Wheelie Recovery Technique?

[JMHJ]

Took the ZX-11 out today for a bit to make sure all was well prior to what looks like a decent riding week coming up (it had been sitting for a few weeks before that). Got a bit of a surprise when I pulled out onto the highway with a car in my lane but back a ways - Idk if I rolled on the the throttle "just right" or what, but the front came off the ground higher than I've had it yet, and was still coming when I backed out of it.

I wasn't expecting that since I've accelerated hard like that a number of times (where the front comes up a bit), and it's never a big deal; I guess I pulled in the clutch when it happened because it was still in first when I let it back out after the front tire was back down (another surprise, lol). I shifted up a few gears and got out of the way.

I guess I'm wondering what's the suggested method, to smoothly ride through that instead of sort of making a mess of it. Shift with it in the air? Idk if I could do that or not. I assume rolling off the throttle some w/o doing anything else might be the answer if keeping it up isn't the goal (it isn't), and then continuing normally once the tire's back down.

I've never ridden dirt bikes or I'd probably be more comfortable with stuff like that. I used to pop some small-to-decent first gear wheelies on my GS450L a couple decades ago (until I noticed the chain had a little hitch in it), and my GSX1100G came way up on me one time with the help of a little rise and lots of power in first gear (total surprise; tried it a few times on purpose after that, but too chicken to get another big one or pursue it further).

 

[JMHJ]

If you have to think about it you're reacting too slow.

Yep.

I just realized it's kinda low on gas, and that 20 or so lbs makes a difference, believe it or not. If I was 50lbs lighter I'd have to really watch it, prob.

 

[Eli69]

It's how hard you put it back down that really matters. If it's too hard you might get front end wobble. Pulling the clutch in makes it a bit smoother. I lift my elbows up so the weight of my arms doesn't add to the wobble.

 

[Rijko]

Whatever keeps you from falling is the first priority.
Clutch can save you, but if you are past balance/tipping point that will not do it.

Rear brake is the trick, gives you control.

Maybe there's a wheelie school where you live, it's the fastest and safest way to learn !
Big fun, too.

 

[oldGSfan]

Rear brake as Rijko says. The great thing about that is your brain is already trained to stab your right foot down when in danger. It's the one time on a bike that it's the right move. Otherwise it's been the death of many bikers when encountering danger.

 

[Baatfam]

Wheelie bars worked for me.....

 

[Rijko]

cool picture Bob

 

[JMHJ]

That wheelie school looks like fun. My son with the ZX-6R mentioned the rear brake too just now. Not as in from his own experience surely, but just knowing it. He did a big one on accident last year that hopefully cured him of getting careless with it.

Is 9.09 the ET for the drag pic?

 

[Baatfam]

Is 9.09 the ET for the drag pic?

It was the "dial in" for a bracket race.
That bike ran 9.0X to 9.4X in the 1/4 mile, depending on the weather.
Sadly, I never made the 8's...
I didn't win a lot, but sure had a ton of fun, and made a lot of friends...

 

[gustovh]

I got stuck behind a really slow truck on my 919 once, I forgot that I was in third when I finally got a spot to pass, I pulled out and hit the throttle….big mistake…the front wheel came up so fast the driver of the truck was looking at the front wheel through his door window….very big eyes. I chopped the throttle a bit much and the bike came down hard and not quite straight….my nuts hurt at this time cuz I ride snuggled up to the tank. Blipped the throttle again to bring up the front to straighten out, shifted up and came down softly, never to see the truck again.

Now I have been riding a very long time and don’t make a habit of doing wheelies. I do however find out if each new bike to me will do one, so am a bit familiar with what to do….but I gotta tell ya don’t chop that throttle when the wheel is that high, it hurts when ya come down. That said mussel memory took over and controlled my actions during that surprise rise and kept bike upright and in the right direction.

V

 

[JMHJ]

It was the "dial in" for a bracket race.
That bike ran 9.0X to 9.4X in the 1/4 mile, depending on the weather.
Sadly, I never made the 8's...
I didn't win a lot, but sure had a ton of fun, and made a lot of friends...

