Motorbikes, what could possibly go wrong
I was at college as a tiny 17yr old and decided I'd quite like to learn how to ride a motorbike so I could fly down country roads ridiculously quickly to get nowhere in particular. There is one problem with learning to ride bikes however, it is astranomically expensive.
I decided to forego the expensive and surely unnecessary training involved and get straight to it on my friends raised up (why?) 600cc Bandit. Barely reaching the floor with my little legs I stalled the bugger. Oh well, take the piss takes, restart it and put a little (read FUCKING HUMONGOUS) amount of throttle on.
Oh dear. The bike shot forwards, front wheel came up. Bike hit the first car, I hit the second and somehow the bike also hit the third car.
All in all, £3,500 later. I'm still mates with the owner of the bike and perhaps slightly more sensible. It turns out there is a reason you should take lessons. Who knew?
(MoFlo, Thu 3 Dec 2009, 21:16, 5 replies)

I've got a Bandit 600 too
and I can't make it wheely at all. Might be because I'm 200+ pounds not including the leather and armour.
I did get me knee down once but unfortunately it was followed shortly afterwards by my elbow, hip and head.
( P45 Sent by my Bosch 509e in the year 2000, Thu 3 Dec 2009, 23:38, closed)

You ain't
doing it right.

I had a Thundercat, I weigh more than you, first gear power wheelies were a piece o' piss.

Bandit 600 might - just - come up on the power, in 1st gear. Get it to your powerband, let off the throttle, straight back on, and feel the front at least go light.

Anyway, only way you'll get a proper wheelie out is clutching it up. Honestly I won't do a good job of explaining it, so watch a few Youtube videos. It's scary as fuck, but you get the hang of it.
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Fri 4 Dec 2009, 9:47, closed)

They pop up too easy
I had a Bandit 600. In teal, the best colour there is.

The front wheel comes up very easy in first and then holds up for ages if you kick it up to second.

I then sold it and got a CBR. This is the way forward.
( Dervel OTBC, Fri 4 Dec 2009, 14:45, closed)

Hmm
Are you clutching or trying off the power?

You can get damn near everything up on the clutch, from 50cc bikes up to Rocket IIIs and Goldwings.
(Miraclefish How appropriate, you fight like a cow, Fri 4 Dec 2009, 21:24, closed)

And also a reason why you should get a bit of practice in offroad on something cheap low-powered and light, it's great fun and not enough power to get you into an excess of trouble.
(Benzyl, Fri 4 Dec 2009, 16:02, closed)