yes I would highly advise you to get a steering dampner there is a couple of good modeles out there it is just preference I like the scotts the best for me becouse you can adjust it on the run or with out getting of your bike

1st gear wheelies are very easy but you have to be very carfull becouse it can flip. Just basically get it to about 4 to 5 thousand RPM and hit the throttle until it comes up it just takes a lot of practice and the first couple of times it will scare the shit out of you and if it comes to far just realese the throttle and it wil come down. So all I can realy say is just be very carefull

 

Hi,

I had the 2000 R1 for a while and learnt to do first gear wheelies over quite a long time. The best thing is to start off slowly. Try to pick it up a little at a time. Don't give it serious gas and pop the clutch. When you get comfortable with lifting it a little give it a bit more gas and lift it up higher.
Thats how I learnt, took a long time though.

 

Thanks R1Rider and Fantini, I will give it a go

When the front come down does the steering shake??


Thanks

 

Hi R1Power. Welcome to the forum. You'll find very helpful folks here.

As far as steering dampers are concerned, my opinion is you should get one before you get your next tank of gas!!! My personal preference is Ohlins (also adjustable on the fly), but it's typically more expensive than other brands.

I rarely ever do 1st gear wheelies. The R1 is just too strong in first. So strong that the likelyhood of flipping is just too high. If you are bent on doing 'em, PLEASE where leathers, boots, gloves and of course a helmet. Prepare for the worst...hope for the best

 

Hi,

One of my conserns with wheeling was having the front shake when it comes down, but I have never had it shake, even if the wheel is not 100% straight.

Cheers.

 

not realy off first gear. it never happend to me before I got my steering dampner.

 

keep your hand off the front brake lever for one,get used of covering the rear brake pedal..the angle your foot is when standing up is a bit awkward...practice is the key.

but its hard on mecanical devices(suspensions,head bearings and frame,fork seals,chain,sprockets,cush-drive donuts)

 

It's my experience that the R1 won't flip unless you give it a really big handful in first. Try taking off at normal pace and then giving the throttle a bit of a hit when the revs are around 3 or 4 thousand rpm. With practice you will learn just how much you need to hit the throttle to get the front up. When I got my first R1 I'd heard all the talk about it being a wheelie monster and was fairly intimidated as well, but it really does need you to make a conscoius attempt to wheelie or the front won't lift. (unless your pretty high up in the rev range).

The front wheel may give one quick shake as you come down, but I've never found it to be a problem. I don't believe in steering dampers, unless you ride on lots of bumpy roads I think you're better of spending your money on the suspension. If your worried about the front going light and shaking under hard acceleration then try increasing the spring preload on the rear shock to minimize the rear ending squatting.

 

Get a cup

 

hey guys...my oppinion on wheelies:

1st gear is too much torque and power for wheelies, but that's the only way to switch on 2nd gear....heres how i do my wheelies i start at 2,500 -3000 RPM ..no more ... comes up nice and not freaky fast and easy to find your comfortable spot on the back wheel...but if u r not lucky enough to find your sweet spot right away i would put it down... many times when i wasn't lucky to find my sweet spot i was giving it and letting off the throttle basically was playing with it and about i'd say 5 times i went almost 90 degrees ..just my oppinion ...

thnx ride safe..:rock

 

Thanks for all the replies.

Ok I had an attemp today and didn't lift the front on 1st gear. I think i need to give it more gas.

Couple more questions...

What positions should i be in when I try to wheelie... ?Standing up or sitting down. move my ass towards the back or on the tank.

Do i need to pull on the steering as I give it a bit of gas to help get the front up??


Many thanks

 

The farther back you sit the easier it will come up.

 

Thanks dude

Will try it :rock

 

If you just hold the throttle wfo in first it will come up when it hits the powerband around 6k. Try doing that a few times to get a feel for the front lifting. If you run it to 6k in 1st and grab a handful, it will come straight up even if you are sitting on the front fender. :thumbup

 

Here are my tips for wheelying the R1.

1. RELAX!! Big torque + tense muscles is not a good combo. By relaxing your body, you will be better prepared to ride smooth wheelies.

2. If you're going to wheelie in 1st, try to get it up at lower RPM's. This will allow you to focus on technique and also minimize the possibility of flipping.

3. I'd start with the throttle on-off-on technique. Open it up to about 5000 rpm, shut the throttle, then quickly twist it about half way and the front should come up. You'll freak out the first few times but you'll get used to it.

Give it time, before you know it you'll be ripping 100mph stand-ups through the Outback!

 

I have never been able to do the throttle on off thing...I've always been able to clutch it up at 5k much easier in 1st or 2nd....every time i try the on off thing....it comes up fast and I feel like I'm going to lose control because my speed goes up so quick......
Am I doing the on off thing wrong.....

 

Thanks for all the replies.

Ok I had an attemp today and didn't lift the front on 1st gear. I think i need to give it more gas.

Hmmm....I'm surprised to hear that. 1st gear has lots of torque. The front wheel should be coming up with ease, lots of ease. If you are rolling along about 4 grand on the rpm's and you whack the throttle, it's hard to keep it down. Hell you can roll on at 4 grand...the front wheel should be kissing the sky. No tug, no sitting back, no clutch.

I guess just keep practicing. I would invest in some frame sliders before a steering damper at this point, if I were you.

Let me address a few of the questions you've asked. As far as sitting or standing, stay sitting for now. The bike is a little more stable sitting. Stand up wheelies are more fun, but require more skill, and are usually started in 2nd rather than 1st gear. Set that as a long term goal for yourself. Sitting back in the seat will help it come up easier. I suppose you could tug the bars (it doesn't hurt), but I think you'll find you won't need to once you find the meat of the powerband in 1st gear. You should be aware that you can get some headshake coming back down, but since we are only talking about 1st, it's not a big worry for you right now. Hence my recommendation for the sliders first. When you start asking about 2nd gear wheelies, then lets talk damper.


