| Author | Message | ||
     Dschley |
Going down the highway in 5th gear on my 03 XB9S about 55mph when I look in my rearview. There I see two young ladies in a brand new Mustang GT. They pulled right up next to me and started yelling "DO A WHEELIE!!!!" I thought to myself, I have down this before many times on I4 bikes(94gsxr 750), so I will give the ladies what they want. I drop it in 4th and twist the throttle and it would not lift up on one wheel. OK, OK, no prob. Now I am at around 65mph in 4th. I drop it into 3rd, twist the throttle and prepare the weight of my body for the wheelie and it would not lift. WHAT!?!?!? I have the race kit on it and just replaced the spark plugs. It has 7k miles on it and runs like a champ. So what am I doing wrong? Does my baby not have enough grunt to lift the front wheel at high speeds? I am no wheelie specialist but I know how to do them. Or maybe just operator error? | ||
| Nasty73z |
MUST USE CLUTCH. I don't even know any I-4's less than a liter than will wheelie at those speeds under it's own power, they have to be clutched up. So anyway, you are going to have to clutch it up in third to do said wheelies. Practice, practice.. | ||
| Daman |
I dont think even with the clutch at those speeds can someone pop a wheelie. Especially to get to balance point. | ||
| M1combat |
You can in second... | ||
| Mr_cuell |
Thats sounds kind of embarrassing  There's no way I could wheelie at those speeds, so I don't know what I would have done but I certainly wouldn't have tried! I can just see me yanking away to no avail, revs going all over the place . . . I think my go-to move with any kind of performance challenge from a car is raw acceleration. It leaves them behind so fast that I hope it makes some sort of impression. Lame I know, but thats about my only trick - | ||
| Fzrider |
M1, how do you do that in second with the clutch? All I can do is power wheelie in first. Please help!! | ||
| Medic_2512 |
Goodluck getting front wheel up on your Buell at 65mph, its not happening! Maybe if your cresting a big rise or drop off... Any new 600 Race Replica will power wheelie in 1st or 2nd from about 40 to 75 mph. Faster than that you need to clutch it alot. | ||
| Whodom |
I believe the Buell has a special anti-"hey y'all, watch this!" circuit to prevent such displays of outright squiddery....  | ||
| Olinxb12r |
You guys are funny. I have a 12r and I can do third gear no problem. I actually feel a little more comfortable in third than I do in second. I can bring it up in third from about 40 up to 55-60. One foot over the brake, the other on the passenger peg, give it a jump plus throttle and dumping the clutch and it will come right up. I've gotten the front up in fourth, but I've never gotten to the balance point in fourth. Not yet anyway. My friend here in KC has a 9s and he can do it too. Some might say squidly, but if it is under control and at the balance point, I say freakin awesome. My friends that have I4s freak out when I do it because the bike looks so short when I'm standing it up, but when I set it down they're pretty impressed. As for the I4s, many of them will do power wheelies in second from 45 to 65 (R6, 600RR, GSX-R 600, ZX-6R to name a few). On my friends GSX-R 1000 I can bring it up in third at 90 only using power. Some of those bikes are just plain crazy! | ||
| M1combat |
It'll do it at 60... I've had it happen... at 5K' elevation no less. Lesson number one... ALWAYS cover the rear brake before pulling the front off the ground. Lesson two... Just practice. | ||
| Glitch |
While being passed by Mountainrider on his CityX the other week, I down shifted from 4th to 3rd going around 45 or 50 mph to catch up with him, I was surprised when the bike wheelied. Not high enough to carry it, but I'm sure if that was what I was trying to do it wouldn't be that big a deal. | ||
| Kootenay |
I have nothing against guys pulling wheelies--but please, not in traffic (which is where you were if a coupla chicks in a Mustang were close enough to ask you to). There's a word for that kind of riding--reckless. Sorry to sound like an old fart, but I am... | ||
| Bigdaddy |
The M2 won't do it at those speeds,,,regardless. I need to try it on a XB,,,,,I'm old too, but the XX will stand right up in 3rd at 90MPH @no problemo. | ||
| Skyguy |
I ride canyons like an animal, Have a dozen track days under my belt, split lanes often, own a bike often referred to as a wheelie machine, been riding 24 years and still cant do a wheelie worth a crap! Last time I tried my drive belt snapped leaving me stuck riding bitch behind my buddy on the Ortega Hwy. | ||
| Blake |
