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i have a 2001 cbr 600 f4i, i would like to be able to ride a wheelie instead of popping it up and then dropping it right back down. i usually do a wheelie at around 25-45mph in 1st, some are bigger then others but my best are proly just below the balance point, i cant seem to get it up there and keep it there....Would it be a good idea to buy a vortex wheelie sprocket set, 15 tooth in front and 48 in rear? no chain change nessisary. Will this help me hold wheelies or only make it easy to pop them with more torque?

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***Time is never wasted, if your wasted all the time***

you can buy the sprocket kit if you want, and you might like it a lot, but it isnt needed! your problem sounds to be confidence and practise.If your geting near balance point and loosing it, it is because your leting off to soon. If you change sprockets it will do the same thing, un less you make a radical (non streetable) gear change. Of course also bear in mind that the closer you are to B/P the more likley a mistake, especialy when starting out. Also a lot of riders prefer 2nd gear to 1st because 2nd is less twitchy.

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CBR929-jardine race can, down 1, polished frame and swing arm,wheels polished, HELI bars, Sargent seat, Puig racing screen

commuting on a VLX600 shadow for now, 60MPG!!! I punched out the baffles, so it has that V-twin snap and crackle that made H/D so infamous. Except this little scute is rice powered!!lol

and once in a while a 98 gold wing, its a scarey fast 2 wheeled yacht!!

thanks for the advise i think ill stay stock this summer and see how i do. iv been told that shifting into second gear when the bike hits the b/p is necessary to keep it up and ride off. any thoughts on that, i havnt really tried it yet, seems to me that would only be good if i wanted to keep accelerating? i only weigh around 130 and have tried to shift my weight back and only use the power to bounce it up but can only get a few inches out of it, is this a good was to wheele or is clutching easier? how fast do you think i need to be going to bring it up in second, with the clutch?? (im kinda scared of trying them fast at the moment)

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***Time is never wasted, if your wasted all the time***

Although it can be done, it's tough to get  a stock f4i up on one wheel in 2nd gear.  Mine used to do it when it was newer but it got to be pretty hard to pull it all the way up in 2nd gear especially with a full tank of gas.

I recently did the 520 conversion to -1/+2.  the bike will pop right up in second gear now and i can ride them all day since balance point doesn't have to be so high with a little speed.  I pull mine up at about 30mph and ride them around 40mph or so.

The gearing change gave me lots of confidence in pulling up the front wheel in second gear because it comes up so much nicer in second and it's easier to find the BP.

First gear with this gearing is another story haha.  I'm still not real steady with that throttle and first is super touchy now that i've geared it so i scare the *** outta myself quite a bit.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

I cant say for the f4, but I do have friends with other 600's that get 2nd on all throttle with no problem. I think it may be how they do it though. they bounce it up. In other words, they goose the throttle a couple times in second to get the suspension to start loading and un loading.  Then when the bike rebounds you throttle in to it and......up,upand away!!!! I think it is mainly practice since ive seen them do it with ease and once in a while i still  F it up on  my 929. I think the hardest part is learning to get out of the throotle and not OFF the throttle. Me personaly I cant get comfortable with clutching.

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CBR929-jardine race can, down 1, polished frame and swing arm,wheels polished, HELI bars, Sargent seat, Puig racing screen

commuting on a VLX600 shadow for now, 60MPG!!! I punched out the baffles, so it has that V-twin snap and crackle that made H/D so infamous. Except this little scute is rice powered!!lol

and once in a while a 98 gold wing, its a scarey fast 2 wheeled yacht!!

It takes some work to get 2nd gear up with stock gearing on the f4i.  I'm not saying it can't be done....just saying it takes some work.  By the way all the stuff i was referring too with wheelies is by using the clutch.

Learn the clutch method because the power up wheelie is weak sauce.  It's ok to get the feel with the power up but if you really wanna learn to wheelie you're better off learning how to clutch it to BP so you can get the feel.

I'll explain the power up method a little better.  YOu don't have to goose it up a couple times......Simply take the rpm's up to about 5k.....then chop the throttle (decel) so the front shocks load, and then give a good wack on the throttle about 3/4 turn and it'll come up.  This is first gear of course.......If you want to do this in second gear you'll have to bounce the *** out of it and wack a full fist of throttle and then it still prolly won't get up to where you need it.

If you're looking to have fun with wheelies in any gear besides 1st.....get some sprockets.

