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DRZ Wheelie

34K views 48 replies 18 participants last post by  T-Giv 
#1 ·
Its been mentioned a million times I know, but I can't get it. My bike is a 2000 drz400e soon to be supermoto. 14/47 gearing, Ive read all the forums and watched all the videos.

Heres what I do; just above idle in second gear, 2 finger pull clutch rev engine let clutch out. and just a small amount of wheel lift and then I go full throttle and it just goes right down. :hmmm:

What Ive tried; Playing with clutch, throttle, timing, seating position, and I tightened the suspension to full. :headscrat

What I might be doing on accident; riding the clutch, leaning forward (still seating far back though), pussy out on throttle for the initial lift, I do not believe its the last one.

Any tips, This has been eating at me for a couple weeks now. :damn:
 
#2 · (Edited)
I just learned how to wheelie mine this week, All I do in second is go around 20 mph get on the gas for a second, pull in the clutch for a second and rev and release...I found If I slip the clutch to much it wont do anything so I actually slip it very fast almost to the point dumping it. The second thing I found I did before to prevent the wheelie was not leaning back with the bike. When you drop the clutch pull back and straighten your arms out and that should help with the natural tendency to lean forward as it starts to climb. Third thing I do is keep on the gas until it hits balance point or I wuss out and close the throttle. Make sure to cover the rear brake!! Good luck.
 
#3 ·
tanker has got it right. 20mph 2nd gear pop that clutch hard, i dont bounce or any shit like that. it comes up, and carry it forever. 3rd gear wheelies are the same. sorry for the shitty pic, the cam we used sucks

 
#4 ·
Thanks guys! Went out today for a good hour or 2. Soon enough i was leaning back and trying to break the habit of leaning forward. Turns out i was slipping the clutch or my timing was off because this time i tried doing a double rev then pop the clutch and what do you know they come up. Now its just more practice to ride it out.:bannana:
 
#6 ·
Dont listen to this guy! You really should never power up its much safer to clutch and as a begginer dont wheelie first. Clutch second at 20mph and once you get good with using your rear break and hitting balance point then start trying to shift into third but never use the clutch mid wheelie. Practice clutching up in second then bringing it back down with the rear brake. Always cover the rear brake. Wear your gear and practice you will get it. oh and you can also clutch 3rd at around 30mpg with a good tug or if youve done 3x3, rejet, ect... I found it hard to clutch 3rd bone stock...With the FCR 3X3 and MRD I get 3rd with ease, but I was able to with 3X3 and rejet. Trying to clutch 4th but I dont have much luck so I just shift 3rd into 4th and then 5th.
 
#10 ·
Thanks guys. I started getting some good clutch ups, nothing much just a good step foward. I can only chase them out. I got it on film with a crap camera phone but i noticed i need to lean back more. I also need practice on using the rear brake. Instead if double revving then popping the clutch, im going to start using the single rev.

Any tips?
 
#12 ·
I had trouble with timing at first so i started doing this.

Pull clutch in, pull throttle pull throttle. Release clutch. For some reason it helped with timing.

Basicaly it makes the yut ugh soung but yut yut ugh. I dont know why but it seemed to help at first. Just got to get timing down and lean back! Guess its just my brain not used to that feeling.
 
#14 ·
I think you may be doing it wrong. It sounds like you're using the clutch dump to lift the front. There is a much easier way : 2nd gear, constant speed - Just rolling along - Maybe 20MPH. Then, Roll on throttle to maybe half of wide open fast but smooth, as revs reach sweet spot maybe a half second after the roll on, pull in clutch just enough to raise the revs sharply and release. It'll lift.

It is definitely not : clutch in - vroom, vroom! - dump clutch! That is the road to Loopville!
 
#13 ·
Sit almost on the rear fender. I do that and it makes it a cake walk for 2nd clutch ups between 18-35mph or so. No luck clutching 3rnd yet but I can shift up.

Take your time you will get it. Wear your gear and cover the rear brake and don't forget to use it.
 
#17 ·
Here's a little more detail. With this method I can wheel most bikes (every one I've tried it on at least)

Also - The best wheelie tutorial on youtube is from downshift83. He rides a sportsbike but he's got camera angles of his clutch, accelerator and helmet view simultaneously. With a lot of detail.