Daniel (Dschley), Bring your bike to Up'n Smoke on Monday and maybe we can find someone to demonstrate the proper technique. You'll be obliged to ride on back of course.  I'm really not one to advise on any kind of stunt riding. On account of most all the wheelies I do are unintentional, on account of I'm a dork when it comes to wheelies, on account of I'm a coward about dropping my one and only motorcycle, on account of... you get the idea. Granted my old Cyclone benefits from a 1250 kit with Millennium cylinders and an engine built by Brian Nallin and Allen Simons, so when I speed shift into 4th gear in a tuck at 90 mph racing to turn 2 at OHR, and the front end gets air, maybe that ain't relevant. Or since our resident Buell naysayer says "it ain't happening", I must have just imagined it.  No stock motorcycle that I know will come close to power wheelying from 4th gear at 65 mph let alone 55 mph for a non-stunt rider. Be safe. Please. Road rash SUCKS! | ||
| Dschley |
Blake. Leaving Kuwait today for DFW. I will be stuck on business in Shreveport on Monday and will not be able to go. Will be back Wednesday. Will probably miss all the action. I feel bad and out of the loop. I will practice guys. | ||
| Medic_2512 |
I guess i stand corrected! I would have never thought an XB12 could wheelie at 65mph. Maybe mine can`t because `im a big fatguy. | ||
| Bake |
Duh....I4= inline 4? Old as Kootnay plus some | ||
| Fzrider |
Can someone take the time to describe how to clutch a wheelie in second or third gear please. | ||
| Jak |
I was at a three way intersection last Saturday riding with a Falco, 1000RR, and an R1. We turned right and opened full throttle (back roads, no traffic). I went through first gear in a heart beat and up shifted to second with a wide open crack of the throttle. I felt the front end lift of for a second or two before I shifted into third. I've never tried to do one before because of the same fears Blake spoke of, but I have to admit, it put a smile on my face for the rest of the afternoon. | ||
| Kccyclone |
Fzrider, 2nd gear going between 35 and 45mph, pull in clutch rev bike up a couple of times to get the rpm's up and then dump clutch and give it some throttle....COVERING THE REAR BRAKE AT ALL TIMES!!!!!!!!! Larry | ||
| Olinxb12r |
Fz this is the easiest way to do second in my opinion. Take the bike up to about 25-30 in second pull in the clutch and bring up the rpms. Dump the clutch and it will come up some. Start out with less rpms to see what it will do and increase as you are more comfortable. You can do this sitting down and the front will still come right up. You should practice this while sitting as far back on the seat as possible and try not to lean forward (Natural reaction when the front comes up for most people). In third you will need to stand with your left foot on the passenger peg and your right foot over the rear brake. Practice bouncing the bike down before you do anything with the clutch. This compresses the rear spring giving you better traction and starts the process with the front end as light as possible since all of your weight is pushing down on the back of the bike. Once you feel comfortable bouncing the bike you can take the bike up to about 40-45 in thrird and do the same thing you did in second except bounce the bike down just before you release the clutch. Again start out with less rpms to get a feel for it and always cover the rear brake whether you are sitting down or standing up. If you feel like you are going to far tap the brake and it will come right down. I can tell you from personal experience that when you think you are about to go to far that is the balance point. Don't worry about getting to that right away, it takes some time. | ||
| Olinxb12r |
Damn Larry, no wonder you don't ride wheelies very often. Duff and I pick up the front end in third at forty five, but you would really be ringing her neck in second at forty five. Try both ways Fz. It will do it, that I can promise you. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"The M2 won't do it at those speeds,,,regardless." Yes it can, it can do it bone stock. Ride it up to 50 in second, rev it up, pop the clutch..., and hang on. | ||
| Xbolt12 |
I would say you would have to use/abuse the clutch to get a wheelie at that speed. However, if you start in second you can be riding one at that speed no problem and a high one (balance point) at that. | ||
| Blasterd |
I could do a wheelie at that speed with my Cyclone and my CityX. Ken | ||
| Bigdaddy |
I understand although I won't be trying that method. Clutches are fairly cheap, and very easy to replace, but I see no need to go through that just so I can muscle up a wheelie. Love everything about my Buells,,,period,,,,end of story. If I want/need to ride power wheelies I'll leave them in the barn and grab something with a bit more zing. YMMV, G2 | ||