And don't forget when it comes to wheelies.......CLUTCH CLUTCH CLUTCH.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

RSchaef83:

Learn the clutch method because the power up wheelie is weak sauce.  It's ok to get the feel with the power up but if you really wanna learn to wheelie you're better off learning how to clutch it to BP so you can get the feel.

Just remember that this method comes at a price (your clutch!).

I'll explain the power up method a little better.  YOu don't have to goose it up a couple times......Simply take the rpm's up to about 5k.....then chop the throttle (decel) so the front shocks load, and then give a good wack on the throttle about 3/4 turn and it'll come up.  This is first gear of course.......If you want to do this in second gear you'll have to bounce the *** out of it and wack a full fist of throttle and then it still prolly won't get up to where you need it.

This is also called the on-off method.

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badfish '05 600RR Purple/Black

RSchaef83:

I recently did the 520 conversion to -1/+2.  the bike will pop right up in second gear now and i can ride them all day since balance point doesn't have to be so high with a little speed.  I pull mine up at about 30mph and ride them around 40mph or so.

How much did this conversion change your top end speed?

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***Time is never wasted, if your wasted all the time***

abadfish:

RSchaef83:

Learn the clutch method because the power up wheelie is weak sauce.  It's ok to get the feel with the power up but if you really wanna learn to wheelie you're better off learning how to clutch it to BP so you can get the feel.

Just remember that this method comes at a price (your clutch!).

It's questionable as to which method is better for the bike. 

I will say though, the clutch gets worn with racing and anything else.  A little slip in the wheelie doesn't hurt it all that bad.  I've seen boys out in the parking lot stunting their f4i's for years on the same clutch and they rock the clutch all day.  Basically if you wanna learn to wheelie you gotta use the clutch, PERIOD!

As for top speed, i'd say i'm down to about 135 or so.  I never hit the top end anyway.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

RSchaef83:

abadfish:

RSchaef83:

Learn the clutch method because the power up wheelie is weak sauce.  It's ok to get the feel with the power up but if you really wanna learn to wheelie you're better off learning how to clutch it to BP so you can get the feel.

Just remember that this method comes at a price (your clutch!).

It's questionable as to which method is better for the bike. 

sorry, I wasn't intending to imply one method is better than the other.

I will say though, the clutch gets worn with racing and anything else. 

the only thing in racing that kills the clutch is the start (unless you count the celebration wheelies and burnouts afterwards ).

 

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badfish '05 600RR Purple/Black

Haha, i'm not here to argue....or wait? am i?!?!

The burnouts don't hurt the clutch at all.  And racing does tear up a clutch pretty good, maybe not as much as a guy out in the parking lot ripping up wheelies.

You ever seen a gp racer on tv downshift?  he pulls in the clutch for every gear, at least that's what i saw stoner do numerous times this past weekend.

That downshift at high rpm with the clutch definetely puts some wear on it, but hell that's what they're made for.

Wheelies do take more clutch for sure.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

Ive never watched Stoner him self, but all the races ive watched down shifing has been done with sharp, high rpm throttle bliping, clutchless.

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CBR929-jardine race can, down 1, polished frame and swing arm,wheels polished, HELI bars, Sargent seat, Puig racing screen

commuting on a VLX600 shadow for now, 60MPG!!! I punched out the baffles, so it has that V-twin snap and crackle that made H/D so infamous. Except this little scute is rice powered!!lol

and once in a while a 98 gold wing, its a scarey fast 2 wheeled yacht!!

Watch this past race, the american telecast.  There is a distict shot of stoner downshifting.  The reason i know it was stoner is because it says that right on his clutch lever.

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2002 silver/red f4i
Two bro's slip on
painted windscreen

I've seen people do slow parking lot stunts on completely stock 600s, it's all in your head. People have a false conception that bigger sprockets make a person a wheelie pro, but that's not the case. Just keep practicing in a PARKING LOT, at least until you can get better at them. Usually, when you think you have a high wheelie, it's not as high as you think, just give it a little more gas to get further back. Also, do them at about 20mph... at 40, you loose a lot of power, which makes it a lot harder to keep up. Make sure you keep your foot over the brake. Good luck.

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96 F3, 98 motor, Vanes and Hines headers and mid pipe with cut Yoshi can, K&N filter, Stage 1 Dyno Jet Kit, dirtbike shifter to eliminate linkage and reverse it as well, naked with racing 905 stunt cage and 12 bar, hand brake, Goodridge kevlar lines in front with 2007 GSX-R radial master cylinder