| Author | Message | ||
     Mtnmason |
hate to pull something from the archives but I knew I'd never get any answers with it sitting away with old posts. here are the original posts..... Mtnmason Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 12:07 am: -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ The amateur hour questions will end after this, I promise. Ive had my '07 12R (11,xxx miles) for barely two weeks now and from everything I read on this board, I feel like it should be MUCH easier to pull the front wheel w/ 1203 cc's. Whenever I roll on the throttle really hard in 1st the bars start dancing as the front wheel baaaarely touches the tarmac. 2nd gear - nothing. Just really swift acceleration. I just assumed that any amount of serious throttle input should have the bike riding on the rear wheel. On my '77 yamaha 400 (only ~34 hp) I need only to manipulate the clutch ever so slightly to momentarily pull the front wheel a solid 18" off the ground (from a stand still of course). I've seen a few videos online of guys with XB's of some variant or another going into a full stand and it doesnt even sound like the motor is winding out hardly at all. This is my first bike with any kind of real power and I suppose I really dont know what to expect. Could it be that I'm just not 'snapping' the throttle hard enough? I didn't think any body english was necessary to achieve a wheelie that would have all the hot girls digging my insane riding skillz. Any thoughts? Glitch Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 06:53 am: -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Do this at your own risk of physical and motorcycle harm. Get rolling in first gear up to about 4000rpm, shut the throttle quickly, then just as quickly, snap the throttle wide open. This will loop the bike if you don't know what you're doing, as the front tire comes up very quickly using this technique. Power shift from first to second close to the red line, while shifting your ass to the rear end of the seat, this one is more controlled, but ought to lift the front rather quickly as well. Mtnmason Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2011 - 10:16 pm: -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ sorry to bump this old thread, but after spending alot of time on this site I still think that based on what i've read, my machine might not have the kind of power it should. someone referred to buells as "wheelie machines" and everyone talks like you have to be careful NOT to pull the front wheel on these things. Im just not finding that. Glitch- I tried your first method and pulled the wheel with relative ease but was nowhere close to looping it. I did, however, on one occasion try to use a little clutch on the take off and would have looped it had I not backed out quickly. Someone please tell me whether or not I should expect to dangle the front wheel from throttle input alone in 1st gear. I just decided to repost after reading Scheiths thread. Any ideas? speaking of wheelies -- I was haulin up I64 the other day when a school of squids came by. The lead guy on a GSXR pulled up to me and effortlessly stood his bike up doin 85+ mph. just curious - whats the top speed anyone has been able to wheelie their buell??? | ||
| No_rice |
1125 can be pulled up in first and set down at well into the 160's. and as for wheelies on an xb i always stand it up shifting into second. if you get the timing down its effortless. | ||
| Ourdee |
125 indicated. That said, It is dumb to think wheelies on the street impress women. In first gear, sitting straight up, the front on a 12 should lift on throttle at around 4500 rpm. It creates more power in cold air. Less power at higher altitudes. If you want to wheelie, find a deserted place to play. Have a friend there that knows first aid, has a cell phone with reception, and can run more than one video camera at a time. (we need video of the crash) My kid and I wheelie 2 up (ATGATT) in the church parking lot, on throttle alone just off idle. He is the only one I wheelie with and never in the street on purpose, or for an audience. | ||
| Mtnmason |
thnx guys. I guess that answers my q. i was just worried that since the bike didnt lift on its own in 1st there may be a power problem. the whole "impress the ladies" comment was totally tongue in cheek but I suppose its hard to convey sarcasm on a msg board. oh well. and no-- i dont try stunts on public roads. wheelies are reckless driving tickets in Va. | ||
| Nillaice |
i rode a buddies 12R that he claimed was impossible to get the front lofty. much to my surprise; the usual throttle whack didn't do the trick. i tried clutching it up, but wasn't comfortable enough doing so to bet an results. but standing up and bouncing my entire body with throttle input made it happen. more suddenly than i expected. my conclusion is that it's not as easy to wheelie is because he has the suspension cranked up for trackdays. i don't know what else is different from his 12 than any other 12R that makes it harder to accomplish such a perilous and foolhardy feat of reckless and stupid motorcycling hooliganism | ||
