| Author | Message | ||
     Holling |
Hey everybody, I bought a used xb9s recently and would like to learn to ride wheelies safely if possible. Does anyone have any tips on which gear to pick the front end up. What rpm to dump the clutch etc? | ||
| Fullpower |
get a dirt bike. learn to wheelie. | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Holling You don't need to dump the clutch, or you will find yourself on the ground...pronto! Simply get up a little speed in first gear and roll it on. Start gently so you can get a feel for the torque and potential lift. Short of getting a dirtbike, you can go to one of those On One Wheel classes. Last I heard they were using the Triumph Triple. Then you have to transition what you learned there to the Buell. Either way you learn, you should be able to do wheelies in at least first, second, and third gear. I sometimes catch a fourth gear wheelie...depending on if it is just right. Again, take it easy in first until you get the feel...to avoid damage to you or the bike. Again, don't dump the clutch!  | ||
| Ingemar |
I haven't mastered wheelying (and I don't intend to) but the times that I did were while shifting to second. Once I wheelied intensionally (Yeah, I was feeling bold) while in second and used a little clutch. Too bad no one saw it. Must have been pretty impressive. Whenever I think about trying that again I get the creeps ... I know, I'm kinda wimpy.  | ||
| Wheelsleaning |
Cyko: How D hell do you pull a 3rd gear wheelie?? I've tried = no chance. xb12s w/ jardine. | ||
| Spatten1 |
With the 9 I have to be in 1st, run at 4500 rpm, chop the throttle, and hammer the throttle again when the front forks decompress. On an uphill you can do it at lower RPMs. Dial the throttle back when the front comes up. If you get off the throttle too much and then get back on it the bike does not have enough power to get back to the balance point. | ||
| Spatten1 |
I did the wheelie school a while back because I was always scared I'd flip over and got off the throttle too soon. It worked really well. It was ononewheel.com, the one owned by Keith Code. | ||
| Spike |
On the XB9S you want to be in Simmah gear and dump the clutch at Down Nah! rpm. (sorry, I couldn't resist) Seriously though, learning to do wheelies on the street is likely to end up being very expensive and painful. If at all possible try to practice on a dirtbike. I picked up a Z50R on ebay for $600 and it has proved to be great for wheelie practice. Trying to stay at the balance point with 2hp and a drum brake can be quite tricky. If you still want to practice on the 9S, I've found it easiest to bring it up when shifting into 2nd gear. I couldn't tell you the exact rpm, I just run it up to near redline in 1st and dump the clutch hard when shifting into 2nd. It helps if you don't come all the way off the throttle when making the shift. Just don't get too greedy too early. Start by just letting it come up a little bit and get a feel for how much throttle you need and how fast you need to come off the clutch to get it up. Gradually let it come higher and higher, but take your time. | ||
| Wheelsleaning |
No clutch pull needed in 1st on a 12.  | ||
| Wheelsleaning |
Spike: What d hell is Simmah and Down Nah??? | ||
| Spike |
Saturday Night Live reference. Cheri Oteri would be working at some establishment and whenever she would be asked to do something she would berate the customer by telling them to simmer down now in various ways: Male Customer #1: I'll have a bacon cheddar royal, and please please don't forget the ketchup. Nadeen: Just simmah down now. Male Customer #1: Excuse me? Nadeen: Simmah down now. And your Cat soup is on yonder condiment counter over there. Male Customer #1: Cat soup? Where are you from? Nadeen: Well, I'm gonna be from the state of Hell if you don't simmah down now. Now simmah down! Male Customer #1: I don't know what that means, I'm just gonna ask you to super size it. Nadeen: Sir, you are not at MACDonalds and if you were I would tell you to MC-Simmah Down now! Male Customer #1: You just lost a sale. Or I'm gonna take my $1.49 over to Wendy's! Nadeen: Fine, you tell David Thomas he better simmah down now too! Woo, I'll tell ya. Who next? Male Customer #2: That's me. Nadeen: Oh. Male Customer #2: I'll have a, large cheese-Laroy, and some Jester fries and a diet coke. Nadeen: Alright slow it down now, slow it down. Male Customer #2: Hot moat apple pie, and a Prince Sundae. Nadeen: Alright, slow it down