:jump aka bump

 

As stupid as it sounds... i watched the Starboys video about 200 times. Saw what angle those guys were rolling them at.... then had my buddy video me. I watched it and over a very slow process learned how much throttle to give it. Then once you get ust to that it is just getting the balls to pull it up to the balance point from the very beginning, instead of slowly trying to loft the front end.

I think the easiest thing to do is to snap the throttle (in second) and standup all at the same time. pull the bike up to your chest with your arms. You can always throttle down for a smooth landing or even cover the rear brake with your foot.

Of course I am no wheelie expert, that is just my .02

 

clutch it at lower speeds in second, all stunters use the clutch makes for more control of the bike, and video taping yourself is an excellent idea

 

the R1 makes a great stuntbike, for the power it has. it sucks for several other reasons, but power isn't one of them, and it only sucks for hardcore stunters, not guys who ride 100yd wheelies. if you're not trying to get to the point of doing 12's or riding wheelies past a mile, the bike is fine.

secondly, it's just about being confident.. trust me you can go a LOT HIGHER.. i can ride a sit down wheelie in 2nd gear, usually around 85mph, high enough that i cannot physically see over the bike at all (i'm 6'2") by easily 8-10" if not more. if you ease into it, i.e. just hold the throttle open in the wheelie so you're accellerating hard, and then open it slightly so the bike comes higher.. keep doing that untill you can hold a given speed.. you'll find you can go a lot further than just "balanced". For some reason my 02 isn't as easy to do in a sitdown wheelie, but with my 99 i could watch the tack, at like 9,000rpm in 2nd wheelieing.. and then open the throttle and see the bike slow down as the tach would read 8800.. 8500.. 8000... etc... i've said it before the back of the balance point is just like the frontside.. curved.. it's not a slick slope you'll slide off. if you go past the balance point, close the throttle somewhat and you're fine.

also, if you do film.. that's a good way to see how very low you are for how high it feels (my initial reaction the first time i filmed).. also be aware you might be nervous the first few times and results will suck but that goes away once you get used to the camera.

here's a good example. screenshot i just took from Streets of Chaos II.. this guy rides this wheelie at probly 40mph for a good 30second at this height before he runs out of road. no flipping, he's fine because he stays calm and makes small adjustments. i woudln't reccomend being this high.. but see how highy u can go and still have it be a ride-able wheelie.. this is like 11:50.

 

I think the easiest thing to do is to snap the throttle (in second) and standup all at the same time. pull the bike up to your chest with your arms. You can always throttle down for a smooth landing or even cover the rear brake with your foot.

Of course I am no wheelie expert, that is just my .02

Some good stuff guys, thanks!!! Regarding standups, I met a guys a few weeks ago who told me he feels more controlled in a stand-up than a sit-down. He suggested I try it. So I did. I must not have goosed it enough cuz the front end came up just a few inches and then right back down and because I was standing at the time pulling all I could on the clip ons I must have turned a little cuz when it came back down I got some MAJOR head shake. I vowed at that time I wouldn't try standups again until I got a steering damper. Do you stand-upers have dampers?

So no difference in throttle control between fuel injected and carbuerated?

And how the heck do you spell carbuerated.....carbureated......carbeurated??????:iamwithst

I'm just a dumb engineer. Not a English teacher.

JG

 

naw, keep at the standups.. they do have a lot more control for me, at least steering-wise because i can lean so much further than if i was sitting down.. i can't steer a sitdown wheelie for crap (altho in swedie's vid he was doin a good job).

anyway, give i t10-15 tries before yo upass judgment on standups.. it is a different feel to get used to, but i like them a lot more, easier to steer, easier to ride high (and still see where you're going). make sure the wheel is straight when you drop out of it or you will get minor headshake.. i don't have a damper, and i'm usually okay, although occasionally i've gotten a bad one that's nearly thrown me off the bike.. but just hold on and it'll be ok

