Wheelie help!!!! Setup? What am I doing wrong?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,949
Likes: 150
From: South of Mordor
It's cool haven't your seen that show about those hardcore bikers in cali where that guy that owns a Dyna does it all the time, at every light.....and I ain't talking about that drama on FX.
I have seen guys blow their front shocks out on the crotch rockets because they come down to hard, I sure as hell wouldn't want to damage my ride to try something like this, I'll just break out the old dirt bike.
I have seen guys blow their front shocks out on the crotch rockets because they come down to hard, I sure as hell wouldn't want to damage my ride to try something like this, I'll just break out the old dirt bike.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 854
Likes: 20
From: CT
Horrible chassis design and layout, horrible rear suspension. A lot of weight on the middle and front. They can, it's just a lot harder. Ive popped them up but never been able to ride one out. They really don't like to hook up. You can jump on just about any dyna, sporty or bagger and wheelie it if you know what you're doing. A buddy of mine had a stock 100k mile evo ultra with the fish tails almost completely ground off the mufflers, he can ride.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 36
From: San Diego, CA
If the man wants to wheelie, let him wheelie! I agree with some of the opinions on here. There's a new breed that wants to do more than bar hop and shine chrome all day (yes we still respect our forefathers, but we want our own kind of fun). I'd like to get the front wheel up once in a while, but there's a time and a place for it. The morons out there slamming their front end down and blowing motor mounts so they can post an Instagram are pretty weak. Do it for yourself, not to be an internet hero.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 25
From: Malaysia
..pardon me but I can't help it.....ok,ok,if you must know..There are many instruction on the net in the art of wheelie and I won't claim to be great at it but coming from a former motocrosser and a hardcore superbiker(yeah,the pocket rockets),I think I've had my fair share of riding on one wheel.Popping the front wheel up is no big deal but an actual wheelie is really an art.The art of balance.It's a combination of throttle control,body positioning and brake control(yes,brakes).
On the superbikes,it's no big deal coz they come with more power than you can handle,in fact on hard acceleration they'd do that every time.For the beginners you start off on 1st gear,whip open the throttle and the front comes up.Now,how do you keep the bike from flipping over is where the art kicks in and also the brakes come into action.In this case the back brakes.The second the front goes up,you keep the slightest pressure on the back brakes,while you're still hard on the gas,This prevents the bike from flipping over.Then there is the balance point(messed up already?)the front has to be high enough that it doesn't come down too fast(now you know why they slam the front and bust the fork seals).And you gotta do this combination all at the same time.Go up high enough,tap the brakes so it doesn't flip over and on the gas at the same time...while you're at it,watch you balance so you won't fall over the sides...Easy?
On a dirt bike,supermotards,superbikes DPs and the lot?Yeah,on a Harley?
Now before you go out there and break your back(and the bike) may I suggest you get some practice on the kinda machines I mentioned above?
Like what somebody here said,if you have to ask this,you're already in trouble.Enroll yourself in a wheelie school and get a hang of it before you attempt any of those stunts on a...Harley...now excuse me.
Last edited by HDogg; Jul 20, 2013 at 03:48 PM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,132
Likes: 228
From: Garland, TX
I honestly think that if your out there doing wheelies you are stupid unless you are on a closed course. If you want to take a chance on hurting yourself on a closed course, go for it. But why would you want to be stupid and do wheelies on a public street/road and take a chance on hurting other people too? JMHO
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,749
Likes: 16
From: sand mountain Alabama
Here you are trying to figure out how to do wheelies and I am getting into trouble with my wife for doing them by accident.
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 658
Likes: 3
From: +^
Horrible chassis design and layout, horrible rear suspension. A lot of weight on the middle and front. They can, it's just a lot harder. Ive popped them up but never been able to ride one out. They really don't like to hook up. You can jump on just about any dyna, sporty or bagger and wheelie it if you know what you're doing. A buddy of mine had a stock 100k mile evo ultra with the fish tails almost completely ground off the mufflers, he can ride.
i myself have seen one softail pop up the front wheel that was on a youtube video. i do not believe you can ride a wheelie on a softail. its not the weight of the bike at all.
although im sure most people do not agree with vdop that any bagger, dyna , sporty, can be wheeled i do agree %100 with that statement. with the correct rider any of those bikes can do wheelies
although you are correct about the suspension, chassis design. softail shocks are EXTENSION STYLE SHOCKS, they work in a reverse way compared to dynas, baggers, dirtbikes, basically any bike with basic shock. when are *** end drops down our dyna shocks compress in a down ward motion. (IE..when you sit on your dyna the shocks compress down).... your shocks compress... the front wheel can lift and your banging out wheelies.
on a softail when you sit on the bike the shocks get longer they do not compress, this are called extension shocks. its hard for me to explain i wish i had a picture, if the softail shocks get longer when you sit on the bike the problem is you have a shock that is extending and the bike is actually compressing. if the shock is extending the front wheel wont lift very well if at all.
i found a link that will explain it in better terms.
http://ultimatemotorcycling.com/harl...ock-explained/
Last edited by brandon95354; Jul 20, 2013 at 07:33 PM. Reason: wheelie
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 854
Likes: 20
From: CT
That's not why they don't wheelie. That's just a different style shock, the shock is designed to work that way. Tube frame buells use the same design to keep the shock under the bike and weight low and believe me, they wheelie just fine.