Hi All,
I Have a 2001, 19000 miler and despite a new clutch, full shim service, new sticky tyres etc - I still cant get the front wheel in the air under acceleration which 2 of my mates can without problem - maybe at 14.5 stone I am just too heavy?? I had no problem with my old Gixer 750 last year. Ideas please?
Not trying hard enough? (ooerrr bit illegal too bad lad) if any consolation my cb750 is an under powered heavy bike and wont lift unless the road undulates in the right place at the right time................. accidently lifting the front under VERY hard acceleration ahem officer............ does your bike produce the same bhp at the wheel as your mates? Can they get it to lift? I had a GT1000 ducatti hire bike after been knocked off mine and to say the power was like an on off switch is putting it mildly had to feed in power in a more controled way or it lifted the front without any real effort from yours truly and as that was a V 1000 twin too all I can say is if you got the bike 2nd hand look at the teeth numbers compaired to your mates a lot of riders tend to put less teeth on the back sprocket or more on the front (opposite to a crosser with more on back less on front) to tame the front end and thus stopping the front end becoming light under heavy throttle useage in lower gears... Hope some of that is a help :o)
Sticky tyres won't make a jot of differance to a wheelie, a new clutch will but at 19000 miles it would have just about been due a new one even with reasonable use. You need to give the clutch some time to bed in before it gives its best.
Sprocket sizes are something to look into, I went 2 teeth more on the rear on my old Aprilia 1000 and it made all the differance.
How much do your mates weigh compared to you? Even an extra couple of kilos over the tank can make big changes. For instance Im a big lad and stuff like Fireblades, TL1000's and the like don't get raggy with me until I am really going for it on bumpy roads.
My mate is three stone lighter and has a hell of a time keeping the bike stable because it either goes into a slap or hoiks the front end.
Stiffening the rear pre load helps a little as the bike will (in theory) squat less when you pile on the power just before the front comes up.
Another technique is to give it a handfull, shut down then grab another handfull quickly...idealy in second gear, once the wheels in the air then you can change up and give the drivetrain an easier time.
I'd like to hear Daytona Mans take on this as he is a biking wikipedia on legs and knows his onions.
This is very odd you should have no trouble at all its a big bloody v twin for gods sack!!!! My VTR would pull the front wheel up with no effort, no stupid dropping the clutch and all that crap, remember the torque is low down on the rev range not high up like your gixer, try just whacking the throttle fully open in second gear at lower revs and see what happens!! Good luck and what ever you do cover the back brake!!!, lol