My wheelie progression

[syntarx]

I know I might not make friends by starting this thread, but honestly I don't need them. This is for those ADHD heads (like me) that love stupid ideas.

Again, I own an XSR700 since about a year and a T7 since two or three weeks. The XSR was my first bike.  They are both restricted to 35kw (47hp).

While practicing for my driver's test (slalom, slow driving, figure 8 riding and so on) I did try to pop the front wheel, but I never got it up. Also, I was really scared of looping out, because the bike would've probably been totaled. So I stopped.

But now, with the T7 and a loooot of Adam Riemann and Chris Birch videos, the need and the want to do wheelies sparked again. I went on a little practicing run two days ago. This is how it went:

I started trying power wheelies, but after 3 mins I figured out that my restricted bike is simply too weak to do that. I then tried to remember what Mr Birch said. "Give a little gas, pull in the clutch, rev it up, dump the clutch". After about 10 tries I started getting the front wheel up quite regularly. Sometimes a little bit too far up for comfort. Rear brake and pulling the clutch in always brought me back down. Pheeew! The excitement and anxiety was on peak level. I figured, rather stop here than in the hospital.

Went out again yesterday and had some good pops again, but not a lot of progression. Patience and a lot of training is key, I guess.

Oh, btw, I'm only doing sitting wheelies (tries) as of now. As soon as I can do the "Rev, clutch, dump" in my sleep, I will try it while standing. Veeeerrryyy scared of them, but they look soo cool.

I guess advice on doing wheelies with a restricted bike will be very scarce, but hey, maybe someone know a trick or two.

Feel free to roast me if you're unhappy about the young motorcycle generation. Jokes aside, would love this to be an entertaining, yet educational thread.

Peace out!

[CamT]

I do a lot of off-road riding and I am working on wheelies too. I see them as a practical thing to float that front wheel over logs etc. 

I can do decent ones on pavement, but on dirt I want to work on getting more “pop” using the clutch. currently I’m relying on the low lug abilities of the tenere mixed with good traction. But when traction isn’t as good then it doesn’t work. So that’s my next step. 
After also watching Chris birch and ARieman videos, I found the timing of the “jump” to compress the suspension and then sliding to sit back further on the seat to be a game changer. You mentioned you aren’t standing yet so maybe that’s your next step?

it can feel goofy if you don’t time it right , like it isn’t doing anything. and then all of a sudden you hit the sweet spot and are staring into the sun, with surprisingly little effort.

that’s one thing I took to heart- if you’re exerting energy or trying to muscle the bike to do it, then it’s wrong lol

 

i have more aggressive tires now so hoping I can start getting the clutch into my technique more and get some results on dirt 

 

[syntarx]

42 minutes ago, CamT said:

I do a lot of off-road riding and I am working on wheelies too. I see them as a practical thing to float that front wheel over logs etc. 

I can do decent ones on pavement, but on dirt I want to work on getting more “pop” using the clutch. currently I’m relying on the low lug abilities of the tenere mixed with good traction. But when traction isn’t as good then it doesn’t work. So that’s my next step. 
After also watching Chris birch and ARieman videos, I found the timing of the “jump” to compress the suspension and then sliding to sit back further on the seat to be a game changer. You mentioned you aren’t standing yet so maybe that’s your next step?

it can feel goofy if you don’t time it right , like it isn’t doing anything. and then all of a sudden you hit the sweet spot and are staring into the sun, with surprisingly little effort.

that’s one thing I took to heart- if you’re exerting energy or trying to muscle the bike to do it, then it’s wrong lol

 

i have more aggressive tires now so hoping I can start getting the clutch into my technique more and get some results on dirt 

 

Thanks for sharing your experience! I want to master it mainly for the off-road use too. Popping the front when a log or a pothole is around the corner seems like a pain saving thing. And not gonna lie, impressing the girls with a wheelie sounds fun too, but that's just a "side gig", hahaha.

I will definitely try to put the standing up and the clutch work together soon. Gotta get a little more confident on this behemoth of a bike first tho.

[Montesa_VR]

I learned how to do wheelies on a 100cc Hodaka with 6 horsepower. I never learned how to use the clutch because the bike was so light you could almost get the front wheel up just by bouncing on the underdamped fork.  I never learned how to use the brake, because in second gear, if I looped it I could run fast enough to set it back down. I can't imagine trying to learn on a 450 lb. motorcycle. Good luck to you.

[Hibobb]

This will be good, send videos...

[syntarx]

45 minutes ago, Montesa_VR said:

I learned how to do wheelies on a 100cc Hodaka with 6 horsepower. I never learned how to use the clutch because the bike was so light you could almost get the front wheel up just by bouncing on the underdamped fork.  I never learned how to use the brake, because in second gear, if I looped it I could run fast enough to set it back down. I can't imagine trying to learn on a 450 lb. motorcycle. Good luck to you.

