Lifting the Front Tire

[James Burleigh]

What does it take to get the FJR's front wheel to come off the ground under heavy acceleration between gears? I'm not talking about doing a wheelie. I'm just talking about bringing it up a couple of inches off the ground.

JB

 

[v65]

Cruise at 5000rpm in first, crack throttle. I am in the 250lb club, works every time.

 

[James Burleigh]

Cruise at 5000rpm in first, crack throttle. I am in the 250lb club, works every time.

Thanks for your response. See if I understand: Cruise at 5K in first, then WIND IT OUT!

JB

 

[madmike2]

No reason to "wind it out" when you run out of torque long before the red-line. It'll lift on its own and quite controllable. I've heard it'll do it in 2nd gear, too.

 

[Bike Effects]

Roll it to the stop in first, it will come up. Don't try it with your sister on the back though, unless you have a backrest. It comes up real fast two up.

 

[Iris]

I have heard that you should have your foot break ready to get the bike to come down from a wheelie.

 

[Bounce]

I've heard that, if you're learning/beginning, you shouldn't be doing it on a 650 pound bike wrapped in expensive plastic.

 

[Bike Effects]

I have heard that you should have your foot break ready to get the bike to come down from a wheelie.

Not needed on the FJR IMHO, but I have been meaning to try this on my R1.

 

[BrunDog]

... under heavy acceleration between gears? ...]

Prolly a typo, but how do you accelerate between gears?

-BD

 

[falcon]

I've heard that, if you're learning/beginning, you shouldn't be doing it on a 650 pound bike wrapped in expensive plastic.

Indeed!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

OK, got the bike out of the shop. Instrument cluster swapped, TBS done (They say it was spot on) and gave it a ride. Before coming home I brought it up to 5K and cracked the throttle. The front end got "light" and maybe came off the ground. But I don't think so. Maybe 'cuz I'm on the wrong side of 300 lbs. <_<

Ah well, probably best.

Still jerky throttle response off idle, but weird seeing the instant MPG go down to 14mpg in twisties then up to 80+ riding behind a cage in 4th.

Wish I could wheelie a LITTLE just once though.

 

[James Burleigh]

As the originator of this thread, I'll reiterate that I'm not interested in a full-on wheelie (though I'd like to learn to do that some day on my friend's bike ). I just want to bring the tire up a couple of inches like you see on those MotoGP shots from the camera that shows the front wheel.

I mean, here's the bottom line, right?--The bike will do a full-on wheelie or just lift the tire at will. It's not about the bike, it's about us sorry-ass amateur motorcycle riders, right?

Hey, who's seen the new video release, "The Doctor, the Tornado, and the Kentucky Kid?" Colin Edwards is interviewed about going up the hill toward the Corkscrew, and he says something like, "You have to get it to where the front wheel is just a few centimeters off the ground the whole way up, then as you come over the rise, just barely kiss the track with the front tire...."

The narrator, Ewan McGregor, repeats what Edwards just said, then says, "How do you do that?! Who ARE these guys?!"

Another MotoGP tomorrow! Bring it on home, Nicky!

JB

 

[hoham]

It isn't hard, just takes some practice. It will wheelie as high or low as you want. Nail it in first , grab 2nd at 6k and as you do the shift give a little pull on the handlebars. My FXR Harley will wheelie forever in 2nd gear on a shift. I got to where I controlled the wheelie with the throttle and the rear brake. I can usually shift into third while the front wheel is in the air. Block long wheelies became easy. A big scare a few years ago and I quit doing them. I did get the Yamaha to pull a nice one, about 18 " they told me. But, that is it for me. Getting a bike up is easy, it takes practice to feel comfortable doing them. You will crash some day if you continue to push your luck, however. I never crashed , but one time it came up faster then expected and I hit the rear fender on the Harley. That got the heart up to MAX pump. That's when I decided, enough.

 

[RsvlFeej]

Coolish weather (sub 55 degrees F). As you come off a stop, ease the clutch in as usual in first gear, once everything is hooked up and rolling at about 10-20 mph, apply full throttle, and voila. Beginning at about 6K rpm and continuing to about 9K, you can feel the front wheel come off the ground - works in both first and second gears. I'm about 240# and ride fairly far back on the seat. Tried it with about a 40# igloo cooler on the luggage rack one day and it didn't even require 2/3 throttle - pretty exciting the first couple of times it happened and not good when it's unexpected and you're trying to turn at the intersection.

Don't know how much influence it has on wheelie capability, but I run the OEM rear shock at 3 clicks from full hard and on the "hard" setting.

 

[James Burleigh]

Tried it with about a 40# igloo cooler on the luggage rack one day and it didn't even require 2/3 throttle - pretty exciting the first couple of times it happened and not good when it's unexpected...

That reminds me, I was in San Francisco on a Sunday afternoon cruising up the Embarcadero. Came to a traffic light and stopped behind the cars several back from the front. But up at the front I noticed a beautiful blue FJR, two up. Then the light turns green and I hear that FJR gun it, and I'll be damned if that front wheel didn't come flying up off the ground! I thought, "Damn! I'll be that girl on the back, AND the guy, were shocked as hell."

JB

 

[Timbo2015]

Coming from the other end of the weight specrum (145 lbs), I can report that you simply need to wind it up to about 3000 rpm in first and crack the throttle to about 3/4 or better, and the front tire will lift. Based on the dynamics, I would say the heavier you are, the easier it is to wheelie. You should have not problem.

I don't do it often, but last time I tried, I whacked open the throttle, and I thought the clutch was slipping. The engine raced beyond ground speed, I felt acceleration, but no wheelie. I looked back and saw a 40 foot long patch of Avon rubber.

If you are a scrawny runt like me, it would seem the FJR borders between wheelie and tire spin.

Also, the front wheel has never lifted in second gear or higher, though it is probably close. A heavier person likely could get a power wheelie in second.

 

[James Burleigh]

This picture seems appropriate:

The web site has a video of this: Crazy nut on an FJR

 

[chornbe]

What does it take to get the FJR's front wheel to come off the ground

Ok, try this. In the garage, put the bike on the center stand, sit on the bike, then scoot back to the back seat. Problem solved. :yahoo:

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Thanks (I think guys). My suspension is set hard and three clicks out. I'll try some of the tricks mentioned (sitting a little back, I usually ride up tight; pulling a bit on the bars, etc.). I'll try when it is dry, quiet, plenty of room, etc. I'm not looking to do it more than once....just want to do it, to do it. I'll report back when successful.