You know, I don't know how feasible it is but I learned lots and lots by riding dirtbikes. I went out and bought like a $200 beat up CR250 and dogged the shit out of it. The main thing I learned from that bike was balance point. You learn balance point and you can wheelie for days..er, well miles anyway.

Just take 'er slow brother...hope it goes well. :thumbup



P.S. And let me just clarify that I'm in no way any kind of expert on wheelies! I just start testing the waters with stand-up 2nd gear wheelies....stand up, bounce the pegs to compress the shocks AND get off the throttle all at the same time...then tug the bars AND crack the throttle at just the right rpm's...then hold it...then shift...then, **** I'm lost!

 

Earl,

Thank you for the detail post.

hmm frame slider and ohlin damper is on the shopping list. What is the difference between Ohlin and Scott??

I was thinking the same thing about buying an old dirt bike to practice wheelie on :thumbup


Battles,

Thanks for the tips



This might sound stupid but i'm going to ask anyway.
What happen when you flip the baby??
Do you have time to use your leg(s) to keep the bike off you??
or Do you have time to roll away to safety??

I am just trying to prepared myself in case...


Once again thanks to all for posting. :rock

Cheers

 

If you feel the bike about to flip, get off the gas and TAP the rear brake, will come right back down to normal.

 

No problem man, glad to help any way I can.

Both the Ohlins and Scotts are excellent dampers. The difference is in what style you are going for.

The Scotts is designed by Ohlins, so they are both top of the line stuff for an R1.

Well I've never flipped a sportbike, but I have flipped a dirtbike once or twice. If you tap the tail and hang on, then you might be able to recover. Believe it or not, people do that shit on purpose. It's called a 12 'o clock wheelie.

But if you let go, then it's going to do what a dirtbike would do. You fall off and tumble. The bike will more than likely keep going for a few feet then tumble as well. It would be hard to bring up the wheel so hard that it would flip on top of you...but if you really really tried, than I suppose you could. I don't think you can prepare yourself for a flip. Once the shit hits the fan, it'll be over before you know it. You'll do whatever is instinctive I bet.

Good luck in your endeavor!

 

1st gear wheelies

hi everybody, i've literaly just joined this forum and i must say what a fuckin top site. anyway down to business..... i have had my 98 r1 for just over 1 month and today have found a half decent way of doing 1st gear wheelies that works for me... try doing about 30mph in first havent got a friggin clue what rpm that = but then wind it on good and fast as soon you feel it rise which is real easy then instead of letting go of the throttle just roll off a right little bit. i found what this does is keeps the front hovering about 6-8 inches off the floor it feels like your front wheel is in the clouds for a novice anyway but i managed to keep it up for about 2-3 hundred yards like this and now feel like valentino rossi but **** me a shit myself but what a good felling:rock :rock:thumbup

 

Flips

R1Power, I have been on the business end of a flip, and PLEASE TRUST ME, you don't want to do it. Take plenty of time getting used to your bike and it's seemingly limitless power. To answer your questions, once the flip starts, there isn't alot you can do. It is over before you know it, and I was lucky in that I only twisted my knee. It could have been much worse. So please be very, very careful.:crash

 

be ready to spend some money, honey

I have been doing 1st an 2nd wheelies lately. And a girl so doing this wheelie is a must. I wack it at about 4500 or 5000 rpm an she comes right up no pulling or sitting back although sitting back recommended.
Instinct wants to sit close to the tank. But I have scared myself an came up to fast let off the gas came down so hard I was black an blue an hurts vains in my croch area ..:cryin
then going back for more, praticing, testing my abilitys. Now I am buying new rotors an a new rim that I also have to get chromed.
So bout 700 all for lookin cool an showin off.
But it was worth it . And is addicting. Now I go with the gas at bout 6000 in 2nd. SIttin back, bouncing an tugging. but girls got it going on. good luck in your ventures.

 

YAY :rock

I did it. Well didn't travel far on one wheel but i did it just the same :thumbup Man did I shit myself
I just have to keep practicing. hmm might be better if I get an old dirt bike to practice on don't want to hurt (demage) my baby too much :makeout

You guys and gals are tops. No wonder this is the top site.

hmm think I might go with Ohlin. It look so sexy.


dfastr1, man I have to get my wife to read your post She got full open license for bit over 10 years now. but she is too afraid she can't hold the bike up

man you go gal :thumbup and you :rock

 

Well.. I had a 95 F3 last year as my first bike and tried to do wheelies but I couldn't get the damn thing up. I just couldn't find that sweet spot.

So this year, I traded it in for 99 R1. Before I left a dealer I was so intimidated by this bike! I aw almost scared to ride it home thinking it will pull right from below me lol

So after putting about 500 miles in 3 days I had an idea how to do whellies.. and now since I had all these balls between my legs I said, what the hell let me try just a tiny little bit

So I started going from a green light, on first gear, looked at the speed , I was going about 30-35/mph and tach was showing somewhere around 5K, so I went off the throttle to dump the forks, and twisted it and that thing just went up!!!!!!!!!!! I know I was up for one second and about 5 inches of the ground but damn! what a feeling!!!!!!

Once you find that "sweet" spot you will know when to hit it.

I am still scared to keep my throttle up to keep it in the air, but I decided to go baby steps.. one thing at the time..learn and get used to the feeling, step by step, small wheelie by small wheelie..

With time I am sure I will learn to do them longer, shift and all that fancy stuff..