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Power Wheelie on quick take offs???

5K views 34 replies 16 participants last post by  Æon 
#1 ·
Ok quick question, I have read in a few post that you have to 'try' to make the ST3 wheelie, but I am not trying and it happens. Basically if i take off in first hard when I hit about 8-9k rpm my front end lifts and keeps wanting to lift until I either let off or tap rear break. I have even shifted into 2nd with wheel upand it kept climbing. The only way i can get the wheel to stay down with WOT is by basically laying on the tank. Now I just finished the break in a few hundred miles ago and I am new to 'biger/faster' motors but is this common? I am 5'5 and 160lbs so Im a pretty small guy, but everything i have read makes it sound like you have to snap the throttle to get it to pop, all i do is go wide open and it starts to lift. Side note, I like to sit pretty far back on the seat when driving, uh... spiritedly, right up against the hump, if im going to take off quick should I go 'ballz to tank?"
 
#2 ·
Well, a lot of things make a difference, you are on the light side, which helps, you are sitting way back, also helps the wheelies, stock exhaust is heavy, high and really far back, all of that leads to weight shifting even further back as the front lifts, which makes the front want to climb more.

Personally, I'd ditch the stupid heavy stock exhaust for the arrow low mount (17lbs. Lighter than stock) and work on getting your weight further forward when accelerating.
 
#4 ·
If you rev it high and take off, you'll easily get the wheel off the ground. That's why racers are so far forward when starting, so they keep the wheel down as much as possible.

balls to the tank is recommended by Simon Crafar in his excellent motovudu dvd (http://www.motovudu.com/), with weight as far as you can over the tank and your feet pushing against the pegs.

It's a great feeling when starting and the wheel lifts ever so slighty. MOre lift than that, and basically you're wasting speed.
 
#5 ·
I have a similar problem but mine has the arrow 3-1 and is mostly stock that I know of and mine is flat out vertical at quarter throttle and that's with me hangin over the tank and I weigh 275. Mine is flat out unridable from 3500 Rpms and up. First gears races are out of the question for me, I hit quarter throttle and have to let off to avoid going over

Sent from my HTC One X using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#7 ·
Something is going wrong there! Not very much power and torque available below 3500rpm and at 275lbs you shouldn't find yourself wheelieing accidentally. All I can think is you are sitting well back and that your weight distribution on the bike is way back-possibly the rear suspension needs attending to to firm it up as you are about 100lbs more that the weight envisaged by Triumph in their stock settings.
If you get someone to video your take off others may have suggestions for your problem.
 
#6 ·
It automatically power-wheelies in 1st gear and even 2nd gear if you hit a bump. The front wheel even leaves the ground a bit with my QuickShifter from 3rd to 4th. Even with my weight over the headlights I can't whack the throttle wide open in 1st. I generally avoid wheelies (see YouTube crashes) cos one screw-up is expensive and my bones don't heal quickly at my age lol. Mostly I like the light weight, strong powerband, and effortless handling. - Wayne
 
#8 ·
My 2012 R would power wheelie a lot before the Werkes upgrade. The combination of a Kriega tail pack (with some books, ipad etc) and the heavy under-seat exhaust meant that the front lifted pretty easily. This is also the case even though I sit well forward on the machine, I'm 6'2 around 180lbs.

The problem I have now is not that the front pops up, but the rear end is far more squirrely. There is far less weight over the rear wheel with the GP exhaust, again coupled with my forward riding position, means that breaking traction on corners, or under power on bumpy surfaces is something I need to be really mindful of. It feels noticeably light and bouncy in the rear. I just realised that probably need to adjust the rear shock!
 
#9 ·
I would LOVE to ditch my stock exhaust and go with an Arrow or Werkes Exhaust but i dont have the cash at the moment, paying off some bills (was best man in 2 weddings in 2 weeks and my wife was brides maid/maid of honor in them so that added up pretty quick). I may do it beginning next depending on how bad these new exhaust laws are here in CA.

but back to point, it sounds like im not alone here and i just need to get over the tank more if i plan to take off quick. Thanks for the input guys!!!
 
#19 ·
See, I don't get this. I have an '09 with stock exhaust. I weigh 175 lbs, and I've only ever made the bike wheelie once, on purpose, in a parking lot. I had to hit the throttle once, back it off and then hammer it as it starting to slow. I wheelied for about 1.5 seconds.
I've tried to power wheelie in 2nd and I don't think I've ever come close.

Either I'm doing something wrong or there's something wrong with my bike at the low end...
 
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