1. First or second gear. I'd say 2nd cos on a thumper first is a bit too violent and short.
2. Two fingers on the clutch rest of em holding on to the bar
3. Roll along Nice and slow. revs constant around 2k. Sitting straight up, arms relaxed.
4. Crack the throttle to halfway in a quick but smooth motion. Count off one half second.
5. Pull the clutch in real quick, just enough to slip it. Not as much as you'd use to gear change. And this is important. It is a momentary pull. You do not want the revs climbing much at all. And release. To visualise the clutch pull. Hold your left hand out in front of you, first 2 fingers extended. Like you are holding onto your bike. Now bend those fingers to the 90 degree point and straighten them as fast as you can. That's the clutch action. In-out. Don't let it flick out. You LET it out, but quickly.
6. If it doesn't wheelie. Roll a little faster than before. Keep everything else constant.
7. Once the wheel lifts you have half your throttle left to lift higher and ride it out.

That clutch pull in and release is really very small. If you're holding in the clutch too long a few things can happen. - a) It'll loop - b) The rear will spin up - c) nothing, as the revs have risen above the max torque line.

You shouldn't have to pull back on the bars in a low gear. Only once you get to doing standups and higher gear wheelies do you need to worry about pulling up on the bars.
 
#19 ·
When you "power it up" even tho you know you twisted the throttle you don't know if its for sure gonna come up and at what rate it's gonna come up(gradual or snap) When you clutch it up you're in full control of the wheelie. I have been stunt riding my Gsxr for bout 3 years now and by no means am I a pro but I do know the difference between clutching and powering. Any stunt rider will tell you to clutch. Talk to Ryan from 50 stunt. He is on motards all day long. He clutches. Also it's about being comfortable on the bike. If you're not comfortable clutching up then take it slow and practice. Now the 1st and 2nd gear thing. I would say stay in 1st being twitchy of not if you were to wreck it's going to hurt more at faster speeds. I see the "twitchy 1st gear" as a good way to learn throttle control. And lastly guys please cover the rear brake!!!!!!! This is just my 2 cents. Wheelie on!!!
 
#20 ·
Next time you pull up to a stop sign give the bike a bit more gas and slip the clutch a bit faster pulling out and let the front gradually come up. Don't just dump the clutch or you will end up on your ass. Just let it out smoothly with enough gas and it will come up. If you shift early and keep your rpms low you won't have that twitchy effect. This gets you comfortable clutching it up quick. Slow wheelies are way more fun, safer, and teach you throttle control. You'll end up doing it every time you come to a stop trust me


Also get a 50.
 
#22 ·
Not discounting that great description at all....but my first response...." go around 20 mph get on the gas for a second, pull in the clutch for a second and rev and release" I should have had a better spelled it out better for you, this is indeed the best and safest way to do it!!! Good job again buddy!! Post some pictures when you can. :bannana:
 
#25 ·
So now i want to learn the slow controlled wheelie. I watched a great vid by the armenian on youtube hes a great moto vlogger and will do wheelies in serious traffic. His vid helped alot but any tips for a first gear clutch up on the dizzer? My gearings 14/47 so its pretty torquey.

My 2nd gear clutch ups are great now! Just want to lesrn more control before i go anyfaster. :bannana:
 
#27 ·
For first gear wheelies I like to be rolling as slow as possible, maybe 10mph or so. Get on the gas hard but smooth. As I roll past half throttle or so give the clutch a little slip, it doesn't take much. I like to let the front wheel come up fast and sort of 'catch' it at the balance point with the rear brake and then immediately shift to second. To keep it slow you have to stay at or behind the balance point and be on the brake as much as you're on the gas.
 
#29 ·
So after reading this thread a few times I've decided I want to get a small bike, probably a pw 80, to learn to stunt on. I can wheelie my supermoto but am not very good or confident right now.

My question is how do you wheelie on a bike with an automatic trans, or are you just pulling up on the bars since it's such a small bike.

Thanks for the help, I want to learn to do wheelies and some other tricks. I figured it would be good to learn on a small bike first and hurt less when I crash.
 
#30 ·
Go with a crf50. Huge aftermarket for them, lots of people stunt them, and if you manage to blow it up (doubt it) you can bolt in a 125cc Chinese motor for cheap. Mines got scooter tires, stunt pegs, 12 bar and a rear handbrake all from Ryan Moore. I ride it almost as much as the drz.



Wheelies on a bike with no clutch take some getting used to but it's a piece of cake once you get it. It'll wheelie in all 3 gears but 2nd is the easiest to start out in. It's all about timing, you'll notice when you get on the gas there's a slight delay until the clutch actually engages and you start accelerating. All you have to do is get on the gas and time it so you are rocking back in your seat and giving the bars a little tug right as the clutch engages. You'll know your doing it right when you flip it :lol: these bikes have all of 3hp so its all body english and rear brake, you can't rely on the bike to keep it up. It's a steep learning curve but once you get it you can wheelie a 50 for literally as long as you want.
 
