wheelies 101

[jimbilton]

wheelies 101

I agree - the best advice is: don't do it. Not only is it hard on the bike, but on you too, when you fall off.

If you've not already seen it, take a look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3FOOAMqMvM

Regards,

[adam79]

No offense to anyone who's been hurt on a bike, but When I fall off a horse I get right back on it. Good thing I love working on my toys cuz I'm hard on them. The 1st/2nd gear fix is almost inevitable as I learned on my last xs, or at least with mine anyways but I had fun taking apart the tranny and learning more about the bike.

[T99Ford]

Geezes...that is the most ignorant thing I've heard.... It's not a horse, and you don't get back on if you can't walk (been there).

If you want a wheelie bike, forget the 11. It's too heavy and too underpowered to successfully accomplish anything like the wheelies you are trying to do. I've had the 11, my VTR, and my 1098S (RIP), and the latter two make the 11 look like a gutless toad for doing wheelies. The 1098 would power wheelie in 3rd, and the VTR will do it in second easily--both would are rideable wheelies for as long as you care to ride it.

Get a different bike if that's how you want to ride it. Not because of sentimental attachment to the 11, but you'll have a lot easier time on a more powerful and lighter bike. Crow hops on your 11 don't count as wheelies. And the old spaghetti forks on your 11 will thank you, too.

[trbig]

Advice please... other than "don't do wheelies"

I guess some people can't stand to NOT give their opinions even when asked not to...

And Adam, when I fall off a bike, I get right back on also, (If the bike is rideable) so I'm just as ignorant apparently.

[T99Ford]

Well, to be clear I wasn't decrying wheelies...just saying he's wasting his time trying on the 11 when he'd have a much easier time on something else...I know they can be done on an 11, but anybody on a 600 class sport bike will make any 11 wheelie look like the 'Happy Hamster Hop'. Just saying.

And we all know how tough Tod is. I just think that is a stupid statement. Crashing motorcycles is not like falling off horses...

[T99Ford]

Sorry, I'm a little jaded right now. When I posted last night I had just gotten the news that 2 of my friends were killed and three others hurt in a bad multi-bike wreck yesterday. One was hit head on by a pickup and thrown into the others. That coupled with totaling my 1098 this past month makes all this tough guy 'get back on' nonsense sound like so much horse shizzle.

So never mind me, I'll just be in the corner licking some wounds...

[Buckmaster79]

I am on my third XS11 now a XS79SF and have never left the front wheel down I only bring it up in second . I use the torque of the engine to bring the front down by just backing off the throttle. On a hot day touch the front brake once
in the air and sometimes smoke will come off the tire as it comes down to the pavement. Warning I have road dirt my whole life and I cant help the way I am
and do not recommend anyone who has not road wheelies to start on a XS!!!

[petejw]

Been trying to hold a wheelie with my xs with no luck yet. This is the 1st bike I've ever been besides my 1st xs, and prob a hard bike to learn wheelies on cause its so heavy I'm guessing. Once I get the front tire off the ground, I feel like if I keep holding the throttle the bike will flip so I let go and it immeadiately drops. Should I be using the back brake to balance myself out?? Am I just being timid and should keep holding the throttle? Advice please... other than "don't do wheelies"

cpl of things off hand,
lower ur rear tyre pressure to around 20psi or lower itll give u a larger contact patch,
(dont forget to put air back in when ur finished)

dont chop the throttle it could cause a bad tank slapper (never pretty) and puts to much stress on the front end, feather the clutch or use the rear brake,

ull need to find the balance point of the bike when the front wheel is in the air, (the hardest part to learn when wheeling)

do some searches on you tube,

if u can, get urself a cheap trail bike and practice on that, even then ull still come off but at least it wont be on bitumen.

about 15 yrs ago i smashed my right foot and was off work for 4 months after one went wrong, id been riding 15 yrs before hand and have ridden since.
ive had mates that have ridden bikes with no fear and little experience until they came off and have never ridden a bike since.
just be careful hey.

