted to know that I could, and thats good enough for me...for now.

 

[Bakchos]

I have to say, we all love to squid a little, thats the spirit of the bike, just dont do it on the highway to showoff, find backroad, deadend street, and practice slowly.

My brother told me is SV650 would not lift the front wheel... i showed him it was...

My dad thought is FJR1300 would not do it, it did..
with the right "skills" almost any bike will do a wheelie, my FZ6 power wheelie in 1st, and i bright it up witch the clutch in 2nd easy.

Remember, this is not the 1st bike for me, i started in 1996, in 2001 i got a R-1, check out some old vids i had on youtube.

on this one i have to admit i was a squid, i was young and brainless
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkIpFrFDdgg]YouTube - ‪Yamaha R-1 2001‬‏[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87u3IjPmCU8]YouTube - ‪Little wheelie on Yamaha R-1‬‏[/ame]

I will try to fit my new camera on the FZ6.

 

[dxh24]

It's all about knowing your bikes powerband and preloading the front suspension just right, miss the sweet spot, look like a tard reving your engine and pulling back on the handlebars with no result Find a nice open area with as few obstacles as possible and practice practice, you can't expect to pull one after 2 or 3 tries. Once you find that sweetspot it'll gradually come easier and easier.

 

[dxh24]

Save up a grand and get a yz426f (my bike) or a crf450 (friends bike) and be a little enthusiastic with the throttle, she'll come up in 1st,2nd,3rd easily, 4th if you hit it right... I agree get your willys out on a dirtbike as their suspension is built for abuse whereas the fazer is meant to take fast turns and bumps...

 

[LeaN69]

1st gear wheelies on the FZ is very simple, 2nd gear is a hit or miss usually. Here a vid I got on my FZ from couple weeks ago

I will probably get flamed and banned for this!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX2CiJpM83I]YouTube - ‪Sunday Ride‬‏[/ame]

 

[Dadeadlyraccoon]

a light, one finger blip of the clutch and a roll of the throttle in 1st gear brings the front end right up to the balance point, and I'm 6ft 200lbs. Growing up on dirtbikes, the fz is an absolute monster compared to a 250cc motocross bike. Plus learning how to use the back brake in a wheelie will give you control and save your life. I could ride wheelies all day long through gears and all that jazz on the dirtbike but I am no where near that point on the fz, once you get the clutch and brake down, then it's just practice, practice, practice. :rockon:
btw, check out sportbikewrench's channel for wheelies and endos on youtube, its a concise lession in wheelies on a sportbike. It solved my issue when I was just trying to power wheelie.

 

[chunkygoat]

Power wheelies are definitely easier to get the gist of the wheelie. Its easier to get comfortable with the front wheel off the ground. But hammering the throttle harder will bring your front wheel higher, but make you accelerate faster. The higher you want to lift it, the faster you have to go. It is the more stable, and easier way to learn to wheelie - but much more difficult to control your speed.

Clutch wheelies are my favorite. You can wheelie at a more comfortable speed using your clutch, and control your speed easier. This definitely wears your clutch, and for learning I wouldn't suggest it. I stretched my chain and needed new sprockets a few thousand miles earlier than I should have.

But, the clutch wheelie is so fun if this is your thang, but you may go through a few sprockets and chains before you get it down pat. Its a more advanced method, and really I enjoyed finding the limits of my clutch, the limits of my traction, and my torque -- even in case of an emergency I would know what it would feel like if I really had to slip the clutch fast to get out.

So that's my take - power wheelies I don't really mess with - the clutch wheelie is the way to go if you want to keep your speed reasonable.

 

[MarkG813]

I'm not going to lie, but I've practiced wheelies a lot on the fz6. I probably had 1 decent wheelie at 50 attempts. I Was never able to do 2nd gear wheelies. The bike just never wanted to come up. I just did a 520 -1/+2 conversion and the bike will easily come up in second! I highly recommend this for anyone wanted to learn wheelies.

 

[ChevyFazer]

Power wheelies are definitely easier to get the gist of the wheelie. Its easier to get comfortable with the front wheel off the ground. But hammering the throttle harder will bring your front wheel higher, but make you accelerate faster. The higher you want to lift it, the faster you have to go. It is the more stable, and easier way to learn to wheelie - but much more difficult to control your speed.

Clutch wheelies are my favorite. You can wheelie at a more comfortable speed using your clutch, and control your speed easier. This definitely wears your clutch, and for learning I wouldn't suggest it. I stretched my chain and needed new sprockets a few thousand miles earlier than I should have.

But, the clutch wheelie is so fun if this is your thang, but you may go through a few sprockets and chains before you get it down pat. Its a more advanced method, and really I enjoyed finding the limits of my clutch, the limits of my traction, and my torque -- even in case of an emergency I would know what it would feel like if I really had to slip the clutch fast to get out.

So that's my take - power wheelies I don't really mess with - the clutch wheelie is the way to go if you want to keep your speed reasonable.

Yeah power wheelies for beginners, burnt clutches for intermediates, and clutch wheelies for advance!!

