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Wheelies 101

33K views 193 replies 86 participants last post by  iamnotgreg 
#1 ·
First off, it's definitely possible to learn wheelies without crashing as I am living proof, it just depends on how fast you want to learn. If you are impatient pick up a 2nd beater bike and take it to a parking lot, if you learn slow wheelies everything else is easy, I should add that you're most likely gonna drop this bike a couple times so don't use your nice bike. If anyone is interested in that post up, this write-up will explain highway wheelies.

I don't reccommend anyone trying to balance a wheelie without having rear brake control. Yes it's possible but there's a lot more factors that make it much more dangerous (wind, cars, road conditions, average speed that you're going to be traveling at, etc.) With that being said, I don't know of anyone that has crashed doing a wheelie on the street or highway who CAN wheelie (using the rear brake of course). With rear brake control you'll be able to slow way down, speed up, switch lanes, basically everything you can do on two wheelies can be done on one with the use of rear brake.

Before any of this is attempted you should be very comfortable with your bike and it should feel like an extention of your body, something that usually comes after a year or two of riding.

Once you're comfortable with your bike you'll want to start out with your left foot on the left passenger peg, your right foot on the front peg covering the brake. This will feel awkward at first but you'll get use to it. Have the bike in 2nd gear and USE THE CLUTCH, it's much more predictable than powering them up and will also become 2nd nature in time. I'd say somewhere around 45-55mph depending on what size bike. Don't worry about the height of your wheelie concentrate on being SMOOTH and using the rear brake. Practice using the back brake to bring the front end down even when you aren't anywhere near balanced out.

You don't want to chop the throttle shut and push the brake at the same time. Throttle control is very important, as you get comfortable with the rear brake you should clutch the bike up and LOCK YOUR WRIST OUT, meaning- DON'T PLAY WITH THE THROTTLE. You should be clutching the bike up and catching it with the back brake. Then use body position and brake application to balance out. Your throttle hand should be as still as possible.

Some common errors:

-Pay attention to your body position, most people hump the gas tank. You want to be relaxed and off the bike, straighten your legs!

-Weighting the bike: a lot of people will pull or or place more weight on one foot peg or clip-on. Everything should be balanced, there shouldn't be any pulling on the clip-ons or placing more weight on one foot, remember SMOOTH AND RELAXED, not stiff!

-lock that wrist out, don't play the throttle play the brake!

-Don't worry about what RPMs to clutch at, no one that I know can wheel looks down at their gauges before they wheelie. As you practice more you'll get use to engine noise and how much is necessary (which doesn't really matter because if you over clutch you'll be catching it with the back brake anyways)

Another thing I'd like to add is everyone does this different, these are the basics but I don't think any two people wheelie the same way, as you practice you'll find little things that differ that feel comfortable to you.

I think that's about it, good luck and if you kill yourself or wreck your bike it's not my fault :laughing
 
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#177 ·
Rolling it on
This is probably the safest way, to launch a wheelie, but it doesn't work on an EX-500, or many older 600's. Simply put, just gradually increase your throttle while in first gear, until you are wide open. If your bike has enough power, your front wheel will just come up.
 
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