That's what I meant by stupid ideas. I'm aware that It's not very wise to learn it on such a heavy bike, but gut given that it's restricted, and I can only learn to wheelie with perfect clutch technique and weight distribution it might not even be that stupid.

[syntarx]

45 minutes ago, Hibobb said:

This will be good, send videos...

I will try to take some videos when I go out to practice next time.

[Hibobb]

16 minutes ago, syntarx said:

I can only learn to wheelie with perfect clutch technique and weight distribution it might not even be that stupid

Ya have to trust us old guys... YES, it is that stupid. 

You learn thru your mistakes, and on the T7 they will be expensive.

Buy a old dirt motorcycle to learn on, then sell it next year (Two bikes are always better than one anyways). Your overall cost will be much less that new parts on the T7, plus it will be wayyy easier to learn on.

[syntarx]

7 minutes ago, Hibobb said:

Ya have to trust us old guys... YES, it is that stupid. 

You learn thru your mistakes, and on the T7 they will be expensive.

Buy a old dirt motorcycle to learn on, then sell it next year (Two bikes are always better than one anyways). Your overall cost will be much less that new parts on the T7, plus it will be wayyy easier to learn on.

I do own two bikes already, but I'm actually preparing the XSR to sell it. I am thinking about getting a WR250F/R to replace it. But those things are more expensive than the XSR itself. If I did replace the XSR, I would want something that works. Enduro, street legal, fun, preferably a Yamaha and not a heap of scrap. What would you recommend me besides a WR250?

Edited March 27 by syntarx

[Hibobb]

I don't know what has been popular in Switzerland, how old you are, how big you are.... very hard for me to tell you what to get.

As you requested street legal, we can rule out an old 2-stroke MX bike.

My favorite do-everything old/cheap bike is an air-cooled Suzuki DR350, simple and they run forever. Put a one tooth smaller sprocket on the front and wheelie away...

[syntarx]

6 minutes ago, Hibobb said:

I don't know what has been popular in Switzerland, how old you are, how big you are.... very hard for me to tell you what to get.

As you requested street legal, we can rule out an old 2-stroke MX bike.

My favorite do-everything old/cheap bike is an air-cooled Suzuki DR350, simple and they run forever. Put a one tooth smaller sprocket on the front and wheelie away...

21y/o, 190cm (about 6'2" I believe). There are some DR350's but almost 4'000.- is quite expensive for a wheelie-learning bike. I actually found a WR250F for the same amount. Btw, I appreciate your concern on scrapping my T7

[Hibobb]

The WR250F is a great bike, no question about it.

DR350's in the USA are in the $1,500 to $3,500 range. The earlier kick-start only ones are at the lower range, the 98 & 99 year models with electric start and the best suspension are at the top.

Best part of buying an old bike is their price will not drop in couple of years. As you have seen, a 30 year old DR350 is selling for not much under what it was new!

I am a bit biased, I have three DR's (92, 96 & 99). I bought the 92 brand new and road it everywhere and thru everything. Slower and heavier than a MX bike, but always showed up at the finish line.

[syntarx]

5 minutes ago, Hibobb said:

The WR250F is a great bike, no question about it.

DR350's in the USA are in the $1,500 to $3,500 range. The earlier kick-start only ones are at the lower range, the 98 & 99 year models with electric start and the best suspension are at the top.

Best part of buying an old bike is their price will not drop in couple of years. As you have seen, a 30 year old DR350 is selling for not much under what it was new!

I am a bit biased, I have three DR's (92, 96 & 99). I bought the 92 brand new and road it everywhere and thru everything. Slower and heavier than a MX bike, but always showed up at the finish line.

Will have to sell the XSR first anyway. I do have some time to look into both bikes a little more. Thanks for the suggestions!

[OK185]

I can only lift the front wheel when standing and compressing forks and then gas/clutch up.

When sat down it feels impossible somehow. Because the handlebar is quite high up so you can't compress the forks, but I guess that's not needed when you are good at it...

[syntarx]

3 minutes ago, OK185 said:

I can only lift the front wheel when standing and compressing forks and then gas/clutch up.

When sat down it feels impossible somehow. Because the handlebar is quite high up so you can't compress the forks, but I guess that's not needed when you are good at it...

Is your T7 restricted as well?

