Jimmy Fireblade's wheelie school

[Captain Nemo]

anyone been ?
, some buddies and i are looking to go on one of these, its the closest ive found to leeds, being in lincoln, found a few more but weeyyyyyy darn sarf,

i sometimes wheelie my rex, by accident, but if im going to have a serious practice id much rather do it on someone elses machine:smt077
any views

[Demonz]

I know the London Bikers did this and rated him. Well I think they all got their front wheel off the ground - clutchies too which is what I want to learn. I need some practice so will also do it one day.

[Jelster]

I did one of the wheelie schools (the one down near Swindon).

It was a bit early in my biking career to do me any good and I think £150 is a lot of money as (usually) you don't get a bike to yourself, it's about 4:1, so your "on bike" time is limited.

Personally, I would rather spend the money on a track day, but then I can't wheelie either (and would love to learn how, just not on my bike!)

.

[Fizzy Fish]

I went up to Jimmy Fireblade's school with the LB crowd earlier this year, though sadly i was only spectating/taking pics. that said, I did listen into everything that was said, and was watching/chatting to the others throughout the day, so got a pretty good idea of what to do, etc

Jimmy's a good laugh and the real plus is that firstly it's only a small group (max 6 I think) and secondly you get 1 person per bike so it's yours for the whole day. He also teaches wheelies using the clutch rather than power, making them more controlled and with low risk of flipping the bike.

There is some instruction as a group, but mostly it's a case of practising up and down the runway with Jimmy on hand to give advice and teach you the next stage one-on-one as you're ready.

Results? Well everyone had their front wheel up by the end of the day, the more experienced guys by lunchtime, and the very inexperienced girls by the end of the day. In fact the guys were getting some real mingers on by the end, and even managing some mid-wheelie gear changes, so make sure you take someone with a camera along to record for posterity!

Oh and if you're looking for some inspiration at any point, Jimmy doesn't take much persuading to give you a pillion ride at 100mph+ on the back wheel :smt077

Cons? Well with any of these things I'm not sure it translates 100% to your bike on the road. For example, the bandits used have softened suspension to help them wheelie, and tbh i'm not sure i'd want to abuse my bike in that way.

But all in it was a really fun day and did make us seriously consider getting an old bandit to practice on!!

[Fizzy Fish]

link to pics from the day:

http://fridayman.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?page=1 (http://fridayman.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?page=1)

[kwak zzr]

why pay someone to help your wheelie? i can see the idea of learning on someone elses bike but you can learn yourself with practice and a quiet road, i had a mad spell of wanting to wheelie my 650 and after a few days was getting the front wheel up on the clutch, trouble is i just knew i was going to bin my bike if i kept it up so i stopped while i was ahead. :)

[socommk23]

i been!

twas good!

[Quiff Wichard]

I have some old ride mags.. there was a feature on it in there- i will have a peek..

I may have given the ones away with that in.. but will see and scan it.(if thats permissible)

[Captain Nemo]

why pay someone to help your wheelie? i can see the idea of learning on someone elses bike but you can learn yourself with practice and a quiet road, i had a mad spell of wanting to wheelie my 650 and after a few days was getting the front wheel up on the clutch, trouble is i just knew i was going to bin my bike if i kept it up so i stopped while i was ahead. :)


and you ask why id want to go to wheelie school????, i think you just answered my question !!!

thanks fizzy fish, thats a good little review, i spoke to jimmy yesterday and he confirmed that its one rider per bike not like some of the other school, just got to pusuade 4 like minded fools to come with me...............

[socommk23]

really was a good day out when i went. yep its one bike per person! take the other half and he will get her on the front of his quad and wheelie it the entire lenght of the airfield!

oh and if it rains! no matter how hard! get him to do a stoppie!

sooooo cool!

the steam off the breaks is awesome let alone how far he takes it on the front wheel.

[Jelster]

and you ask why id want to go to wheelie school????, i think you just answered my question !!!

thanks fizzy fish, thats a good little review, i spoke to jimmy yesterday and he confirmed that its one rider per bike not like some of the other school, just got to pusuade 4 like minded fools to come with me...............

That's good, the one I did was 1 bike between 4 of us...

Hmmm, now let me think, when can I....... [NO! must resist!!!]

.

[weazelz]

just got to pusuade 4 like minded fools to come with me...............

1 fool here

[kwak zzr]

and you ask why id want to go to wheelie school????, i think you just answered my question !!!

is there such thing as a safe wheelie? i should think everytime your on one wheel your at some kind of risk.

[Captain Nemo]

is there such thing as a safe wheelie? i should think everytime your on one wheel your at some kind of risk.


yup , your right,

thats why id MUCH rather practice on soneone elses bike:smt092:smt103 :smt092

[kwak zzr]

:notworthy: yep me to. prob wont be long before the thou is on the back wheel, ive noticed the more i ride her and the heavy'r i get with the throttle in 2nd the lighter my front end is becoming\\:D/ a few little ones cant hurt its only the big ones that see the front end come crashing down to earth that rock your head bearings and fork seals.

[Baph]

I also really don't see the point of wheelie schools, but then, I'm a commuter. That said....

a few little ones cant hurt its only the big ones that see the front end come crashing down to earth that rock your head bearings and fork seals.

Kwak, if that's a concern, supposing you have the space (forward planning again). In a high wheelie, tap the rear brake to start dropping down (or ease off the throttle enough). As you're coming down, start opening the throttle progressively. Not so hard that the front end goes up again, but enough to slow the descent a little ;)

Much smoother landing.

[kwak zzr]

in theory yes baph but i just panic :)

[Jelster]

I also really don't see the point of wheelie schools, but then, I'm a commuter. That said....



Kwak, if that's a concern, supposing you have the space (forward planning again). In a high wheelie, tap the rear brake to start dropping down (or ease off the throttle enough). As you're coming down, start opening the throttle progressively. Not so hard that the front end goes up again, but enough to slow the descent a little ;)

Much smoother landing.

Baph, have you got a "good" wheelie technique, because what you state is (sort of) against what I was taught.

I understood that you need to "wobble" the throttle to keep it up, and gently opening the gas doesn't really give you a "safe" landing, you need to "wobble" it more slowly... If that makes sense.....

.

[Baph]

Baph, have you got a "good" wheelie technique, because what you state is (sort of) against what I was taught.

I understood that you need to "wobble" the throttle to keep it up, and gently opening the gas doesn't really give you a "safe" landing, you need to "wobble" it more slowly... If that makes sense.....

.
Good enough to of not fallen off. It's not something I make a habit of doing, but I can do fairly well.

I'm entirely self taught, and mainly in fields as a youth (yes, little tear away that I was).

I suppose that "opening progressively" could be described as wobble. Thinking about it, it's more like a "double blip" when i've done it in the past. The same sort of thing as changing down gears & blipping, only no clutch & no gear lever. As the wheel is falling, blip, off, blip & keep open to ride away.

I don't remember ever haning any particularly hard landings, but I accept that there's probably a smoother way to do it. Hopefully I've sort of explained what I do when touching down.

Oh yea, and the most I've wheelied the SV, would be a grand total of maybe 5 times, and most of those were a direct result of opening the throttle too hard, or dumping the clutch at fairly high revs.