How to learn to wheelie
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 62
From: 0,0,0
How to learn to wheelie
I keep reading posts asking how to wheelie. This is a technique that I have developed over the past year and has worked for several of my friends. Using this technique, they can all ride constant speed wheelies at 50mph+. I wanted to share this technique with everyone to see what they think about it, and maybe to help refine the technique. But more than anything else, I want as many people as possible to be able to pull off wheelies without breaking the speed limit or hitting the rev limiter!
Doing a good wheelie is all about throttle control. It's not just about knowing trivia about RPM, how to clutch or bounce. Sure that helps to get the front tire off the ground. But certainly that is the easy part. Not the hard part.
So here is what I recommend to everyone who asks me how to wheelie. Using this technique will allow you to learn without fear of crashing and without need for special hardware.
In general, all you do is LEARN TO BALANCE ON TWO WHEELS FIRST!
Here is what I recommend (NOTE: specific for a 929 but you can use this generally for GSXR1000, GSXR750, or R1 as well as similarly powered sportbikes):
* 2nd gear
* 45-85mph
* stand on pegs
* lock knees (keep them locked and straight)
* do not touch your knees to the gas tank
* do not use excessive or varying force on the handlebars to support yourself if you fall forwards or backwards
* take your left hand off the handlebar
* practice balancing yourself using only the throttle control
* Use the rear brake to get extra deceleration when needed
You can bounce up a wheelie from 40mph up to 100mph in 2nd gear on the 929 (stock gearing). It's hardest the slower you are going (significantly less torque below 4000 rpm). So practice balancing your bike on two wheels at 45-85 as this is your target speed for balancing a wheelie .. it will take a minimum of 5-10mph in acceleration to get the front wheel up .. so practice at least at 45mph and preferably more since that's where you'll be hitting the balance when doing your wheelies. 50-60 is good.
Practice balancing at first just going a constant speed. This is the easiest. Again, you are on two wheels. There's no fear. You will look stupid doing this, but the advantage is that you can do it continually everywhere without worrying about breaking the law or getting a ticket.
Balancing a wheelie requires the exact same motor memory as balancing your body as I am suggesting that you do. Motor memory requires practice to develop. Knowledge gives you nothing. For example, I have motor memory on my right hand to juggle 2 objects with one hand. So I know how to do that. But guess what? I can't do it for **** with my left hand. Another example is that I'm pretty sure I couldn't wheelie a 929RR if the throttle was on the left hand instead of the right. I could learn the motor memory required, but I assure you that I can't currently do it left handed. It's not about conscious knowledge. It's all about practicing to obtain the motor memory. Repetition and total practice time are your friends here.
The goal is to get several hours/days/miles of practice with throttle control behavior needed to balance your wheelies. If you do this for a few miles on one day and then try to wheelie, you just don't get it. Do it everywhere you go all the time. Not necessarily on group rides .. but when there's nobody around to say "why do you look so gay all the time when you ride around." Besides, you probably don't want them to learn what you're doing anyway so you can stun them later.
The reason most people who do wheelies do power wheelies is because they never practice throttle control as a method to balance a mass. They practice power wheelies in general. And they get real good at power wheelies. But power wheelies are easy. Balancing is hard. By learning to balance your body as a mass pivoting about the footpegs, you will then automatically know how to balance your body in conjunction with the bike as a larger mass pivoting about the rear axle. Because the bike is so heavy and has more angular mass than your body, it's actually easier to balance a wheelie than it is to do this exercise. That's because it reacts to the torque of the bike more slowly giving you more reaction time than just balancing your body. In this way, you can learn to ride a wheelie for 2-3 miles in a matter of weeks (maybe even days depending on your current skill). With some fatigue relieving strategies (dig knee into the front seat among others) along with some basic steering (just lean to one side) you can keep going for even longer distances.
Every time you touch your knees on the gas tank or are forced put your left hand back on the handlebar or put more force on your right hand to prevent from falling forwards, consider that "setting the wheelie down." Every time you fall back on the rear seat, have to bend your knees and/or sit down, or have to pull harder on handlebar to prevent from falling backwards, consider that "looping it." Then ride around and see how far you can go before virtually "setting down" or "looping it." Curse yourself when you have to "set down" unexpectedly. Curse yourself harder when you "loop it" unexpectedly. Do not try doing wheelies until you automatically save yourself from "looping it" by using the back brake instead of pulling on the bars. This is the critical motor memory to keep yourself from crashing.
If you are balanced and you consciously choose to sit down and do it in a controlled and deliberate sense .. then that's a good sit-down. No need to curse yourself for that.
Also, bending your knees is a crutch of since you can shift your weight as a substitute for throttle control. Similarly, putting weight on the front handlebar is also cheating. It's impossible not to put some weight on the front handlebars. But don't use it as a crutch or you won't learn anything.
