We rode through the camp and out onto an old runway. Neil, the instructor got out the bikes, I filled out and signed the obligatory disclaimer that basically said “If you fook up, tough†and we were almost ready to go.
Whilst I was getting into the supplied leathers, Neil went off and showed us how it was done. The guy can wheelie but then you would expect that running a wheelie school. I have some vids of him doing all sorts of stuff. I'll get it added once they are are edited and on youtube.
There was briefing explaining about clutch wheelies and how they differ from power wheelies. He explained the technique needed to pop up the wheel of the stock Suzuki 600 bandits he uses for the training.
Now, lifting the front wheel on a Firestorm is a doddle. You don’t need that much skill to do it. It’s a bit different on the bandit as its all about technique. I mentioned I had already managed to lift the wheel on the Firestorm to Neil, and he quite rightly said, forget how you do that. We need to start from the beginning to build the foundations needed for successful wheeling.
Neil talked me through the technique which started with just revving the bike. I was sceptical at first but he knows what he is talking about so I carried on. The next bit involved riding a long and using the back brake. Up and down the runway, just using the back brake. “Hmm†I thought, but I carried on. He then went on to taking a bit more about what to do with the clutch. So in essence there were three things to remember.
After several runs up and down the runway, he said “Now it’s time to wheelieâ€. I couldn’t believe how nervous I was. It wasn’t through fear but excitement.
Anyways I set off down the runway, put all three things together and BOOM!! Up came the front wheel.
I was so thrilled it was unbelievable. It wasn’t because I got the front wheel up, as I have done this many times before. What thrilled me the most was how controlled it felt? The wheelies I have done before have all felt quite erratic.
So the rest of the day was me pissing about on the bandit trying to learn to feather throttle.
The bikes have an anti-loop switch which is there to prevent you from flipping the bike. I kept hitting it as I was taking the bike up high. It was controlled though but just a bit too high. The skill was trying to feather the throttle at the point before you get to the anti-loop switch.
Coming off the torquey V twin onto a revvy IL4 took a lot of getting used to. The difference from the morning to the afternoon was unbelievable. As he says on his site, you may not leave being able to do mile long wheelies, but you do go away with the tools required to develop into them.
I am now looking to get either another cheap battered storm or a bandit 600 to practice on (on private land of course)
Was it good fun? OMG Yes!!! Would I do it again? Hell yeah. I will be doing it again without a doubt. Just need to find some others to come along.
Note: This was a completely exhausting day. The combination of aggressive clutch use, throttle control, gripping the bike with your knees, holding on tight really takes it out of you. I have a huge blister on my hand (office worker
) and my shoulders ache. But I don’t regret doing it one bit.
http://www.southcoastwheelies.co.uk/
nice wheelies! 
