Wheelies - Do you?

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Here you go for those who want to learn.

Clicky!

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"I don't intend to do any "real" wheelies but I was wondering, has anyone actually ridden a

wheelie on an FJR?"

"Has anyone actually ridden a wheelie on an FJR"?

That’s funny!

I truly find Wheelies irresistible on the FJR and regularly lift it skyward while departing stop signs in remote areas. Dah, I’m in North Dakota its all a remote area. I find it one of the great joys of the FJR and seldom take it out without hoisting the front in the air.

 
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The gen I's are easier to wheelie than the gen II's due to the change in gearing and slightly shorter wheelbase. I can easily power wheelie (not popping the clutch) my 04 in both first and second gear at 4k. With a passenger, its even easier (both first and second gear). I don't ride em long, nor high, maybe 6" up...

 
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I was at a light today in the wrong lane for my onramp today and planned on pulling out in front of the cager in the right lane, he percieved my fast accelleration as a challenge to

race to the onramp and gunned it. My only option to keep in front was to open the throttle,

while in 1st and around 8k RPM the front wheel started to rise about 6".

It surprised me as I didn't know the FJR was capable of throttle induced wheelies.

I don't intend to do any "real" wheelies but I was wondering, has anyone actually ridden a

wheelie on an FJR?
You're lying. FJR's can't wheelie. Everyone knows that

 
My Gen I wheelied easier than my Gen II. The Gen II will wheelie if coaxed hard enough, but I've slowed down on it after finding how hard it is on the front end.

GP

 
I have a few times. Just small power on wheelies. I would not to much probably hard on the fork seals. Its more fun on my TM300XC. I actually went riding with this dude about six months ago that passed me at about 120 with his girl friend on the back doing a wheelie. He was riding an 06 AE. Never saw that before. Really looked scary and dangerous to me.

 
Here you go for those who want to learn.
Clicky!

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Did this class in Flori-duh a couple years ago. What a hoot. Relatively safe environment to learn AND you get to tear up somebody else's gear while you do it! The question of the day was "Would you buy this year old triumph speed triple with 3,000 miles on the clock that had a wheelie attempted once every 100 yards and has probably never been in 3rd gear?"

 
Wheeled my 08AE in 2nd just to see if it would. Haven't since, but not because the bike doesn't want to. New laws in FL will get you a 1000 dollar ticket first time your caught. :assassin:

 
Did it once in the dealers parking lot when I picked up my new FJR. Then I learned to respect what a twist of the throttle can do, I feel much more comfortable with both wheels in contact with the earth, but that's just me. :rolleyes:

 
Did get a gear wheelie, but my 05 vmax will get one when ever called for. I am still learning though.

 
The gen I's are easier to wheelie than the gen II's due to the change in gearing and slightly shorter wheelbase. I can easily power wheelie (not popping the clutch) my 04 in both first and second gear at 4k. With a passenger, its even easier (both first and second gear). I don't ride em long, nor high, maybe 6" up...
I lift mine 1st gear all the time also and carry it from 10-15mph till about 55mph or so if I want. I bring it up high but lower it easy using the throttle and I don't think there's much wear at all on the front end if done right... never slam it down (yeah I know easier said than done).

Was able to lift it up once in second and I had to use the clutch, but it only came up like 6" or so.....so I don't try that anymore. I can't believe yours power wheelies from 4k in 2nd gear... must be a factory freak!

 
My Gen I wheelied easier than my Gen II. The Gen II will wheelie if coaxed hard enough, but I've slowed down on it after finding how hard it is on the front end.
GP
I like to wheelie too, as with most of you it's mainly a first gear affair and rarely with any clutch added. I've practiced second gear wheelies but can't seem to perfect them yet without TONS of clutch so I keep it to first gear only for now.

I've come down hard a couple of times though. I'm sure it never happens to you guys, but I get that "what the hell am I doing!" thought when my inner squid starts to show up. On one such day late last summer, I was riding along side a buddy on a CBR1000 going across a bridge that was under construction. The road surface had a steep drop from the road to construction surface of the bridge. We'd both ridden over it numerous times but never together or side by side. So the egos took over and rolling over in second gear we both cracked the throttles and wheelied over the drop and carried it onto the bridge. Mid wheelie with my front tire nearing 45 degrees on a bridge in a construction zone, in town, the alarms go off in my head.... What the HELL are you doing???! I quickly cut the throttle instead of bringing it down slowly and BANG! goes the front end. We were fortunate there weren't any cops in sight, but I still had to pay for it. When we parked back at the office a nice puddle of fork oil appeared under my bike.... I now have new fork seals and fresh oil. :( But that's what I get for letting my inner squid get the better of me but I did show up the CBR, does that count for anything? Didn't think so.

Lesson learned.... no more second gear wheelies in town. I hope. :D

 
I know, I know... It's squidly of me to even think this, but something about owning a motorcycle and not being able to wheelie bothers me. :) I've just valued my bikes too much to risk dropping them doing something "stupid". All of my past bikes (except my first, a Ninja 250) have been Kawi ZX-6Rs and they come up pretty easy bouncing the front and wacking the throttle, but its not much of a wheelie... I did get the front of the FJR up this past Sunday using the same method and it wasn't that difficult. The bike certainly has the power to do it. Probably not terribly good for the drivetrain so I am certainly not going to make a habit of it.

Some day I will learn to do wheelies for real, but not on the FJR.

 
Consider this, I watched a video (can't find the link) of these really, really good riders on sportbikes for over 5 miles wheelie from 1st thru 4th gears, sometimes for over 1 mile at a time.

Then after paying a toll, the best biker missed a shift to second, his body and bike were not perfectly straight, front wheel slightly askew and he ate it big time.

So consider what would happen if you missed a shift, luckily for him it was only in first gear, in third, or fourth he may have gotten killed.

So even if you are talented, your equipment or technique may bite you.

Just food for thought...

Rhody... :fool:

 
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