[OK185]

Nope, I am just not good at it

[Alter Ego]

FWIW, after countless years riding MX bikes at the track and in the woods I never learned to ride wheelies where I could keep the front end up indefinitely. I did learn and could bring the front end up at will for handling obstacles on the trail and blitzing the whoops at the track. It's weird in that I can't really explain it from a teaching perspective, it was just more of a "feel" thing for me. Fast forward to my entering the dual sport realm first on a KLR and now the T7 and the ability to pop the front end up for terrain obstacles is still there. Again it's just a technique, muscle memory thing for me. The idea of wheelies on perfectly good smooth pavement is so foreign to me I doubt I could ever get the nerve up to learn it on slab. I know...I'm a weirdo.

[syntarx]

 I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I had to continue. At least I made a video as you 'requested'.

 

I completely forgot to mention that I'm a mountain biker, and I can wheelie fairly well on the bicycle. Knowing where the balance point is, how and when to brake is something I'm very familiar with.

 

 

Edited April 3 by syntarx

[Montesa_VR]

Looks like you're on your way.  And I never said you were stupid. I think it's impressive that you are learning on the monster T7. Your bicycle skills should make it easier.

[maddog123]

My issue is I can't get it in my head to hit the rear breaks when I go too far, also I have a hard time to keep the balance point to change gear or maintain speed, I have to constantly go faster while the front end is up so its not high enough that's what it means  .... I know if I keep practicing to get good at it I would get it but I also know one day or the other it will cost me a tail light and rear fender in the process so I don't have much interest for that to happen...   

Edited April 9 by maddog123

[syntarx]

20 minutes ago, maddog123 said:

My issue is I can't get it in my head to hit the rear breaks when I go too for, also I have a hard time to keep the balance point to change gear or maintain speed, I have to constantly go faster while the front end is up so its not high enough that's what it means  .... I know if I keep practicing to get good at it I would get it but I also know one day or the other it will cost me a tail light and rear fender in the process so I don't have much interest for that to happen...   

I don't have the issue of getting the rear brake in my head. My restricted T7 is not that easy to get up. I'm more scared of overdoing it by way too much once and completely looping out. Costing me way more than just a tail light and rear fender...

But yeah, we'll see where it goes, and I'm quite good insured

Edited April 9 by syntarx

[maddog123]

2 minutes ago, syntarx said:

I don't have the issue of getting the rear brake in my head. My restricted T7 is not that easy to get up. I'm more scared of overdoing it by way too much once and completely looping out. Costing me way more than just a tail light and rear fender...

But yeah, we'll see where it goes, and I'm quite good insured

If you don't have hard time with your brakes it shouldn't happen, you just have to hit the break before you go too far lol ... you want to go far back enough to get in the balance point (sweet spot)

 

I am curious why is your T7 restricted?  

[syntarx]

7 minutes ago, maddog123 said:

If you don't have hard time with your brakes it shouldn't happen, you just have to hit the break before you go too far lol ... you want to go far back enough to get in the balance point (sweet spot)

 

I am curious why is your T7 restricted?  

Most European govs don't allow you to ride a 1000cc bike from the beginning (as it is allowed in the States, I believe?). Meaning, in Switzerland e.g. you can start at 14 with a moped (up to 30km/h), with 16y/o up to 125ccm, with 18 up to 35KW and only if you ride 35KW for at least 2 years you're allowed to ride a bigger (unrestricted) one. I, 21y/o, started about a year ago, and have to do one more year to de-restrict my two 700ccm bikes from 35KW to their full 54KW or buy a faster bike in general.

 

[maddog123]

15 minutes ago, syntarx said:

Most European govs don't allow you to ride a 1000cc bike from the beginning (as it is allowed in the States, I believe?). Meaning, in Switzerland e.g. you can start at 14 with a moped (up to 30km/h), with 16y/o up to 125ccm, with 18 up to 35KW and only if you ride 35KW for at least 2 years you're allowed to ride a bigger (unrestricted) one. I, 21y/o, started about a year ago, and have to do one more year to de-restrict my two 700ccm bikes from 35KW to their full 54KW or buy a faster bike in general.

 

 

I see, thanks for the explanation, but that doesn't sound fun at all ... Yes for use (Canada and USA) there is no restriction it just cost a fortune in insurance.   

[syntarx]

5 minutes ago, maddog123 said:

 

I see, thanks for the explanation, but that doesn't sound fun at all ... Yes for use (Canada and USA) there is no restriction it just cost a fortune in insurance.   

It's not that annoying. After all, it's just two years and I can ride plenty fast with 35kw. If I was allowed to ride a 1000ccm already, I probably wouldn't be writing on this forum right now. It protects us hotheads I guess. What doesn't really make sense to me is that the restriction is at 35KW. I personally started with that, never ridden a 125ccm or similar before. And like I said, 35KW gets you to >170km/h, which is insanely fast for a first time rider.

 

Edited April 9 by syntarx