Wheelie Tips!
 
I've recieved a few emails from crotch rocket riders asking me for some tips on how to pull a wheelie.
I got tired of typing the same thing over and over so I put it on the WWW.
 
Don't get the idea i do my wheelies on the public streets either.  We have an abandoned airport
and a road that is no longer used by the public do to a bridge collapsing at the end of it. All our
"wheelies"  and done in those two places.

      First of all!  I'm not responsible for you getting all banged up or turning your bike for a loop. Drivers ed teachers aren't responsible for a wreck you have later in life, just as i'm not responsible.
Don't email me and ask me how to do wheelies, I WILL NOT RESPOND, you shouldn't even be trying wheelies, just reading this for the knowledge it brings about physics, gyroscopic force, etc.

    Secondly don't turn it for a loop, just hang on and let of the gas, the engine will brake you back down, it might me a hard landing but better than having 400lbs on your crotch. When I was first starting to do wheelies I would freak out and think it was gonna go over on me, so I just started saying to myself over and over, "Hang on, and turn of the juice".

    I have only a 600cc bike, but trust me, it'll do some very lengthy wheelies, especially once you can balance it(ride a wheelie w/o accelerating). This CBR 600 F3 is my first street bike, and after a year I could do fairly descent wheelies(in case your wondering how long it'll take ya to do 'em).

    Anyhow, on my 600, this is how I go about a wheelie:  After the bike is warmed up of course, I get her down in first, then run the rpm's up to around 6500, let of the throttle completely and then quickly turn the throttle open(this is sometimes called rocking it). You can pull up a wheelie in a wide rpm rang (4500-11000) but at around 6500 it's the easiest for me.

    Some riders pop the clutch to do a wheelie, and when you do it like this you stress your tranny, instead of just your chain; Also, when you pop the clutch with the rpm's up high, there is no turning back, if you had the rpm's up to high you have to get on the back brake quick or it will come right over. When you rock it, you are "gradually" adding power, by gradually I mean, you are turning the throttle, and if you see you are about to mess up you can just let off right then. ( I hope this is clear).

   I never use the clutch to get up a wheelie, just rocking.
 

Shifting:

   After you can get a wheelie going, you'll be wanting to shift it and keep on rollin' on one wheel.  This can get tricky and sometimes dangerous.  When you are working on first gear wheelies, you could always let off the gas and the bike would come right back down.  BUT, when you shift gears and miss the gear you'll have to use the rear brake to bring you back down(make a mental note Now!).  It is easier to shift without the clutch, but harder on the bike.  I use my clutch, it's not too hard once you get the hang of it. If you ride fast much i'm sure you've got the ability to shift fast enough using the clutch.  As to how to keep the bike up during the shift, that depends on the how high you have your bike.  Obviously, the higher you are the better chance you have of making it(example pic at top of page); I usually pop the wheelie a little higher right before i shift, and during the shift the bike comes bike to where i was riding it.
 

Also, when you let off, then accelerate (rock it), I would not turn the throttle all the way at first (might come right over), I would try a little more at a time.