Wheelie Q's

[Rip_Tear]

When you wheelie do you shift while in the air?
Any tips on finding my balance point, and keeping the front end up.
What are the tricks I should start trying after I have mastered my wheelie?

Right now I can wheelie but I am having problems with the balance point, and I can't just bring the front end up in second... I only weigh 150lbs...

Any pointers would be good (its a good thread for anyone wanting info for wheelies) If you have a question you want to ask, ask it here :D

Thanks!

[flyin#5]

for starting wheelies dont try and shift. finding the balancing point just takes some practice not really something anyone can teach you online. when you want to start shifing during wheelies dont use the clutch and rev it so it bearly throws you over the balance point then shift up... thats what works for me. after you mastered that you can try superman wheelies and tons of other stuff like that

[400exBro]

i find it best not even to shift... my firends and i just find the balance point( you will fell it, it is almost like going to far but you don't hit the grab bar) and tap the throttle once and a while to keep the front end from coming down... i use 2nd, pull on bars and puch the gas, and she will come up, find balance point and then feather the throttle... and keep the foot on the rear break so when you go over just hit the rear break, and stay on the gas so you don't go down... also your grab bar is almost a saftey thing, if you do go to far you will just sit on the grab bar, so you won't tip, unless on a hill...

ya it is hard to explain over the internet...

here is my right on the balance point

[400exBro]

another angle, but he is coming down... this is my buddy

[Fast250EX]

I started out just doing it in first and not shifting, then I moved up to second. When I could hold it a LONG time in each gear I started practicing shifting. It is just so hard to demonstrate over the net I would just confuse you if I tried to say anymore.

For tricks, my first one was standing on the grab bar and taking one foot off. My next one I would take one hand off and wave, then I combined the 2 tricks. Then I did bumper grabs, one footed bumper grabs, then a bumper grab with my right foot on the left peg on my left foot on the grab bar. Now I do tricks sitting down. I put my feet over the bars, I only use one hand sitting down, and blah blah blah blah blah.

Once you get your basic balance down, you will try to push yourself to the edge of balancing by doing other tricks. Just let your imagination go wild. You'll learn. I started out doing a 4 foot long wheelie and only hitting jumps and getting 1 foot of air. Now I can do a football field long wheelie with only 1 hand and can bust out no handed landers consistently.

Basically it is more of a practice thing. I have been riding ATV's since I was 4. Just go out, ball up, and go for it.

[JLanphear]

Yeah man, the main this is just get used to all of the important factors...Throttle Control, Brake Control, Balance Point, and Clutch (if riding very slow wheelies). You have to be smooth during all of those. Don't "blip" the throttle.

When I first started out I had a hard time with the brake control...you typically don't need to use brakes doing regular wheelies (I very rarely do), but once you start doing tricks, or want to ride really slow wheelies you'll want to have it down. I'm not sure if it's the same for everybody, but I had to "teach" myself to hit the brakes because my first reaction was just to bail. I spent quite a while just popping it up past balance point and nailing the brake and pulling in the clutch just so I could get a feel for it.

As for good tricks to learn....First practice riding wheelies and get to the point where you can ride one pretty much forever in at least the first 3 gears. Once you have that down try the easy stuff like a 1 hander, then maybe a flamingo (stand up on the seat and lift one of your legs up like a flamingo). The bumper grab is also a good one to try, and the no footer is as well. Then you can either do combos of those or you can try things like the nac-nac and can-can. Or you may want to practice legs over wheelies (highchairs), then you can get into the more advanced things as you go along.

Shifting....as the others said, you don't really have to shift in wheelies, but it's cool to do. Get the quad to balance point and give it a little extra and bring it up a little more...grab the clutch and shift...make sure you are smooth when letting the clutch out and slipping it a little as needed to keep the front end up.

Something new I have been doing is reaching down and shifting with my hand. Only thing I don't like about it is that you can't use the clutch obviously. I think it looks kinda cool though.

-Josh

[JLanphear]

Oh and one more thing....I don't suggest this one unless you can park a wheelie in the air, but it's a cool one to do to get your girlfriend involved...

[speedy400]

I've mastered the wheelie with one foot on the grab bar and one over the rear break, (almost 130lbs) I was wondering how to get a no hander? do you guys just turn the idle screw way up?thanks-darren

[JLanphear]

Originally posted by speedy400
do you guys just turn the idle screw way up?thanks-darren

Yes, then you really have to be good with the brakes to keep it there.

-Josh

[Nausty]

when ever I ride wheelies I have the idel turned down so I never have to use the brake and can just let off the throttle. When I wanna try doing no handed wheelies I turn the idel up so when I want the front to drop a lil I hit the brake and when i let off it comes back up. Still can't do it that well but I never ride wheelies anymore.

[TC17]

this is last year. the only good thing about the 250 was the wheelies. the balance point was perfect. wheelies are really fun to do when you're standing up. i use 3rd for standing up and 2nd for sitting. you can go forever standing up. you actually don't hit balance point, you just keep it right under and use the power to keep you up but you can't let your rpm's get too high, then you shift or it comes down. here's the 250.

[Fast250EX]

Yeah, that is the best thing about the 250EX. Gotta love the wheelies.:D

[Rip_Tear]

Wow thanks for all the tips! I can ride a wheelie forever on a BMX bike but this is a bit differenent, lol. I am really good with balance but one of the reasons I have been having problems is, I have a hole in my rear tire and it gets soft pretty fast so it pulls to one side.... I am getting it pluged, I just didn't have any plugs or it would have been done.

Thanks again :D