RIDING TIPS - Stunts

A. Wheelies

1. Pick a good place to practice. You want to be safe and you also don’t need to get in trouble.
a. Privately-owned parking lots are often good. Try not to practice on public roads, where cops and traffic can interfere.
b. The surface must be big enough to get up to speed and move around.
c. The surface must be flat. A cambered road can throw off your balance, and that’s the last thing you need.

2. In general
a. As soon as the front wheel comes up, your natural reaction will be to chop the throttle. Don’t panic.
i The most common fear is that you will fall backwards or loop the bike.
• Have faith in the bike. This tends to happen only to experienced folks who are trying to go too far.
• You have to really make an effort to go back past vertical.
• When you think you’re vertical, the bike is really only at about 45 degrees. That front wheel has a good couple of yards left to go before it is going to fall backwards.
ii If you feel that the wheel has come up too far, simply lean forward and ease off the throttle.
• If you panic, you’ll chop the throttle and pull the clutch in. Try not to.
• Be warned! If you panic and whack the throttle shut, the bike will drop HARD. If you’re a guy, this can be painful — it’s like getting kicked in the nuts really hard. And you can warp the rim of your front wheel.
• Advanced riders can use the rear brake to stop a wheelie, but don’t try that until you’re competent and comfortable with the basic maneuver first.
b. Build up your confidence gradually. Don’t try to be Evel Knievel right away.

3. Power wheelies — throttle only
a. In first gear, get up to 15 - 20 mph (or 3000 rpm, if you prefer)
b. Lean back
c. Slam the throttle all the way open
d. The front wheel will come up
e. Add gas to raise the wheel higher, ease off the gas to lower the wheel.

4. Power wheelies — with front-loading
a. In first gear, get up to 15 - 20 mph
b. Chop the throttle to front-load the suspension
c. Slam the throttle open and lean back
d. The front wheel will come up
e. Add gas to raise the wheel, ease off the gas to lower it.

5. Clutch wheelies — use both clutch and throttle
a. In first gear, get up to 15 - 20 mph (or 3000 rpm if you prefer)
b. Pull in the clutch (disengage)
c. Lean back
d. Yank the throttle open
e. When the revs peak, dump the clutch (engage)
f. Add gas to raise the wheel, ease off the gas to lower it.

6. Going for distance
a. Lift the wheel up to the balance point.
i This is where your center of gravity is directly over the rear tire’s footprint.
ii It will feel right. The bike will stay put with minimal effort.

b. Change gears to keep going.
i Use the clutch.
• The bike will dip momentarily when you pull in the clutch, but use the throttle to lift yourself back up.
ii You don’t really need to go beyond second gear, but you can show off by going through the whole gearbox.

c. Smoothness is the key. The more you’re chopping and waggling, the more difficult it’s going to be.


B. Stoppies

1. Stopped stoppies

a. A basic stoppie is done at a slow speed with all the braking force applied quickly. It usually lasts only a few seconds with the rear of the bike coming up quickly, all forward movement stopping, and then the rear crashing/ falling back down. As the basic stoppie is done at a very slow speed, most people feel more comfortable trying it. However because there is very little forward momentum or speed, if the front tire skids, it will usually fall out from under you to one side and result in a crash.

b. First bring the bike up to about 25mph and practice stopping quickly and smoothly while keeping the rear on the ground. Gradually try stopping as fast as you can while still keep the rear on the ground

c. Make sure not to transfer your weight from one side to the other or front to back quickly. Start off against the tank with your thighs gripping it tightly. Your arms should not be locked, but should nevertheless be stiff.

d. Now start braking quickly from about 25mph. At this point the front forks should be heavily compressed. Once you’re almost stopped (about 10mph or less) apply even more brake, quickly. The rear end should pop up fast, the bike should almost stop. Then let off the brake and the rear will fall as the bike stops completely.

e. If the rear is coming up too fast, let off the brake quickly and drop the rear. If the rear comes up so high and your STOPPED for a few seconds vertical at the balance point (straight up and down) it is better to swing the rear to the side to drop the rear than let off the brake, because the bike may fall forwards.

