JD

Ok, I know ive been on this site forever and im asking for BASIC advice but dont bash me too much i havent had my bike even a year and just been taking my time getting used to riding... lol... This will probably be pretty long to so bare with me and thanks in advance to anyone that can give me some advice on this....
Info:

2003 F4i, all stock bike except Two bros slip on exhaust...
im a pretty big guy 5'7ish 240#ish.... bike is all stock except

I've searched up threads and read the HOW TO also but just wanna ask a question anyway so maybe someone can help me out here...

Ok, ive only attempted to clutch it up like twice and never even left the ground.... this was last year when i hadnt been ridin really long and havent tried since...

Now I know from what I have read that clutching it up and staggered is the best way to learn really.... but the small power wheelies im doing is making me question myself about trying to clutch it up...

About.... prolly 60% of the time that I power it up, im not getting up very high or holding it up long even... its nothing impressive by any means BUT... when the front wheel sits down im noticing some headshake, its not insanely violent like a tank slapper but its basically similar to that but not as intense... So from what I already know, the only reason(that i know of anyway) that Im getting that is the front wheel is coming down crooked right?

I cant for some reason figure it out, I sit at normal position... accelerate, let the throttle go to load the front end and smash the throttle to power it up... but TO ME it SEEMS like my arms are straight... I've only had it happen bad once and THAT time I did come down crooked it was my own fault it was like the 2nd time i tried to bring it up... but all the other times i THINK im doing everything right to power it up...

I know a steering dampener would be a good investment but I dont have the money for that not to mention I need to fix this issue and not find a work-around to it.... anyone else have this problem when first starting out? I would try to clutch it up but with this issue im having and wheel only being off the ground a mere few seconds im thinking the outcome will be a lot more harsh being off the ground longer/higher...

Any input highly appreciated...

JD

hazemabdulrab

ok listen i didnt read ur thread because it was too long but the advice i'll give is ---------POP A WHEELIE!!!!!!....sorry im blown

JD

lol awesome!

Its all good, i know it is long but a lot of times people ask for advice and dont get very specific... i find that if ya lookin for help, ellaborate on the issue for a more detailed solution.... thanks anyway though

chirpin4th

"Mabey stunting just ain't your game, I know! how bout a spelling contest."

Although I didn't read your whole post either I stopped when I read youve only clutched it a couple of times.
After about 500 hundred attempts if you still having problems
ask.


Seriously these guys that are killing ****.. prolly clutch there **** between 100-300 times everytime they practice.

hazemabdulrab

man thats dirty......c'mon give the guy the advice he needs

Joker

He is right, find a good spot and practice, practice, practice. I don' think a lot of people know how much practice it takes to learn this stuff. I practice 3 or 4 times a week for 3-5 hours a crack and finally after a couple of months I'm starting to learn brake control. Maybe I'm a slow learner, maybe I'm not but it takes a lot of dedication and a lot of repetition. I think if you truly love stunting the hours upon hours of clutching it over and over again will actually be fun. If you don't then you will probably give up early. If you truly do want it though then keep going, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Last weekend when I started slowing my **** down I felt like I was king of the world. Bottom line is if you go out and practice everytime you have free time and clutch it until you can't hold the clutch lever against the bar anymore you will get it.

chet3310

Forget doing power wheelies. From experience, you will learn that they are pointless for a good wheelie because you're running out of gear because you're to high in the rpms when you start bringing it up. I learned on my 01 F4i (stock gearing) to do highway wheelies first and then slowed it down once I got that down. Staggered, when your in 2nd (with your pointer finger)bring in your clutch just enough to disengage it, then womp your rpms and let out and always cover your rear brake. Do it a few times to get used to it then try hitting the BP (balance point). Once you hit and master that, you can ride staggered wheelies for miles if need be. Slower wheelies take more balance and precision (to me at least), it will come just practice.

DBOUNCE1

do you look at the tach? gotta do it all by sound in my oppinion

DBOUNCE1

take baby steps too, but stand up in staggered position and look straight ahead let bike roll to almost complete stop with clutch it then BRAAAP

chet3310

You gotta "feel it out" for sure!

JD

I understand what your saying, I know that practice makes perfect.... my thing is I'm trying to figure out what it is about me coming down crooked or what the hell my deal is with THAT, because although it hasnt been bad but a few times, if i am coming down crooked the more its up/longer then MAYBE the more crooked ima come down and go into a full blown tankslapper... im not trying to have someone do it for me, but i dont understand what the deal is... maybe when im crackin the throttle with my right hand maybe im pullin the right side a BIT, just enough to upset the front when i sit it down....

I plan on learning stuff slowly and trying more and more stuff... but i wanna figure out what im doing wrong and WHY ya know?

JD

I dont know of any spots, and not many people I know or ride with are into learning how to stunt or anything... I can find some backroads or somethin to play around on that has no traffic on em but thas bout it for the time being... i really want to learn and better myself for sure...

DBOUNCE1

yes chances are you are pulling more with the right hand and you said you power em up a sometimes and even if you use the clutch you prolly still chase the whoolie since ur learning. so what happens is you run outta RPM's by the time you ser it down you are putting the full weight of the bike on the front end where you should have some engine to accelerate right before contach to lessen the shake

JD

Yep I already have known from reading everyones posts that power wheelies are a LOT more unpredictable/unstable and inefficient... thanks a LOT man for the explanation...



Nah I dont look at the tach, i do it by sound and feel but again i just have powered it up so far...



So totally forget power wheelies all together then right?

Joker

YES

J Dollaz

Bro that is Great advice.
get your *** in the seat more often,
And clutch them up..I have to do the same thing,
it does not happen in one day, usually after
a few broken bones a few bikes and other minor injuries,
you might have the skil lto comp with these guys.

I could say i've done about 500+ powere wheelies
and like 20+ clutches, and they still suck, Maybe one 1 out of all of them IMpressed me, (they impress eevryones else cuz to the naked eye
1 wheel on the ground is a wheelie) but if you dont have BLOX you aint got shyt...So all i can say is practice practice practice,...

ANd get that Damper you will notcie a big difference.
Mine came stock with 1!!! behind the tree clamp!!
Obviosly not a stunt bike,(but a wheelie machine!!)

Wheelie pics and vids coming shortly,
as soon as i think they are worthy!!!

JD

Aight THATS exactly what I was wondering I think... that makes a lot of sense... but what do ya mean by chasing the wheelie? Also im thinking when Im doing a sit down im sitting right up on the tank, like how i normally ride... when doiing a sit-down should i sit more upright or more back on the seat some?

See a LOT of my issue is it took me a long while to understand the clutch.... I've NEVER drove anything with a clutch until I got my f4i last summer... still havent drove a car with a clutch, drove a quad ONCE with a clutch... so that in itself was a DEFINITE learning experience lol... which ive had it down no problems for a long while but just understanding how it will react and how much rpms to rev up before dropping it is kinda vague...

Also i know one thing that may have messed me up when i tried to clutch it was i pulled the clutch all the way in and let it out quick but didnt dump it... it sounds like i pull in the clutch just to wear it disengages like said earlier... rev some then totally dump it and not ease it out at all or slowly let it out right?

J Dollaz

I have to Get those powers off my mind too!
there so ez they Dont even count!!!
but i cant manage to get to BP on them,
its like i chase the front wheel to redline!!!

JD

thanks to everyone replyin for real.....

TNDragonrnr

^^ Forget it...clutch, clutch, and clutch.