| Kdan |
z this is the easiest way to do second in my opinion. Take the bike up to about 25-30 in second pull in the clutch and bring up the rpms. Dump the clutch and it will come up some. Start out with less rpms to see what it will do and increase as you are more comfortable. You can do this sitting down and the front will still come right up. You should practice this while sitting as far back on the seat as possible and try not to lean forward (Natural reaction when the front comes up for most people). In third you will need to stand with your left foot on the passenger peg and your right foot over the rear brake. Practice bouncing the bike down before you do anything with the clutch. This compresses the rear spring giving you better traction and starts the process with the front end as light as possible since all of your weight is pushing down on the back of the bike. Once you feel comfortable bouncing the bike you can take the bike up to about 40-45 in thrird and do the same thing you did in second except bounce the bike down just before you release the clutch. Again start out with less rpms to get a feel for it and always cover the rear brake whether you are sitting down or standing up. If you feel like you are going to far tap the brake and it will come right down. I can tell you from personal experience that when you think you are about to go to far that is the balance point. Don't worry about getting to that right away, it takes some time. See? Just like that! It's like writing code, after 24 years it's second nature! | ||
| Redstar11 |
Very easy to clutch it up in second then shift to third and fourth at the balance point. | ||
| Dagwood |
Step 1: Buy a Hayabusa. Step 2: Get on the freeway. Step 3: Make sure no one is looking. Step 4: Attain 70 mph in 3rd gear. Step 5: Back off throttle for a split second Step 6: Hit it hard. LOL This bike is pure, unadulterated insanity! | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
I'm impressed. All these posts and not one joke about being able to "get it up" in front of a couple of women.  | ||
| Olinxb12r |
Nice burn Bob! | ||
| Buell_892 |
Olinxb12.. good description.. but just wondering what the normal rpm would be, where you are comfortable, but will bring it up. Just to have an idea, ya know. I weigh about 190 and am 6'1". | ||
| Olinxb12r |
I usually like to be right around 3,000 rpms when I bring the front end up. I've found that gives me time to get to the balance point and still be able to bring it back up if I let it down some. I'm a couple inches shorter than you are 892, but I'm about the same weight. I'm 5'10" and between 190-200 lbs. You should have plenty of weight to throw down on the back end of the bike to pick it up in 3rd. (Message edited by Olinxb12r on January 25, 2006) | ||
| Buell_892 |
so should i be trying to pick it up in 3rd or 2nd ya think... you ever do them in 1st? My 9S is stock until about a week from now when i get my Special Ops pipe, thne thats all that will be done to it, but it should pull up in 3rd ya think? If Im in 3rd i bet it would be a lot less easy to 12 it when dropping the clutch, right? | ||
| Olinxb12r |
You should be able to wheely no matter what the mods you have are. If you don't know how to wheely you should practice in first to get the balance down. I personally think it is easier to do faster wheelies than slower ones, but that doesn't mean that you should learn how to do them at 70. It hurts a lot less to fall at 20 than 70. I don't use first for wheelies on the street, but I do use first in the parking lot. I'm trying to slow my wheelies down in the lot, and that is way harder than riding fast highway whellies. Basically go to a parking lot where you know nobody is going to bother you and just ride wheelies sitting down and standing up in first gear back and forth for a while. After you feel comfortable you can toy with second for a while. Third is way to fast for the lot, and I wouldn't try it until you are really comfortable riding long wheelies in second at the balance point. | ||
| Exitlandrew |
I have an 04 xb12, I havent yet graduated to third gear yet doin wheelies. But I find in first gear the best thing to do start from about 15 or 20 mph, roll on the throttle to wide open. when youve reached about 4000 rpm, snap it shut then open again. Practice a bit with lower rpms, it will come up real fast and scary if you dont. In second I do about the same thing, just bouncing a bit. All of the methods listed work well, but we have more than enough tourque to get up just using the motor alone. |
