Z-wheelies

I was curious if anyone here has done standup wheelies on a KZ. My sportbikes, no problem easy, but back when I rode Z's years ago, no-one knew what a standup was. If you could sit down wheelie, you were doing great. The wheelbase is much longer, so it shouldnt have to come up as high to find balance point. Might have to bounce the crap out if it to bring it up though.
Rear sets should help also, getting your standing weight back a bit more.
Guess I'll go play with it some when I get my Z on the road. Just thought it would be fun to do next to a few sportbikes, especially if they cant :laugh:
I've got a few videos over at uponone.com if anyone wants a link.

could not find you there?

Titled " No Slow Here" I never got into slow stunting and circles and stuff, too much like dancing with your motorcycle. Plus anyone can learn the slow stuff.
That was my slow Gixxer 1000
My other vids I guess were replaced? or too old IDK.

crazy. :S wish i was younger
I dont quite understand how the bike goes up? does it have that large of a balance point? It appears to go up slowly and that would make me think you were almost all throttle to pull up.
never ridden a crotch rocket. my son has a Gsxr 1100 guess I should take it for a ride!

Hey Whats up Curt. I'm 45 :laugh: been riding since I was a kid, had one of the first GSXR750s to hit Houston Tx in 1986, first aluminum frame production cafe racer.

When you stand up, the wind pushes on your upper body hard, and standing up changes the bikes center of gravity. In that vid, its second gear 75-80 mph at about 7-8k rpm just lean back a small bit and roll on throttle then shift 3rd if you like, wind gets to be too much in a stand up after about 120-130( you dont want to let off the gas and the bike keep floating). Its much harder controlling the throttle on a 1000. 750s are simple. If you throttle slightly too much on the 1000 it can spit you over in a split second.

Cross wind is a major factor as well. I usually wouldnt do it if the wind has more than 7-10 mph cross wind. You steer in the wind by dropping the nose just a bit and turning the front wheel, keep in mind that only controls the front of the bike, to get the rear wheel to track even with the front in the wind, you have to put more weight on one footpeg or the other, this allows the bike to turn sideways slightly and the rear wheel will line up with the front.
If winds behind you easy, if winds in front, not too bad except wheel comes up faster and you have to be ready.
I can pull the front wheel and carry it from 100 mph in 3rd with slight clutch and a small bounce on the front end, compressing the forks.
I never push anyone to wheelie and explain to them what can go wrong.

I once sat the wheel down at 120 and my arms had arm pump(muscle fatigue) the front wheel came down slightly turned and it instantly went into a 120 mph tank slapper, yanked the bars right out of my hands. I sprained both my wrists grabbing at the bars in panic. Somehow I got a hold of them, the tire was squacking loudly and forcing me to the side of the road.
I still wonder how terrible that crash would have been hadn't I grabbed the bars before I went off the road.
My friends were all seasoned riders and they were freaking out watching. :laugh:

When I was 21 I back flipped at about 90 with a 1/2 shirt on and no gloves, I laid on the floor for 3 months and had rash on 80 percent of my back, almost to the bone on my elbows.
You'll notice in my avatar, thats a knee-in-the-seat wheelie, pretty dangerous since you have no foot covering the rear brake.

I always say if you cant handle the pain, dont play the game.

I dunno man, I can ride em all day long at 70+mph, 04 gsxr 750 70 mph, lots of clutch and pre load; do it all, slow down, change lanes, round bends. Tryin to ride em slow (10 or less) takes a buttload more balance, gotta stand that thing straight up to get balance. The wind really let's you ride it a lot lower.

That said, I'm sure with clutch and bounce, the old girl will get it up, but you better make damn sure you got some power left on tap for setting that heavy sumbitch down, the old girls leave a bit to be desired in the gooseneck strengthwise. That said, I'm dumb, ill try it!

Wheelies are easy on old 900s,theyre even easier when you have an 1197 top end on top of it with a stock length swingarm! :woohoo:
We were doing 100mph wheelies and flat tracking these old things like kenny roberts 30 years ago,long before there was sport bikes with good suspension and frames that could handle 150 plus hp motors! :woohoo:
These new bikes are like flying an f16 yeah theyre freaking fast but theyre like flying a video game!
Now riding fast on an old z1 is like flying an old ww1 bi-plane with a ww2 p51 mustang motor stuffed into it,totally interactive experiance trying to keep the ass end from passing up the front end! :woohoo:

:laugh: Tomolu5, wear full gear! I'd feel bad if something happened Curious though.
The weight will be the getting used too.
And Wireman...Giggidy Giggidy :laugh:

I used that same old worn out ltd seat on several bikes besides the 1197 z1,had it on my 1327 bike also.
Notice where its smashed in the center between the 2 levels,thats where my ass spent most of its time with rest of me laying over the tank trying to keep from back flipping off of it in my stupid days! :woohoo:

Like this?

I had a feeling this thread might turn into fun. Good pics.
Hey Sorf, is that the balance point on your bike? That seems so high :ohmy:

God i love this thread. More kz shenanigans