| Nillaice |
i rode a buddies 12R that he claimed was impossible to get the front lofty. much to my surprise; the usual throttle whack didn't do the trick. i tried clutching it up, but wasn't comfortable enough doing so to get any sizeable results. but standing up and bouncing my entire body with throttle input made it happen. more suddenly than i expected. my conclusion is that it's not as easy to wheelie is because he has the suspension cranked up for trackdays. i don't know what else is different from his 12 than any other 12R that makes it harder to accomplish such a perilous and foolhardy feat of reckless and stupid motorcycling hooliganism. you might wanna consider that although you are having trouble making it wheelie, to can ride with confidence that the bike won't stand up on you and ..... nevermind. there are scareier things than wheelies, and almost anything COULD put you sliding. and besides, it could still standup on you when you aren't expecting it; cresting a hill or with luggage/passenger input, ... | ||
| Littlebuggles |
 interesting thread... maybe I can impress some of the girlz with my new mad ridin skillz too  wish I could find that smiley eating popcorn... this will have to do... thanks guyz | ||
| Xb12randy |
The riding position and lack of real HP make a 12r relatively harder to wheelie. I can clutch it up in 1st with ease but not on a power roll like any 750 or 1000cc jap rocket will. I've tried the roll off snap trick with mixed results. Simplest and most controlled is a slight clutch snap. I've ridden a couple lightning's and they are somewhat easier due to the riding position IMO. | ||
| Mtnmason |
randy (or 12r andy?), thanks a bunch - that was the most succinct and informative answer ive gotten - basically what i was looking for in the first place. A very kind friend of mine used to let me tear around on his 05 R6 and i could get the front wheel up by wrenching really hard on the throttle. I just thought that w/ twice the displacement -- V configuration notwithstanding -- wheelies would be effortless (not that riding on one wheel is my main objective). happy riding!! | ||
| Wjcunning |
If you want a wheelie machine, a rice grinder works MUCH better, in my experience...or try a Gasgas.....you can ride around all day on one wheel. | ||
| Burgurboy |
04 xb12s Race map Open air box Breather re-route buell race exhaust K&n filter I can normally keep the front down if I tuck in and scoot way up on the tank. if i'm exiting a corner hard in 1st, it comes up no matter what i do. If i roll on the throttle hard above 4.5k, once again, it comes up no matter what. If i sit upright, and scoot back a little on the seat, the front comes up quick @ 4.5k If i shift "hard enough" from 1-2 the front comes up (and will stay up) all the way to 3rd. I havent tried anything more than that... wheelie tickets are not cheap in florida. | ||
| Buewulf |
I have a Ulysses (bone stock) that will power up a little on WOT as I cross 5Krpm in first or shift it hard into second just right. But I agree it is not as easy to wheelie as one would think. The engine is torquey but lazy, and the powerband is short. It isn't a bike I would want to learn on. That said, here is my ill advice: In first gear: 1) accelerate moderately then fluidly do a quick close-then-WOT at 4500rpm. Should come up fast and violently. Be prepared and cover that rear brake. And be ready to power shift into second if you are committed because you will hit the rev limiter almost immediately (unless you loop it first) sending the front to the ground hard (and maybe you with it) unless you find your balance point quickly and know how to maintain it. OK, so perhaps you should experiment with the degree of on-off throttle chop that gets you the most controlled lift rather than going full close to full open right off.  A moderately aggressive chop is all I need. The R may need a bit more due to the riding position. 2) or clutch it if you are comfortable with that. Roll along at or just below the start of the power band, pull clutch in slightly while simultaneously giving gas so that the revs shoot up immediately. Dump clutch when you hear the revs jump. Again, be prepared to hold it, bring it back down or shift into second. The rev limiter is coming! Watch some youtube videos on clutch wheelies before trying this and try to learn it on a dirt bike if possible. And get a service manual to save money on clutch replacements. 3) Install the XB9 primary, and XB wheelies should be much easier to master. Disclaimer - I do not consider myself to be any good at wheelies and I have have only done them intentionally with my Uly while in the dirt. So don't listen to anything I say. It needs a steering damper in my opinion if I were the type to do this on the street often. No experience on the 12R, so I don't know how it behaves. Please keep the shiny side up! |
