Second Gear No Clutch Power Wheelie

Can you?

Please explain.

Gearing? Brute strength? $$$$$$ in mods?

I kinda get the idea of a quick roll off on throttle to load the front suspension then hammering the throttle .....but I just can't seem to bring that front wheel any higher than a gnat's ass hair.

Enlighten me please.

I'm

I'll be the first to admit that I'm terrible at wheelies. However, I don't think you'll get a power wheelie in second without some major mods like, oh, maybe a turbo!

With a 48t sprocket, K&N, FMFQ4, Attitude programmer, it almost feels like it wants to power wheelie in first, but desn't quite.

Clutching it up is another whole thing of course.

I'm not talking balance point here....just something more than a gnat's ass hair.

In first gear I can easily get the front up with nothing but throttle snap.
Again, I'm not stunting or anything. I'm a novice at all this wheelie stuff.

I still feel way too uncomfortable with anything more than 10 to 12 inches of air under the front tire.

I was really just wondering if I was doing something wrong, or perhaps my WR was weaker than most. Apparently it's not me or the bike.

Sounds like the clutch is mandatory for second gear wheelies on the WR.

the only way i could see getting it up in 2nd w/o the clutch would be stoppie-ing down to about 20mph, then sitting really far back and pulling up very hard while also nailing the throttle... and there's no way in hell i'm trying that!

I can't without the clutch.

I feel that assuming you've done the popular mods like airbox flapper elimination and a fuel programmer, you'd have to significantly lower the gearing to make second gear wheelies on demand.
Both versions of the WR-250 (R and X) are geared pretty darn tall.

Even then, I feel you'd really need more cubic centimeters to make it a real wheelie monster by just snapping the throttle. :)

When I had a 47 tooth on the back it would power 2nd fairly easy.

f3joel wrote:

When I had a 47 tooth on the back it would power 2nd fairly easy.

Not calling you a liar, but I'm finding that hard to believe. I've got a 48 and it doesn't power wheelie.
Like has been stated, maybe if you compress the suspension then pull back hard and lean way back or something... but that's hardly easier on the rider or the bike than clutching it.

ZED wrote:

f3joel wrote:

When I had a 47 tooth on the back it would power 2nd fairly easy.

Not calling you a liar, but I'm finding that hard to believe. I've got a 48 and it doesn't power wheelie.
Like has been stated, maybe if you compress the suspension then pull back hard and lean way back or something... but that's hardly easier on the rider or the bike than clutching it.

believe whatever you want...

ZED wrote:

...
Like has been stated, maybe if you compress the suspension then pull back hard and lean way back or something... but that's hardly easier on the rider or the bike than clutching it.

Why is this? I would think it would be way easier on the bike?

So explain proper throttle clutch technique for the greatest wheelies.

It would seem to me that yanking in the clutch to the bar, twisting the throttle hard, then dumping the clutch would be pretty harsh on the poor little 250 drivetrain.

More so than just off throttle, bounce suspension, on throttle.

What am I missing?

When you clutch a wheelie, just slip it a little bit.
You don't pull the clutch in to the bar, just enough to disengage it.
It is all timing, start out giving it a little bit of gas and take baby steps.

f3joel wrote:

When you clutch a wheelie, just slip it a little bit.
You don't pull the clutch in to the bar, just enough to disengage it.
It is all timing, start out giving it a little bit of gas and take baby steps.

If the clutch is disengaged what difference does it make how much farther I pull the lever?

Disengaged is disengaged isn't it?

And I'm the king of baby stepping. Although I'd prefer to call it "old man stepping".

motokid wrote:

So explain proper throttle clutch technique for the greatest wheelies.

It would seem to me that yanking in the clutch to the bar, twisting the throttle hard, then dumping the clutch would be pretty harsh on the poor little 250 drivetrain.

More so than just off throttle, bounce suspension, on throttle.

What am I missing?

It's all one smooth process. Real world wheelies don't translate very well on paper when broken down into steps. But I can do my best.

