When the front wheel lands...

Should one grip the bars pretty hard, or let them do what they want to do?

The FZR has a tendancy to lift the front wheel alot more than any of my
other bikes ever have, but it hardly ever appears to land dead straight.

From the riding I've done so far, and most things I've read, it seems that
gripping the bars tightly is the wrong thing to do at all times, and the
loser the grip you have, generally the better you'll do.

I've read advice on a 'how to wheelie' section, that when you land a
wheelie, you should grip the bars as tightly as possible... Surely this is
asking for a tank slapper?

So, loose grip and it will always sort itself, or grip tightly and hope for
the best?
--

 

<snip all the descriptive stuff>

Maybe I'm wrong, but it reads like you're not lifting the front deliberately
every time....

If that's the case then try opening the throttle less aggressively.

Then the front will stay down and you will accellerate more quickly[1] and
with more control (I hope).

If yr after wheelie advice then I can't help as I'm shit at stunts...

Dave

[1] Disclaimer: Relatively speaking, if you can keep wheelie and wheelspin
to the absolute minimum then you *will* accellerate more quickly. If you
can't control accelleration, wheelie and wheelspin accurately then a
wheelier *may* be quicker than you....

 

Dynamic emerged from their own little world to say

^^^^^^^^

Freudian typo?

 

It doesn't have the power to lift the front high off the power unless your
bouncing about and really trying for it. It's more when your pinning it open
on rough roads, crests and the like. I enjoy it, but after an unexpected
120mph, foot high wheelie going over a crest in the road, I wanted to be
more sure about my technique.

--

 

Nothing should be unexpected at 120mph, if it is, you're riding outside your
ability and you'll soon be learning the hard way.

 

Sit 1" further forward
HTH

 

How can you learn without trying it out?

I expected it to lift, just not that much...

--

 

But it was a one-off and now you know what to expect, yes?

If it happens when you didn't want it to happen, esp at the speed you
mentioned, I'd just keep it pinned and not worry - by the time you thin
about how to land the front it *has* landed....

Little wheelies like that happen often if you are a bit throttle happy and
having fun., IMHO the more times it happens the better as long as you'rer
not approaching a blind T-junction or something.

At 120mph, as long as you don't crash your technique is good.. (and the
front wheel's gyroscopic forces at 120 will help too...)

Dave

 

You mess about at lower speeds until you can ride at higher speeds safely
[1]. Anyone can ride a bike fast, but riding quickly is a much taller order.
If a small crest can unsettle you and your bike [2], it won't be long before
you're off.

[1] relatively speaking
[2] to such a degree you can't handle it

 

I've messed around at lower speeds, I can't think of a time in the last 6
months that I have put myself anywhere near my limits, though the front
wheel lifting so often is new to me, but not unmanageable in any way.

I just wished to know whether anyone found gripping the bars hard a helpful
tactic, as I don't really grip hard ever.

--

 

I have no problems with the speed, or wheelies, though have not really tried
to do proper ones in any way since the chain snapped on the GSXR when I was
trying. On the rare opportunities I can get both wheels off the ground, it
just makes it a bit more fun (I think last time, the soft suspension on my
Dad's Diversion made it a little easier).

Just wanted to know whether to grip hard, or loose?

Re NSR pistons: I got a piston for my TZR that was a couple of mm wider at
the bottom than the top so wouldn't fit in the cylinder... Surely they
should check them a bit better before they send them out of wherever they
are made?

--

 

Whoever wrote that's a ****. I'll let you decided whether or not to heed
their advice

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me

 

Have you got any crash friendly land at yours?

I've not pulled a proper wheelie on my bike yet and want something soft
to land on

 

Childrens play areas with the soft rubber tiles... YKIMS ;-)


Sadly, they tend not to have enough space...

--

 

Thanks for the [1] straight answer.









[1] Nearly ;-) but I get the idea, gently does it...

--

 

Aye - providing you *do not* hit the front brake when the front wheel
is airborne. A spinning wheel is a happy wheel and a useful wheel.
It is also a **** sight easier to land.

 

Never grip tightly. If you think you have to, you are doing something
wrong.

 

AOL to that )

 

My advice would be to relax on the bars and just make sure you don't land it
crossed up...

 

Just thought I'd quote this out of context.

If you don't know anything about engines, why not leave it to one who
does? Pistons are supposed to be bigger at the bottom to allow for the
greater thermal expansion at the top. What you had was an oversize
piston, probably marked +0.25 to +1.00 (mm) to go with a rebored barrel.

You normally can rebore 3 times, increasing the diameter by 0.25mm each
time, before you have to look for special parts (big-bore kits).