Here I go with another wheelie thing! - but this isn't a bolted-down dollar store ride this time, this is an Alta. 
I was looking for conventional wheelie casters - didn't really want one, but what else was there? - and found the answer: the SB Moto ABS wheelie bar. It looks like a caster, but it's actually an auto-braking system controlled by a see-saw w/caster roller.
Here's the stock unit on the bike:
... and here's what I ended up using:
It's a quality product and bolts on as-is, but because the Alta's outer swingarm sides aren't flat it probably won't grip well long-term and may eventually damage the arm unless thick rubber shims are used, as I did. Anyone wanting to try this thing should feel free to PM me for precise Alta mounting details / pix, mine fits like a glove now. The brake pedal needs a 1/4" / 6mm hole drilled in the foot for the adjusting-cable M5 quick link; this was easy, but don't drill into the pedal arm like I did.
The stock 4" roller was too small & high for my 66mm-lowered rear end and shallow swingarm angle, and felt like a suicide setup to an ABS noob like me. I got the roller to touch the ground a few times during what seemed like psycho skyshots, but no braking or limiting action was felt and I'm lucky nothing bad happened. At this point I really didn't trust it at all.
Then I installed the 8" roller in the 2nd pic above, and everything changed. This roller really worked ! - almost too well at first. The braking effect was real subtle and I couldn't feel it 'kick in', but I wasn't looping out no matter how much throttle I used so it was definitely working. This was what I needed to start trusting it completely (like my practice bike), and after that it was just a matter of testing, adjusting (cable and clamp bolt), repeat; more cable slack = front wheel higher before braking starts. I still have a ways to go, but it's getting there. It's really cool how adjusting it for later brake kick-in doesn't seem to affect what I call the 'fail-safe point', where braking effect ramps up near the balance point to prevent loop-out; maybe a leverage/angle thing. I find it's extremely important to set up properly (front wheel straight, correct riding position) before cracking the throttle, otherwise things go wrong instantly.
I reached out to the SB Moto folks in S. Korea, they were super helpful despite the language barrier (some there know English, but initially Babelfish was a big help). They sent me a diagram and asked what I needed changed, I edited it and sent it back, now they're in the process of making me a custom rear frame with lowered roller mount for the 4" OEM roller (I'll still use the 8" though, it works great on dirt & grass and should last a while).
I'm very risk-adverse these days, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this thing to any non-beginner, especially for use in flat grass fields or other forgiving terrain.
Here's a video that gives a pretty good idea of what the first ride may be like (notice how much lower the roller is in the resting position than my 1st pic above):
... and this one shows it adjusted for balance-point wheelies (check out the serious angle in the maxed-out roller / arm position, I'm not there yet but working on it):
I was looking for conventional wheelie casters - didn't really want one, but what else was there? - and found the answer: the SB Moto ABS wheelie bar. It looks like a caster, but it's actually an auto-braking system controlled by a see-saw w/caster roller.
Here's the stock unit on the bike:
... and here's what I ended up using:
It's a quality product and bolts on as-is, but because the Alta's outer swingarm sides aren't flat it probably won't grip well long-term and may eventually damage the arm unless thick rubber shims are used, as I did. Anyone wanting to try this thing should feel free to PM me for precise Alta mounting details / pix, mine fits like a glove now. The brake pedal needs a 1/4" / 6mm hole drilled in the foot for the adjusting-cable M5 quick link; this was easy, but don't drill into the pedal arm like I did.
The stock 4" roller was too small & high for my 66mm-lowered rear end and shallow swingarm angle, and felt like a suicide setup to an ABS noob like me. I got the roller to touch the ground a few times during what seemed like psycho skyshots, but no braking or limiting action was felt and I'm lucky nothing bad happened. At this point I really didn't trust it at all.
Then I installed the 8" roller in the 2nd pic above, and everything changed. This roller really worked ! - almost too well at first. The braking effect was real subtle and I couldn't feel it 'kick in', but I wasn't looping out no matter how much throttle I used so it was definitely working. This was what I needed to start trusting it completely (like my practice bike), and after that it was just a matter of testing, adjusting (cable and clamp bolt), repeat; more cable slack = front wheel higher before braking starts. I still have a ways to go, but it's getting there. It's really cool how adjusting it for later brake kick-in doesn't seem to affect what I call the 'fail-safe point', where braking effect ramps up near the balance point to prevent loop-out; maybe a leverage/angle thing. I find it's extremely important to set up properly (front wheel straight, correct riding position) before cracking the throttle, otherwise things go wrong instantly.
I reached out to the SB Moto folks in S. Korea, they were super helpful despite the language barrier (some there know English, but initially Babelfish was a big help). They sent me a diagram and asked what I needed changed, I edited it and sent it back, now they're in the process of making me a custom rear frame with lowered roller mount for the 4" OEM roller (I'll still use the 8" though, it works great on dirt & grass and should last a while).
I'm very risk-adverse these days, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this thing to any non-beginner, especially for use in flat grass fields or other forgiving terrain.
Here's a video that gives a pretty good idea of what the first ride may be like (notice how much lower the roller is in the resting position than my 1st pic above):
... and this one shows it adjusted for balance-point wheelies (check out the serious angle in the maxed-out roller / arm position, I'm not there yet but working on it):