I fall in the intermediates lol I got the powers relies down pat and can even power I up in 2nd with some severe on off throttle action, I want to learn how to clutch I up but every time I try I just end up slipping the damn clutch or spinning the rear....BUT I haven't tried clutching it up since I adjusted my preload from 1 to 6 so that might have been why

 

[Darth Fazer]

I'd like to add that when you have the front wheel off the ground, DON'T just roll off the throttle abruptly to get it back down, you'll slam down & may loose control. Keep the throttle on & give it a little rear brake & she'll sit down gently. Just give yourself PLENTY OF SPACE! I've even had my shaft-driven '83 750 Honda Shadow in a perfect 45 degree wheelie (the 1st time by accident trying to burn out)! BTW, I don't recommend doing a wheelie on a shaft-drive, as the nose tries to pull to the left due to rotational torque. Very scary!

 

[ChevyFazer]

That's awesome!!! Id love to see a picture of that hint on 1 wheel, kind of like goldwings doing wheelies with a passenger on, that's awesome too!!!

 

[jcombs]

I'm terrified the bike will loop. I've looped on a dirt bike before years ago by slipping the clutch and it just scares me. I mean...I don't see how it doesn't loop on over every single time!

 

[ChevyFazer]

I'm terrified the bike will loop. I've looped on a dirt bike before years ago by slipping the clutch and it just scares me. I mean...I don't see how it doesn't loop on over every single time!

It's all about finesse, for power wheelies and clutch. I still haven't gotten the clutching it up down so I can't speak on that but I can get it up all day by powering it up. If you want to learn how it's real easy once you get over the initial fear. First, if you do want to learn pick out a good parking lot or abandoned stretch of road at a minimum of 200yds long, the longer the better. Once you find this place ride around it looking at the ground to make sure there isn't any sand or debris in the area you plan on practicing. As long as you feel comfortable with the place you picked and with trying in the first place, then the next step is getting on your bike and doing it. The bike has enough power that you don't need to do anything other than twisting the throttle, but you have to do it within the range of 5,000-7,000 rpms. So you need to get your bike going in a straight line in 1st gear holding steady in that 5k-7k zone, you can either do it from a dead stop or already have your bike moving and turn into your "lane" and hold a steady pace, and once your ready twist the throttle back about a 1/4 from WOT, the front tire should come up nice and smooth, if it doesn't or you don't quite feel comfortable just jumping right in, then do everything the same but when your holding that pace, adjust how much throttle you give it and keep adding more and more until the front does lift nice and smooth, and always make sure your right foot is ready to hit the back break just in case. Once you figure out how much throttle it takes to lift her up then you can work on controlling it. Once it's up it's very easy to control, after the initial "up" your going to want to back off the throttle a little bit to stop that rotational momentum, or you can use the rear brakes for the same effect. I personally never use the rear brake to control it, and rarely use it period unless I gave the bike too much gas and feel it wants to tip. Where you start the wheelie also effects how long you can ride it and how you need to start it. If you start it closer to 5k then it will take a good bit of twist to get it up, but once it's up you can ride it for a good little ways. Starting at 6k I think is the best and easiest, it doesn't take much twist to get it up and the bike still has plenty of rpms to go. Starting at 7k and above can be tricky since you already have some decent speed going on, and because of that it also takes a good bit of twist. Plus it runs out of gear pretty quick, but if you find the right rpm in this 7k+ range you can just nail it and it comes up nice and smooth and will tote the front tire about a foot and a half off the ground all the way to redline and set it back down nice and smooth too.

 

[The Hill Boys]

My 17 year old has gotten both down (pisses me off). I'm terrified of looping on the street. I have long legs and big feet so covering the rear brake requires extra effort. We were practicing on the dirt bikes for hours and I was finally starting to get comfortable clutching so I decided to add a little height to try to find the balance point. Next thing I knew, I was sprawled out on the ground watching my bike ride off without me. My son was laughing his @ss off. He said I looped it back, initially landed on both feet, pushed the handle bars forward (causing the bike to land and continue to roll) and then I ending up face down in the dust. I don't even remember having time to cover the rear brake. After that little episode, I decided to just enjoy watching others.

But....sh!t still happens....

Oh, and the two best places to practice are either a church parking lot or a hospital parking lot....

 

[Darth Fazer]

That's awesome!!! Id love to see a picture of that hint on 1 wheel, kind of like goldwings doing wheelies with a passenger on, that's awesome too!!!

I had a friend who was trying to do a burn-out in front of my house on his Valkyrie, as he has many times, but had his sister on the back this time & because of her added weight on the back, it pulled a massive wheelie that a six cylinder 800 lb bike has no business doing! :spank: Scared the s**t out of her; she told me later that one minute she was messing with her hair & the next she looked over her shoulder & saw the ground!

 

[jcombs]

It's all about finesse, for power wheelies and clutch.

Followed your instructions ChevyFazer...got the wheel up off the ground! Feelin much more comfortable!
Wheelie1.MOV - YouTube