My First Wheelie

So yesterday I rode my first wheelie... totally by accident. I've had my 08 R6s for a few months and put between 2 and 3 thousand miles on her. I've never pushed it too far into the rev range until yesterday. I was playing around with second gear on a back road going into work seeing how fast it would go at high rpm in that gear. Well, when I turned onto the last road going to work (way back in an old industrial park with no traffic to speak of), I thought to myself "I wonder how fast she'll go in first gear if I get the revs up". (I know... retard right?) Well, I found out real fucking quick what she'll do at about 10,000 rpm in first gear. She points her nose to the sky. I suddenly found myself riding a wheelie for the first time. Funny thing is that I wasn't trying. I guess I was sitting a little farther back on the seat than normal and pulled the throttle harder than usual. I tried to pop a wheelie on it when I first got it and couldn't. I just wan't punching it when the rpm's were high enough.

Anyway, I was just wondering what other people thought the first time they really pulled up a good wheelie. The front tire was in the air for only a second or so and it scared the shit out of me since it was unexpected, but I found myself wanting to get right back on and do it again. I'd say the bike was at about 45 degrees. I'm just a little scared to try again for fear of wrecking a brand new bike with a couple thousand dollars in mods.

Anybody got any thoughts on their first wheelie and advice for a dumb-ass wheelie noob on how to learn them without trashing his bike?

What a rush!

I thought that down the road when I have some money for an older beat up sport bike I might strip it down and try to learn how to do some stunts. The industrial park that our shop is located in has about 7 acres of clear concrete in the middle where an old building was removed. It would be a cool place to ride if the park owner doesn't mind.

itll do the same thing in second just so you know. I found this out while getting on the throttle pretty hard on the highway from a highway entrance. Wheel only cae up a little but still. It has an amazing amount of pull and I havent even regeared yet.

Yeah, mine is still stock as well. I was really suprised because I'm a heavier guy (215 pounds) and I'm usually leaned over the tank far enough that the front coming up has never been a problem.

I bet it's pretty suprising in second gear if you're not ready for it.

its awesome after you get use to it, but be safe.

I've always wanted to be able to just pull a wheelie anytime I wanted, but I'd never try it out on the highway. I work back in an old industrial park where maybe 5 cars a day go by our building, so I knew they wouldn't be any traffic while I was playing around with the bike. Makes me want to buy an old beat up bike just to practice with. I'd hate to wreck a 6 month old bike because I was being a dumbass and trying to pull wheelies on the way to work.

By the way... cool gixxer you got there.

Originally Posted by Faceshield bug collector

I've always wanted to be able to just pull a wheelie anytime I wanted, but I'd never try it out on the highway. I work back in an old industrial park where maybe 5 cars a day go by our building, so I knew they wouldn't be any traffic while I was playing around with the bike. Makes me want to buy an old beat up bike just to practice with. I'd hate to wreck a 6 month old bike because I was being a dumbass and trying to pull wheelies on the way to work.

Thats not a bad idea actually. I was thinking of getting a bike fot stunting practice too, till I am good enough to do cool stuff on the R6. I think the best way to go here is to get a gixxer to stunt on. That way when you wreck it and bust it up you wont cry.

^ true that

got a buddie that tried to sell me an '04 750 gixxer a couple months before I bought my r6s. I wish I'd picked it up. He was asking $5000. At the time I was convinced I wanted something more upright like a Ninja 650.