2. Rolling stoppies
a. A rolling stoppie is done at speed with the rear end getting up smoothly. It is then rode for a distance with the rear height being controlled by the amount of brake pressure. The rear can then be brought back down smoothly at about 10mph.

b. First bring the bike up to about 45mph and practice stopping quickly and smoothly while keeping the rear on the ground. Gradually try stopping as fast as you can while still keeping the rear on the ground.

c. Make sure not to transfer your weight from one side to the other or front to back quickly. Start off against the tank with your thighs gripping it tightly. Your arms should not be locked but stiff. This is extremely important at the beginning of a rolling stoppie while the rear end is coming up. Be smooth and keep the bike stable.

d. Start braking quickly from about 40mph minimum. For the first two or three seconds apply the front brakes hard enough to heavily compress the front forks.

e. Now increase the front brake pressure significantly and the rear end should come up. Once it's up, you have to slightly decrease the amount of brake pressure to keep the rear from continuing to rise. Then as the bike is coming to a stop slowly release the brake at about 10 mph lowering the rear, or ride it to the end and let it crash down, your choice.

f. The height of the rear end is controlled by the amount of front brake pressure you apply. You will definitely be able to feel when the rear comes off the ground. The first few times it will feel like the rear is way up in the air, but it’s probably only a foot high.

g. If the rear is coming up too fast let off the brake quickly and drop the rear.

h. If the rear is coming up and to the side, let off the brake slowly and the bike will straighten out by itself. This is due to the gyroscopic force. You can even keep the rear up and do this. Never let off the brake quickly if the rear is coming up and to the side. This will result in a tank slapper and most likely a crash. The bike's rear will most likely swing to the right because you are putting pressure and some weight on the front brake.

C. Burnouts
1. Why anyone would want to do this to a perfectly good tire is beyond me. But they sure are cool to watch.

2. Static Burnout — staying in the same spot
a. Stand on ground, no weight on saddle
b. Full front brake
c. Gas it
d. Lots of noise and smoke.

3. Rolling Burnout — while moving, feet-up

a. Check the surface first
i Too grippy, you’ll stress the clutch, rip the tire, and have trouble rolling.
ii Too slippy, you’ll push the front tire and you might flip it.

b. Get started (2 ways).
i Version (A)
• Start a static burnout, full front brake & throttle, no weight on saddle.
• Let the clutch out abruptly
• Ease off the brake while hopping onto the pegs
• Lift one foot onto a peg (don’t put any weight on it yet) then hop straight into a standing position OR
• Lean on the tank first, and swing both legs pegward together.

ii Version (B)
• Already riding feet up, very slowly.
• Pitch all the weight forward, as in a stoppie, and at the same time let the clutch out with a lot of throttle
• As soon as the rear wheel spins, ease off the brake
• Keep your weight as far forward as possible and ride away

c. Stance
i Keep your weight as far forward as possible.
• This makes it much easier on you, and on the bike.
ii Keep your feet on the pegs. No shifting or rear-braking, please.

d. Hands
i Left hand should cover the clutch. If anything starts to go wrong, pull the clutch in.
ii Right hand controls the brake with 2 fingers and the throttle with the rest.

e. Speed control
i More front brake = slower
ii More revs = faster rear spin = less traction = slower
iii Less revs = less rear spin = more traction = faster (maybe time to pull in the clutch)
iv The most critical thing to remember is to keep the wheel spinning and use the brake smoothly. Any harsh movement will bounce the forks and it’s over.

f. Steering
i More revs = faster rear spin = faster sliding & pivoting. (Can result in a low-side drop if you don’t pull in the clutch and put a boot down.)
ii Steer by turning the bars in the direction you want to go. Countersteer to control how fast the rear end comes around.