[jwhughes3]

Sorry, I'm a little jaded right now. When I posted last night I had just gotten the news that 2 of my friends were killed and three others hurt in a bad multi-bike wreck yesterday. One was hit head on by a pickup and thrown into the others. That coupled with totaling my 1098 this past month makes all this tough guy 'get back on' nonsense sound like so much horse shizzle.

So never mind me, I'll just be in the corner licking some wounds...

Sorry to hear about your friends.....were they hit while stopped at a light? That is when I feel defenseless....

Head on sounds like while riding, but you never know.


John

[petejw]

Sorry, I'm a little jaded right now. When I posted last night I had just gotten the news that 2 of my friends were killed and three others hurt in a bad multi-bike wreck yesterday. One was hit head on by a pickup and thrown into the others. That coupled with totaling my 1098 this past month makes all this tough guy 'get back on' nonsense sound like so much horse shizzle.

So never mind me, I'll just be in the corner licking some wounds...

i missed that,
so sorry to hear about ur mates.

[T99Ford]

Thanks fellas, had the services this past weekend. It occurred while riding, and was the fault of one of the riders, but still a bad situation. Been a lot of that up here this year...

[WMarshy]

I'm not very timid but have had a hell of a time keepin the wheel off the ground for any longer than a few seconds. Not plannin on using it as a stunt bike just like having fun. Thanks for the advice and it all seems reasonable, I just don't have anything to compare this bike to cause I've only ridden an xs1100, besides a little dirt bike. The back end lifting up from the shaft drive makes things interesting as well. My frame has no warping or rust underneath i checked but i guess I don't know if metal fatige is visible.. Probably picking up an 82 gs1100e eventually, is that bike as heavy as this one?

Dont let'em scare ya, these bikes are quite capable of pulling wheelies. Although I havent had the desire to chase any out and try for second gear yet, I'm sure it can be done with finesse. I haven't been successful at starting them in second and dont have the desire to try, its hard on the machine. As mentioned already, they were never intended to be one wheeled death machines, only two. It is funny seeing peoples reaction when you go through an intersection airing it out. And as far as the comment on the fork seals, any bike is bound to need news ones with enough wheelies, its just part of havin fun.

[TheFrugalTech]

Like many have already mentioned, the bike was designed to keep the front end down. The motor turns in the opposite direction of the rear wheel. The gyroscopic effect of the motor makes the bike want to rotate forward. The torque at the rear wheel makes the bike want to rotate backwards. This creates a counter gyroscopic effect which works to keep the front wheel on the ground and causes the rear end to lift slightly under hard acceleration. Not until there is enough torque at the rear wheel is the gyroscopic effect of the motor overcome and the front end rises. By that same law of physics, if the motor turned fast enough it would eventually flip the bike forward. The motor of course would self destruct before it could ever turn that fast.
Pretty much all bikes used for freestyle tricks have a motor that turns the same direction as the rear wheel. The gyroscopic effect of the motor and torque at the rear wheel both make the bike want to rotate backwards. Hence the ease at which the front end is pulled up on them.
Try this next time you are warming the bike up for a ride. Pay close attention to which way the bike wants to move if it is in neutral and you rev it. You should feel the front want to dip ever so slightly.

[trbig]

The gyroscopic effect of the motor makes the bike want to rotate forward.

I've read this a couple times now and it makes no sense. The motor rotates backwards, meaning clockwise, meaning it's spinning a direction that would be more inclined to RAISE the front from torque. Is this just one of those rumors that someone heard and ran with it?

Also, what makes the rear want to rise has nothing to do with the motor, but the gears trying to climb up each other.

[Tat2demon]

What side of the bike are you standing on Trbig?

Seriously though, the torque on the motor wants to rotate the bike forward. Just like revving up a powerful car makes it twist to the side a little.