 

I can ride a standup 4 times longer then sitdown, more control, once you become comfortable with it, you can use your body as a counter weight to balance it better, although most people learn throttle control and balance first by dong sitdowns

eitherway ist practice practice practice, just like any other sport you learn through repetition

 

is it in my head??

i had an 01 that i used to be able to ride sit downs for a while. (i'm not trying to be a whellie king, just for a few hundred yards) then i flipped it and once it was totalled i got an 02. now, i can still get them up but i don't go nearly as long. i think some of it is mental but I KNOW some of it is the fuel injection. it is much more "instant on" than carbs. it didn't take me nearly as long to learn on the 01 as it is the 02 and i've had it since feb. i've been working on starting at slower speeds to ride them longer.

 

Ok, i could be wrong about this, but aren't the fuel injected models supposed to be smoother than the carbuerated models? Or does that just count for acceleration and not wheelies? Eh, i dunno...

 

the fuel injection definately makes for a smoother ride... that goes for everything... wheelies, racing... whatever... I mean its fuel injection !

I would stick with the standups. I feel you can judge the distance your front wheel is up. Keep that angle you are trying to achieve in your head. Get the steering damper. Personally I bought into the Scotts. They are nice little units, I have had no problems. Of course the Ohlins are good and the hyperpro... ect. You might wanna crank up the damper when doing the wheelies. Maybe just a click or two for good measure... ha ha.

 

here is a stupid question, can a strong wind gust make you loop a stand up?

 

throttle-cntrl, I disagree. the 01 and previous models were much easier to wheelie (imo), because of the linear delivery of the carbs. the powerband might have been far more pronounced, but the actual fuel delivery felt less twitchy, less on and off, than the 02s. I liked this characteristic more for wheelies.

otherwise, I like the 02 over the previous gen. in every category.

 

A brief update.....

Well I went ahead and attempted my second standup (1st one ended in a NASTY headshake a few months ago). Still don't have a damper but I tried anyway with a little more confidence. Actually got it to come up a little and it felt pretty good. I would say it did actually feel more in control than a sit down. Gonna practice more once the weather warms up in a couple days.

I really never thought I'd be the type to wheelie (I'm fairly conservative). My favorite is to explore the limits of the bike in the twisties but this wheelie thing is really starting to grow on me. Even though I really suck. Still haven't gotten to balance point but it's only a matter of time.

Thanks for the inspiration guys,

JG

 

i am trying 2nd gear clutch up sit downs and it seems like the bike jolts forward when i dump the clutch but the wheel never comes up. Can it be that I am not giving it enough throttle?

 

Probably not enough throttle. But you need to keep rolling it back after you open up the clutch still. I'm sure you prolly know that already, but just a friendly reminder

 

why does everyone say it is smoother than first? the bike jerks like hell when i dump the clutch

 

It's smoother once the wheel comes of the ground and easier to hold. There is less available low-end torque in second and also less engine braking, so it's alot easier to make minor adjustments. Where as in first it's alot like on or off.

 

Keep-up:

My god man go buy a stearing stablizer

If your not experienced in doing wheelies, I'd bet money that you will crash if you dont put one on, I'v been doing wheelies for 6 years now, and riding for 9 (not an expert but past a mile in second). I have never had a bike so head shake prone then the 1. Not only for wheelies, but from hitting shitty roads, and coming out of corners. My stablizer to my bike is equal to a light saber to a jedi knight.

:crash

I'm not trying to be a dick in saying your going to crash, just trying to get you to buy one to save your life, or serious injury.:bash

 

He has an '02. It shouldn't be nearly as unstable as your '98 was. Although i would still definately recommend getting one! It would be worth your money!

 

It doesnt matter what year your bike is, or the size of the motor, you should always have one. Especially if you do wheelies, iv seen the nastiest headshakes on a lot of different sportbikes, f4 r6, 900rr, vtr, and the 1.