As you get better, don't go off and try wheelies right away. Try to balance while speeding up. Try to balance while slowing down. See how much you can speed up and still balance. How much can you slow down (IE: using the brake) and still stay balanced.
I understand that this looks really gay and might even seem like a big joke. But it really does work. Hopefully in the next few days someone will respond with something to the effect of "wow it worked, Ahigh! I can do several miles now and before I could only do 1/4mile"
I welcome critical feedback and opinions from other riders. I am not claiming to be the best. But this has worked enough for my friends that I feel confident it will work for others too!
One more thing: several of my friends after learning how to do this like to go ride long wheelies on the freeway. Keep in mind that every second you are up on the freeway, you are gambling that a COP isn't going to see you. Once you learn how .. you need to be extra careful not to just ride 1-10 mile long wheelies everywhere you go just because you can. After time you will learn not to do it all the time .. but in the beginning when you first learn, it will take a lot of extra self control not to get busted right away from going overboard with your new motor-skills.
Good luck and please be safe!
Also, please post back if this works for you. You can post back if you try it and after a few weeks or so it still doesn't work. But give the 2-wheel practice some calendar time and lots of miles of practice (say for example 200-500 miles of balancing), and I promise it will work.
--
- Ahigh
Doing a good wheelie is all about throttle control. It's not just about knowing trivia about RPM, how to clutch or bounce. Sure that helps to get the front tire off the ground. But certainly that is the easy part. Not the hard part.
So here is what I recommend to everyone who asks me how to wheelie. Using this technique will allow you to learn without fear of crashing and without need for special hardware.
In general, all you do is LEARN TO BALANCE ON TWO WHEELS FIRST!
Here is what I recommend (NOTE: specific for a 929 but you can use this generally for GSXR1000, GSXR750, or R1 as well as similarly powered sportbikes):
* 2nd gear
* 45-85mph
* stand on pegs
* lock knees (keep them locked and straight)
* do not touch your knees to the gas tank
* do not use excessive or varying force on the handlebars to support yourself if you fall forwards or backwards
* take your left hand off the handlebar
* practice balancing yourself using only the throttle control
* Use the rear brake to get extra deceleration when needed
You can bounce up a wheelie from 40mph up to 100mph in 2nd gear on the 929 (stock gearing). It's hardest the slower you are going (significantly less torque below 4000 rpm). So practice balancing your bike on two wheels at 45-85 as this is your target speed for balancing a wheelie .. it will take a minimum of 5-10mph in acceleration to get the front wheel up .. so practice at least at 45mph and preferably more since that's where you'll be hitting the balance when doing your wheelies. 50-60 is good.
Practice balancing at first just going a constant speed. This is the easiest. Again, you are on two wheels. There's no fear. You will look stupid doing this, but the advantage is that you can do it continually everywhere without worrying about breaking the law or getting a ticket.
Balancing a wheelie requires the exact same motor memory as balancing your body as I am suggesting that you do. Motor memory requires practice to develop. Knowledge gives you nothing. For example, I have motor memory on my right hand to juggle 2 objects with one hand. So I know how to do that. But guess what? I can't do it for **** with my left hand. Another example is that I'm pretty sure I couldn't wheelie a 929RR if the throttle was on the left hand instead of the right. I could learn the motor memory required, but I assure you that I can't currently do it left handed. It's not about conscious knowledge. It's all about practicing to obtain the motor memory. Repetition and total practice time are your friends here.
The goal is to get several hours/days/miles of practice with throttle control behavior needed to balance your wheelies. If you do this for a few miles on one day and then try to wheelie, you just don't get it. Do it everywhere you go all the time. Not necessarily on group rides .. but when there's nobody around to say "why do you look so gay all the time when you ride around." Besides, you probably don't want them to learn what you're doing anyway so you can stun them later.
The reason most people who do wheelies do power wheelies is because they never practice throttle control as a method to balance a mass. They practice power wheelies in general. And they get real good at power wheelies. But power wheelies are easy. Balancing is hard. By learning to balance your body as a mass pivoting about the footpegs, you will then automatically know how to balance your body in conjunction with the bike as a larger mass pivoting about the rear axle. Because the bike is so heavy and has more angular mass than your body, it's actually easier to balance a wheelie than it is to do this exercise. That's because it reacts to the torque of the bike more slowly giving you more reaction time than just balancing your body. In this way, you can learn to ride a wheelie for 2-3 miles in a matter of weeks (maybe even days depending on your current skill). With some fatigue relieving strategies (dig knee into the front seat among others) along with some basic steering (just lean to one side) you can keep going for even longer distances.