now, simmah down now, ya like Orson Welles now. Male Customer #2: Hey! What the hell? I don't need this. Nadeen: You're gonna need a triple bypass now. Now simmah down. Male Customer #2: Alright what the hell? Nadeen: (Imitates a car that won't start) Simmmmmm (shakes head)…simmmmmmm (shakes head) Simmmmmmah down now! Simmah down now! Simmah down! Male Customer #2: What is wrong with you? Nadeen: You better simmah down and get before I take a switch to you now simmah and get! Man! Who dat next? | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Wheels...You asked how I do a third gear wheelie...Heck if I know. I roll it on in first, hit second...front wheel comes up, roll it on in second until I am close to redline, shift...front end comes up. Admittedly, the third gear wheelie is not as high, but it is a nice up and easy down. My Harley friends are impressed. The time I got a fourth gear wheelie was going up a bridge of all places...must have been the angle...speed/torque at that particular point. Heck, I thought everybody on an XB could do a third gear wheelie....with fourth being the tricky one. My bike (XB9S) is close to stock right now (aprx 6K miles). Have the XB12 airbox, and chopped snorkel. I do have the K&N filter, but I am using the stock right now. I also have a Jardine and race muffler, but have not installed either yet because the bike is running so dang good...don't want to mess with it. BTW, don't think it makes a difference (except for first gear wheelies), but I have been to the ononewheel.com school too. Cyko | ||
| Wheelsleaning |
Cyko: You think wheelies are easy now? Wait till you get the Jardine on there. The lack of weight down low makes for a light bike. | ||
| Cyko_bob |
One more thought on wheelies, especially if you are new at it...taught at the wheelie school. The natural reaction when the front end comes up is to quickly turn the throttle off...turn the grip back. Learn to control that wrist/hand with 1/4 turns. Otherwise the front end plops down when you release the throttle. Some of the guys have mentioned broken motor mounts...parts on the front end. I am thinking it is due to letting the front end plunk down from the wheelies. You want to let it down gently if at all within your control...Cyko | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Yeah, I keep wanting to put the muffler on there...just afraid I will loose some initial speed. We have a guy in our group with a 116 inch twin cam (and upgraded fuel injection), and his low end grunt is terrific. When he decides to nail it I have to downshift, but I always catch him and pass him. With the Jardine I will lose some of the low end...want a little more initial torque. I am sure I can still catch the guy with the Jardine, but sorta want to do it faster. Hence, one of the reasons I have been slow changing the muffler. Good point on the weight and wheelies though...thanks, Cyko | ||
| Bbstacker |
Ok, so I'm a wuss.  Wheelies scare the crud out of me. Even on a dirtbike. I can wheelie a mountain bike all day long, but the front wheel came up on me in traffic the other day and I nearly wet myself. It didn't come up more than 6 or 8 inches and went right back down. but that was a total freakout. | ||
| New12r |
Pull it up in second, hit the balance point and ride on the back all day!!!!!!! My third gears only come up about a foot and then It falls apart. | ||
| Cmm213 |
Hey Holling you can get advise from people all day long, but the fact is you are going to find out that everyoneriding style is diff. Just experiment,get to know your machine before you try to be a vegas extreme. I got my first sport bike 9 years ago, the last on I had was a gsxr 600 and i could ride one for close to 3/4 of a mile. My friends always rode stand up wheelies but I didnt like it at all. I would always clutch it in 1 or 2 and then shift gears in the air. I could ride in 4th a number of times but the bike has to be up pretty high and your speed usually over 100 to keep it in the air. The sweetest part is when you start at like 45 and put it down around 115 you get the cool front tire smoker. I didnt mention that all my friends rode liter class bikes, when they were on the highway it was nothing for them to pull it up at 65. Just take your time, you can learn on the street. Go find some out back road and play around, get leathers a few friends and go have fun!!! You will learn yourself, but remember there is always a time and a place for wheelies. Just use good judgment |
