Ducati Monster Forum

I'm still quite new to riding, and keep hearing the term "accidental wheelie."

I was just wondering what causes this, and how it can be avoided?



Thanks  :)

You need to pm Spidey....

every wheelie he has ever done was an accident. ;D

hehe.... dont ask, just ride and whomp that throttle, one day it will happen and youll know what accidental wheelies are.

I have a S2R 800 and any wheelie is a result of hard work and/or conscious effort  [bang]

Today it was cold, near freezing (engine performs better), and it happened a few times. Still not an accident, but sooner than I expected. On a more powerful bike I think it would happen more often and sometimes unexpectedly - hence the word "accidental". Not really an accident until it results in an accident? (Although it might slow you down on the track?)

On most bikes it'll be either bad clutch control with a handfull of gas from a stop, or during the 1st to 2nd shift when you roll back on the gas hard before fully releasing the clutch and so inadvertently clutch the front end up.   Both are easily avoidable.

On the more powerfull monsters the front may come up on its own at full throttle, but not enough to flip or anything, and just cracking off a touch brings it back down.

If you do it you will also think the wheel was significantly farther up than it likely is in reality.

I even have a picture of me doing an accidental wheelie.  Lemme look for it . . .

Ah, there it is. 

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3050/3033612720_781b4b6597.jpg?v=0)

3rd gear?   [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

If I were you, I wouldn't be worried about accidental wheelies.  You have to try hard to "accidentally" wheelie a 696.  You can avoid "accidental" wheelies by not:

1)  Scooting your butt way back in the seat, squeezing the tank with your knees, starting off in first gear smoothly (not too fast) until you're up to about 5k or so, chopping the throttle abruptly, letting the front end settle (maybe bouncing it a bit), and them pulling back on the bars at the same time you go wide open throttle with your foot covering the rear brake; or
2)  Revving your bike up about 6k, starting to let the clutch out, and then dumping the clutch while you keep give it more and more gas; or
3)  Going really way to fast over the rise of a steep hill.

Basically, you're not going to accidentally wheelie the bike.  Start to worry about it when you're comfortable going wide open throttle from really early off the line, or if you are trying to do a super-fast  race/drap strip start.  If you're really worried and you feel comfy enough with your bike, you might even want to go out to a parking lot (preferably with a more experienced rider) and see if you can power wheelie.  You'll quickly find that you probably can't.  And if you can't do it when you're trying, you're gonna have a hard time doing it accidentally.

My follow up question was gonna be whether a 696 is even powerful enough to have an accidental wheelie. Sounds like it isn't.  Nonetheless, I'll keep in mind the things I can do to avoid it. 

Thanks for the thoughtful responses.

You WILL experience it, as have I (after all, our power is similar) - the point is that it probably won't result in an accident for us. If you accidentally dump the clutch lever on a S4R, THAT might be an exciting experience - not so much on a 80 hp Monster. Either way: you're going to have a great time on your bike  [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

Very true. Goes with the 'The older I get the faster I was'  ;D

Usually, my M750 is well behaved...  However, on really tight roads (1st & 2nd gear turns) occasionally when I'm riding hard it'll lift the front slightly (just a few inches) in a left-right transition.  In those cases, it's a combination of being hard on the throttle and pulling up to flick the bike from one side to lean th other way.

I have also had some trouble 2-up with deep-bowl type turns with a rise separating the left-right transition.  Those result in the front pushing slightly rather than actually coming off the pavement, but it's the same idea.  I'm hard on the throttle + rear weight bias from being 2-up + trying to stay with a group of solo riders ~

JM

Well in most cases - not as has been noted.  But there's always exceptions to the rules, a number have been noted as well.  But generally, you don't have anything to worry about

My first wheelie was an "accident." 

I was at a stop in the left turning lane and decided that the stupid light sensor wasn't going to trigger.  So I did a head check to the right as I started moving forward at which point I noticed a car coming up in that lane rather hurriedly.  I dumped the clutch and twisted the throttle(without my feet firmly on the pegs) which resulted in a comical 'superman' pose with-my-feet-dangling wheelie through the intersection while cross traffic stared at me in shock.  [moto]

dont think it could happen on a 695

14T sprocket on a 696- still not enough to.... [moto]

There is no such thing as an "accidental wheelie".

that is all.

I find that hard to believe. I have an 800 and the front end comes up in first gear with great ease. If you're trying to get the wheel off the ground you have to fight off the psychological urge to weight the front end. Just slide your ass back a bit and whack the throttle open. It'll come right up, I guarantee it.

Now on my Speed Triple on the other hand.... [bow_down]

Forward to 2:10  ;D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HqdLfhhhos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HqdLfhhhos)

awe.  cute little baby hops.  adorable.    [cheeky]

I've only had "accidental wheelies" on my 996. I don't mind them much except when I flog it out of the corner and the front becomes *really* light and I'm still leaned over...

As others have said you really do not need to worry too much about it on the 696.  However with proper clutch control and matching of the revs you can get it to wheelie.

Now on my 1098 accidental wheelies are the name of the game..........i have scared my self shitless a couple times  [leo]

i get quite a few "accidental" wheelies when i really crack the throttle between 1-3.  i came pretty close to looping the bike in ojai when i raced my coworker's GTR, but a simple throttle roll off brought me back down.

i dont remember the specs on the 99 M900 but knowing the 696 has 6 more HP and is lighter so i am sure i could do an accidental wheelie like i did one night with the M900. talk about getting punched in the nuts, the tank came right up on me. lesson learned is always roll the throttle not jerk it all the way open!

The M900 specs were taken at the rear wheel.

The 696 is taken at the crank.

The 696 does not put out more hp and produces even less torque than a 900.

You can wheely anything if you try hard enough. 

The old carbie 900 Monsters wheelied easier due to available torque.

oh go burst my bubble that i had more HP now. but i did know i had less torque. cc=lb/ft.

please tell me it's still lighter or are they using british pounds to measure the weight now ;)

Tell that to Pedrosa
http://www.youtube.com/v/bCtQjjmVhwA&hl=en&fs=1 (http://www.youtube.com/v/bCtQjjmVhwA&hl=en&fs=1)

That clip will never not be funny.  [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

;D

He can't even do a proper wheelie dance (see below), that f'n humorless runt.  He just flips the thing over and is done.  Zero style points. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1149HFuI-I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1149HFuI-I)

They've gone back to using stone and the Hundredweight benchmarks Hurmorless?  I got plenty of humor out of that...  I might only have laughed harder if Hayden had actually smote him on the spot after there little '07 meeting...

That anyone 'we' know doing the dance?

Nah, it's the same AFM class that DanTheMan and I raced in, but from five or ten years back. 

I did it.  Very first day I commuted to work on my bike.  (Prior to that the only riding I had really done was in a parking lot.)  Riding home at rush hour on Santa Monica Blvd.  Accidentally stalled coming away from a stop-light, with a long line of cars behind me.  Got really nervous, heart racing, blood pressure rising, managed to find the right controls to restart the bike, let the clutch out too quickly (due to my nerves), and up goes the front end.  Freaked the hell out of me.  All was fine though, the front wheel immediately came back down and I rode off.  But for the next week or so I got really nervous anytime I had to let out the clutch. 

Haven't tried to repeat the experience and don't intend to anytime soon.

By the way, I ride what is (I think) the least powerful Monster ... a 2003 M620.  So it doesn't take much power to do it!