Every time you touch your knees on the gas tank or are forced put your left hand back on the handlebar or put more force on your right hand to prevent from falling forwards, consider that "setting the wheelie down." Every time you fall back on the rear seat, have to bend your knees and/or sit down, or have to pull harder on handlebar to prevent from falling backwards, consider that "looping it." Then ride around and see how far you can go before virtually "setting down" or "looping it." Curse yourself when you have to "set down" unexpectedly. Curse yourself harder when you "loop it" unexpectedly. Do not try doing wheelies until you automatically save yourself from "looping it" by using the back brake instead of pulling on the bars. This is the critical motor memory to keep yourself from crashing.
If you are balanced and you consciously choose to sit down and do it in a controlled and deliberate sense .. then that's a good sit-down. No need to curse yourself for that.
Also, bending your knees is a crutch of since you can shift your weight as a substitute for throttle control. Similarly, putting weight on the front handlebar is also cheating. It's impossible not to put some weight on the front handlebars. But don't use it as a crutch or you won't learn anything.
As you get better, don't go off and try wheelies right away. Try to balance while speeding up. Try to balance while slowing down. See how much you can speed up and still balance. How much can you slow down (IE: using the brake) and still stay balanced.
I understand that this looks really gay and might even seem like a big joke. But it really does work. Hopefully in the next few days someone will respond with something to the effect of "wow it worked, Ahigh! I can do several miles now and before I could only do 1/4mile"
I welcome critical feedback and opinions from other riders. I am not claiming to be the best. But this has worked enough for my friends that I feel confident it will work for others too!
One more thing: several of my friends after learning how to do this like to go ride long wheelies on the freeway. Keep in mind that every second you are up on the freeway, you are gambling that a COP isn't going to see you. Once you learn how .. you need to be extra careful not to just ride 1-10 mile long wheelies everywhere you go just because you can. After time you will learn not to do it all the time .. but in the beginning when you first learn, it will take a lot of extra self control not to get busted right away from going overboard with your new motor-skills.
Good luck and please be safe!
Also, please post back if this works for you. You can post back if you try it and after a few weeks or so it still doesn't work. But give the 2-wheel practice some calendar time and lots of miles of practice (say for example 200-500 miles of balancing), and I promise it will work.
--
- Ahigh
SERVIN IT UP
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,234
From: USA
is this option #3 ?????
https://www.stuntlife.com/forums/att...=&postid=36368
https://www.stuntlife.com/forums/att...=&postid=36368
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 260
From: Las Vegas, NV (formerly Redmond, WA)
uhh.. i'd have to really ride my bike to render an opinion on what you're suggesting, because i don't think picturing it in my mind is really enough.. but it sounds like it definitely can't hurt.
i do question how MUCH it will help, however.. learning to balance as the bike moves on 2 wheels and balancing on 1 wheel are kinda apples and oranges. even between different types of wheelies it takes a lot of initial adjustment to progress (i.e. when i first started riding standups i looked like an assclown, despite the fact that i could already ride sitdowns past the balance point easy as cake).
personally, for me, the best way to "learn to wheelie" was to pop the throttle, and bring the front end up, and then immediately set it back down. then try to bring it up slower and hold it longer. repeat a few bajillion times and look who's icyhot now. i think this method of learning will pretty much work for anyone who has decent balance, can ride competently, and isn't a moron (and if you don't fufill those requirements WTF are you doing even thinking about wheelies)..
i do question how MUCH it will help, however.. learning to balance as the bike moves on 2 wheels and balancing on 1 wheel are kinda apples and oranges. even between different types of wheelies it takes a lot of initial adjustment to progress (i.e. when i first started riding standups i looked like an assclown, despite the fact that i could already ride sitdowns past the balance point easy as cake).
personally, for me, the best way to "learn to wheelie" was to pop the throttle, and bring the front end up, and then immediately set it back down. then try to bring it up slower and hold it longer. repeat a few bajillion times and look who's icyhot now. i think this method of learning will pretty much work for anyone who has decent balance, can ride competently, and isn't a moron (and if you don't fufill those requirements WTF are you doing even thinking about wheelies)..
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 6,187
From: wherever the $$$ is
oh hell naw!!!!
and when you do wreck, you can do option #1, sit there and look at your bike wondering what happened ( like Darius' avatar!!!)
or you can do #2 KEEP IT GANGSTA AND POSE ON THE BITCH LIKE ME!!
ya guppie lol
and when you do wreck, you can do option #1, sit there and look at your bike wondering what happened ( like Darius' avatar!!!)
or you can do #2 KEEP IT GANGSTA AND POSE ON THE BITCH LIKE ME!!
ya guppie lol
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 248
From: nj
distance wheelies locked
what about cats like me that do miles on the back pegs...yea you dont have the back brake to save your ***..but i think its easier on the rear pegs with legs bent cause you can lean your body back and balance the bike like that...and its easier to take corners ... who knows everbody has there own technic
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