My 2006 599 is still dead stock. And I want to do a little trick with it.

I want to launch into a wheelie.

Without dropping the bike.

I've got a long enough driveway that I can bring the bike back to a stop before I cross the road and hit a stone wall. What I want to learn how to do is loft the front wheel about a foot into the air within a bike length or two of getting rolling.

Is this even possible on the stock bike?

I have inadvertently "floated" the front wheel on hard, straight line acceleration. Often rumble strips were involved. I would do a normal 4k launch and pin the throttle wide open. But the bike doesn't always float the wheel and I don't let off until shifting into 2nd which I do at or near redline.

In this particular instance, I want to do a start for video. So I need the bike to be in frame when the front wheel comes up. The distance I have to play with is about fifty feet before I'm out of frame and need to turn around for another take.

I don't have the option of putting a larger rear sprocket on. But I can reduce the rear tire pressure to increase contact area.

So what's the trick?

Did I mention I don't want to drop the bike?

Little blue pill.

Beats those darn red pills.

But doesn't really help me.

Did I ask for something that stupid?

I haven't gotten into the "wheelie zone" yet. Still afraid of dropping it :P

Some people on this forum said that they have to pop the clutch in second gear and rev it to, at least, 8K rpm.

I'm sure you've seen this couple videos before but, just in case, here they go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qncPBZ9DRRk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqqVJmsF6hU

Good luck and post the video when you make it!!

The weight (around 450lbs with fluids) and the 85 HP puts the 599 right in the spot where doing wheelies is really difficult without a larger rear sprocket. I used to clutch wheelie bikes with alot less HP but clutching up the 599 from a dead stop is asking for trouble even with your foot ready on the back brake. And with the HP and the lack of distance you are talking about doing a power wheelie is out of the question. The trick is to control the clutch friction zone while you are up in the RPM band. I'd start with the clutch almost all the way out at around 4K RPM and work your way up from there. Some people say 1st gear, others say second but to start I'd try 1st and lower RPMs. But controlling a wheelie using that method is pretty difficult, riding a power wheelie is alot easier but I've tried a few times with a standard sprocket and I've found it difficult. But I'm no Jason Britton, LOL. Some guys like to bounce the front tire by pushing down and pulling up on the bars but with any method you use I'd make sure to have some frame sliders installed. And it goes without saying that you should be in some good gear. Post some video if you get it down! Or get it up as the case may be.

Did I ask for something that stupid?
Not at all. Stupid would have been asking after you ran off the road on one wheel or some other randomness. :)
The question is valid, and there have been discussions on this forum about it. I simply can't help you since I'm not wheelie proficient... yet :mrgreen:. I have no real stunting desires - even though I have done a couple of small stoppies (two on purpose, one by accident). That aside, I have lifted the front wheel on a few ocassions by accident, but would like to know how to do it and know how to safely "UNDO" it.

Just promise us that when you figure it out, you won't be doing it one handed, at night, and with your video recorder in your clutch hand. :friday

Just promise us that when you figure it out, you won't be doing it one handed, at night, and with your video recorder in your clutch hand.

It's tricky enough riding one handed, shifting clutchless, without trying to do something new (to me). My plan was actually to have the camera on a tripod to the side so that I could get the front wheel to come up when I entered frame and either ride it out or let it down again. The camera field of view suggests riding it out.

What I want to avoid is spinning the rear wheel loose, causing me to go down, or lofting the front wheel over my head, causing me to go down, or launching myself into a stone wall 100 meters from my starting point, causing me to go down rather more painfully.

It looks like I have to learn some very fine clutch control and rear brake control. Going from a 42 to 45 tooth rear sprocket is not out of the question for me. I'm simply waiting for the rear sprocket to actually require replacement first.

I do also have some pretty good frame sliders. R&G. Good as they are, they don't make the bike invincible. I'm sure that even a real stunt cage wouldn't do that.

I'm not actually looking to be a real stunter. Learning more control, sure. But I would like to limit myself to maneuvers that allow me to keep both feet on the pegs and both hands on the grips.

OK, I have coasted hands off for more than a few hundred meters. It's very doable.

Oh, thanks for the links, Vic.

It looks like I have to learn some very fine clutch control and rear brake control. Going from a 42 to 45 tooth rear sprocket is not out of the question for me. I'm simply waiting for the rear sprocket to actually require replacement first.
I'm the same way about the rear sprocket replacement, so I know what you're feeling on that bit. As for how to do it - the MCN video linked above (second YouTube link) seems to be the most logical way to go about it. Just not the kind of thing I want to learn outside of a controlled environment.

My driveway is reasonably controlled. Right now the problem is with the weather. It is too cold for the tires to get good grip. And there is ice on the driveway.

I don't think I want to try popping the front wheel up under those conditions.

Well the weather has gone from bad to worse. This may turn out to be a spring project for me. Also I will have to learn how to do this in stages so that I can eventually do it safely within the length of my driveway.

If I still have my other 599 when I make the video, I might be able to do some "comic relief".

Know anyone with a small dirtbike you can practice on? That might be a safer/ more economical testing ground for such hooliganism (the likes of which I wholeheartedly condone, under the right circumstances...)

No I don't. I do have a bicycle though. The only problem with that is a tremendous lack of power.

Lack of power? Get to the gym!

I was just wondering if you pulled this off yet ? I do have a suggestion that I do. it seems you just need to do a short wheelie for the camera correct ? field of view I imagine is limited. I dont think dumping the clutch at 8 grand in 2nd gear is an option..lol..here's what you can do...from a stop in 1st gear take off to about 3-4 grand then close the throttle and crack it back open again in one quick motion, (you will not need to totally gun it), the bike will come right up no clutch involved and can be done in a short distance. now you can go as high as you feel comfortable and then just roll off the throttle and it will come back down,,,WARNING.... do not close the throttle or the bike will slam back down. just roll off the throttle slightly then as it is close to coming down give it some throttle so it doesnt hit to hard. oh yeah make sure you keep the wheel straight... just try this a few times where you have the room first and get a feel for how it comes up. be safe and just use your head