What kinda mph did that put you at through the 1/4? I was thinking "estimated time", but ET prob means elapsed time in that context (something you don't know yet at the starting line, lol).

 

[JMHJ]

...I chopped the throttle a bit much and the bike came down hard and not quite straight...

Lol. When I first started dabbling with it on the 450 (that's like over 25 years ago actually), I popped it right up off a red light one time at night, and came down painfully hard like that, lol. It didn't have the power to ride it out or maybe it needed some tuning.

 

[gustovh]

Lol. When I first started dabbling with it on the 450 (that's like over 25 years ago actually), I popped it right up off a red light one time at night, and came down painfully hard like that, lol. It didn't have the power to ride it out or maybe it needed some tuning.

What I found out is that my 919 will do it in every gear so I am mindful with that bike, it turns on so fast compared to the Suzuki’s we ride.

V

 

[storm 64]

We were never into doing the wheelies when young hooligans.
Are thing was doing burn-outs. You hold the front brake and get the rear wheel spinning. Then let off the brake and ride it out!
Thinking back, the movie Mad Max was a big influence on how we rode back then! haha

rip Toecutter

 

[argonsagas]

The rear brake has already been mentioned, but it works well.....just use it gently.
Can you shift gears? Of course.
At one time a friend gave me his well-modified Honda to try.

From the start the front wheel lifted free and stayed about two feet up, dipping only slightly while shifting, and then going back to where it was.
It was still up and still accelerating in third gear, at over 100mph, when my eyes teared up badly from the wind. It blurred my vision too much to keep going.
Dam fast bike!
......

 

[RichDesmond]

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10157052110195769

 

[Rob S.]

I was thinking "estimated time", but ET prob means elapsed time.

ET does indeed mean elapsed time. My '73 Z1 owner's manual called it "SS 1/4 mile" (SS='standing start'). It also claimed 12.0 sec, which was only off by as much as 3/4 of a second. Four years later, when it was increased from 903 to 1014cc and called the KZ1000, and became the quickest production motorcycle Cycle World had ever tested, it still 'only' did 12.2 sec.

And I'm old school. If your "drag strip" is only 1/8 mile long, well, that's not a drag strip. That's my opinion, and it should be yours.

 

[JMHJ]

I've not had any more surprises since that one. Been sort of thinking about the clutch-up technique and how that would work, but have not done it : )

I had to get out of the house the other night, and the night air was messing with my contacts. I pulled over on the side of the nearly empty turnpike to put in some eye drops (first of 3 or 4 times), and laid into it getting back on the road. I stayed with it a gear or two longer than a usual hard accel blend into traffic (run), and was surprised how the thing was still pulling hard up at a place I hadn't been. I mean 2nd gear will get you to and beyond a highway speed limit; I sometimes do third for a bit for good measure, then settle into the flow somewhere. Other than that, most of my maneuvering is in top gear and is well and good enough.

I'm bragging on my bike a bit, heh... It's the best one I've had, except maybe the GS450, only because that one was the first, and you can't replace those times. Still like the Suzukis though...

 

[JMHJ]

Got a little unexpected rise out of it the other day, and tried the shifting thing, but don't think I did it quite quick enough. Still felt it plop back down, but not too bad. If I knew it was coming and/or did it more, it might be more natural. Mighta been the cold air, or rolling on the throttle at just the right time, Idk.

I've seen a guy do a 45-degree-ish wheelie on a big V-twin Harley or some such. And I'm iffy on a bike it ought to be "easy" on. Pretty bad, lol.

 

[argonsagas]

Rear brake as Rijko says. The great thing about that is your brain is already trained to stab your right foot down when in danger. It's the one time on a bike that it's the right move. Otherwise it's been the death of many bikers when encountering danger.

You are right on all points.

I am no longer amazed, but continue to be puzzled by how many riders still avoid proper use of the front brake in normal riding, and especially in emergency cituations.
]
the rear brake is an excellent tool when you want down from a wheelie, and particularly when it is an unintentional one.