#1. Starting in 1st gear, shift into 2nd around 10-15 mph.
#2. Cover the clutch with one or two fingers.
#3. Around 17 mph in 2nd gear, give it some good gas, like you're going to pass a car. (You have not pulled in the clutch yet)
#4. When you feel the rear suspension squat, pull in and release the clutch, both motions smoothly.
#5. Rinse and repeat, each time trying to bring the steps into one silky smooth process. (and probably giving it more gas)

When it is smooth, the gas and clutching almost feel simultaneous. Like, you begin rolling on, but before the throttle hits the stop, you have already pulled in and released the clutch. So in a way it is simultaneous, but rolling on the gas begins before slipping the clutch. For some reason people think "clutch in -> gas on -> clutch out" which is wrong, and probably will cause excess wear and tear.

Probably one of the hardest things to do once you get the front up, is bringing it down gently. It's as simple as not chopping the throttle, however that's easier said than done when your front wheel comes up for the first time.

Thanks. That's a great explanation. One of the best I've seen in quite a while.

I get good wheelies in second by snapping the throttle off then on without problems, I just have to be higher up in the rpm range. Don't know if it makes a difference but I have the R with 48t rear, fmf power programmer, Q4, airbox mod and ais removed.

denniswrr wrote:

I get good wheelies in second by snapping the throttle off then on without problems, I just have to be higher up in the rpm range. Don't know if it makes a difference but I have the R with 48t rear, fmf power programmer, Q4, airbox mod and ais removed.

Hmmm....define "good".

The 48t rear makes a difference.

Ok waiting on my order 12t and 45t, I have the integrated tail light from you i guess
this morning tried snaping the cluch in first the bike stood up nice, in second even with snapping the clutch it was very hard to go up. this was my first try, maybe next i will try knee on the seat

can u do a power wheelie 1st gear stock gearing?

Stay away from throttle wheelies. They never come up the same, you're way higher in the RPM range, which means by the time you get the front wheel up you're going way to fast. Plus trying to bounce up the front end will put your body in bad positioning in case something happens and you need to react quickly.

Stick with Clutching it up. They are way easier on your bike. You can be lower in the rpm range which will make it quicker and easier to get your bike to the balance point. And with using the clutch the front wheels comes up pretty much the same everytime.

**** Make sure you got your right foot covering the rear brake incase your front decides to go a lil further back that you planned. ****

BTW.. my RR is geared 12/43 and i can clutch it up in 2nd gear with no problems.

Practice clutching it up, you don't dump the clutch, you slip it in/out while snapping the throttle, once you learn to synchronize it, you'll never do another power wheelie again.

12oclocker wrote:

Practice clutching it up, you don't dump the clutch, you slip it in/out while snapping the throttle, once you learn to synchronize it, you'll never do another power wheelie again.

Any chance you could do a short helmet cam video that really focuses on the proper clutch and gas technique?

motokid wrote:

12oclocker wrote:

Practice clutching it up, you don't dump the clutch, you slip it in/out while snapping the throttle, once you learn to synchronize it, you'll never do another power wheelie again.

Any chance you could do a short helmet cam video that really focuses on the proper clutch and gas technique?

I'm waaay too old for this sh*t!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A video would be cool though............

motokid wrote:

Any chance you could do a short helmet cam video that really focuses on the proper clutch and gas technique?

it's actually pretty simple. since our bikes don't have tach's you'll have to go by sound. try to be in the mid to lower rpm range for the set-up. the next three steps are done in this order and lterally at the same time. Pull the clutch in just to where it disengages, crack the throttle open, and let the clutch out.

the first couple of times be easy on the throttle till you get more comfortable and start feeling how fast the front wheel comes up. Again, like i posted before, keep your right foot over the rear brake. if the front tire comes up to high tap on the brake and it will bring it back down.

Yep...I've heard it described hundreds of times....being able to see and hear it would be worth reading it a few million more times.

If nobody can get a short video from a wr250x or r, then fine. But it sure would be nice to have a video.