#31 ·
So Ive been using the 15/47 gearing and now 2nd gear is a bitch, I am ripping it has hard as I can and still not even a hop. same technique I've been using for all the others. first gear wheelies with this gearing is great, I can ride slow controlled ones like no problem, but anything higher it just kinda bogs.


could it be the jetting is bad. I live at 5,000 - 6,000 feet up, running a 162 main, stock pilot, and red needle in the 5th position, I used the jd jet kit.

My mods are full exhaust, and air box mod.

I weigh 215 at 6'2"

Not sure what the deal is, its like theres always a sweet spot gear, in the 15/47 its 1st in the 14/47 its 2nd anything higher then those it just makes a f'n fart noise. :headshake
 
#32 ·
I'm with phrolic, two stroke pit bikes are as useless as tits on a boar hog for an adult. Get the XR / CRF 50 and never look back. I love mine like a fat kid loves cake.



1. You live at high elevation which automatically robs you of some power.

2. Your jetting is rich. I have the 3x3 mod plus other airbox mods and I'm only running a 150 main at 1850ft elevation, and the more extensive airbox modding and jetting was done by a professional on a dyno. Runs great IMHO for a stock bore DRZ. I can clutch up third all day long with the stock 15/41 gearing.
 
#34 · (Edited)
haha thats what Ive been told! :rofl:

So for my jetting:

I asked Jd before I installed their kit, they told me to use a 162 at 5,000 feet up with full exhaust and air box mod.

The kit includes 1 blue needle, 1 red needle, 155M, 160M, 162M, 165M, and a 168M came with stock.

Jd instructions say for elevation use the 160 I believe maybe the 155, and for mods the 165, So i called them and told them my specific situation and they told me to use 162.

Should I just throw in the 155? I'm moving in a week so I can't throw down money to have a pro completely jet my carb. If the 155 is close enough then I will use that until I get situated and can have it professionally tuned and jetted.
 
#35 ·
jet sizes dont always convey if they arent the same brands unfortunately. Also the needle makes a big difference. If you are bogging down low it has nothing/little to do with your main jet. You might try leaning out the pilot fuel screw 1/2 a turn, riding it, then try richening it up and ride it(make sure the bike is warm first). For your airbox mod did you do the 3x3 or more? Did the instruction say use the stock pilot? When my drz was stock/ish and i modded my airbox and endcap i went up from the 42.5 pilot to a 47 and from my 142.5main to a 147. Did you put an extended fuel screw on? Where is the fuel screw set now?
 
#37 ·
I'm in the learning process also. As far as seating position, if you think your far enough back on your seat your probably not. I reach around and can touch the rear fender while touching my back. If I'm not far enough back then no wheelie. This my experience and everybody does it different.

Also got my first shift from second to third last night and rode my longest wheelie I've riden on the drz. For me I have to be off throttle lightly to do a clutchless shift in a wheelie.
 
#38 ·
Seating position isn't as important as just leaning back. Too many guys lean forward into the wheelie as it comes up, it's just a natural thing to do. I wheelied about a half mile sitting damn near on the gas tank this morning on the way to work. I actually sort of prefer sitting a bit closer to the tank than most guys do, helps me control the slow wheelies better but that's just me. Remember, the farther you lean back the lower the balance point will be, and you will ride them further. Once that wheel leaves the ground try and keep your arms as straight as possible. Have someone record you on video if you can and you will more than likely see that the wheel isn't nearly as high as you thought and you are bringing your chest too close to the bars. The key to riding wheelies farther is simply practice and confidence. You'll come to realize that once you get that "oh shit" moment and you think you're done for you really have quite a bit of wiggle room left before you actually go over.

To shift in a wheelie all you do is put a bit of steady pressure on the shifter right as your coming up to the balance point and as soon as you let off the throttle it should click right into gear and you can get back on the gas. If you can shift without the clutch riding normally you can shift in a wheelie.
 
#43 ·
Proof that you CAN wheelie a DRZ, with street tires....in the MUD!! What camera setup took these pictures?!?! Oh and for the original poster...I have now concluded that scooting back in the seat makes it harder to carry the wheelie...just sit where you normally do and it is much more controlled as stated in the video. After 2 or 3 weeks of practice this wheelie stuff is easy peasy...expect shifting so far...I need to work on that. Keep up the wheelies!
 
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