The RAD Manufacturing Versys hubs are even a beauty to look at. All hubs are billet machined from a single block of aluminum, and each order is custom-anodized to a variety of colors. The rear wheel is 32 spokes laced to an 17" x 4.25" EXCEL Takasago rim. All RAD hubs feature amazing attention to detail but we especially liked the fact the new rear hub uses the OEM cush drive. Considering the available suspension travel and front fender shape, a 36 spoke 19" x 2.15" rim seemed most suitable.

Like the V-Strom, 19" wheels are a wonderful balance between keeping snappy pavement carving manners while still being able to soak up some of the rough stuff. RAD did a great job in measuring and machining the hub’s precise dimensions as all of the stock spacers and axles fit perfectly within the forks and swing arm. The only caveat is that the rear brake rotor bolts need to be shortened considerably before installation, or they will not clear spokes behind the bolt eyelets. Since receiving and installing the wheels, RAD mentioned eventually sourcing the appropriate rotor bolts to make the install easier. The front rotor bolts suffer a similar problem but since there’s more space between the eyelets and spokes, stock rotor bolts will just fit with minimal, or no, modification necessary.

Another great benefit of moving to a 19" front wheel is the richer dual-purpose tire selection. Choosing the right tire is a difficult decision and we really wanted some skins that connect well on dirt but allow for natural cornering and lean angles on pavement. The list of true 50/50 tires like the Continental TKC 80 has been relatively limited until just recently when a handful of smaller tire companies from Europe started showing up on North American shores. Of these, are the Mefo Explorers (which did not have the correct rear tire size for our 4.25" wide rim) or the Heidenau Scout K60s we purchased through Black Dog Cycle Works. Initial online reviews of early adopters reported great on- and off-road performance as well as having the correct sizes for the ADVersys (110/80-19 front and 140/80-17 rear).

Tires

The Heidenau Scout K60s performance is impressive. Although the 19" front wheel turns in more slowly than the stock 17", the K60s street-like profile and well-balanced side blocks sacrifice very little of Versys’ fun and flickablity. On flat ground, the K60s roll much like a street tire and we only noticed minor lug vibration under heavy braking when weight transfers to the front tire. The K60s transitioned from pavement to gravel with minimal loss in traction, or speed, and we were easily able to achieve over 50 mph on gravel roads the Versys could only do at 35-40mph in its stock incarnation.

Although we’ve put less than 2,000 miles on our set, the Scout K60s show very little wear and we expect at least 6,000 plus miles on a mid-weight 650 should be easily achievable as others report over 9,000 miles of wear on larger bikes.

Another obvious consideration when swapping wheels is the fender height. Thanks to the guys at Cycletech, out of Illinois, custom front fender raising brackets are available. Their Versys adapter brackets are laser cut, black anodized and set to match the stock fender drop out.

To wrap up the wheel section, we’re more than happy with how the wheel swap turned out. The taller 17", 80 profile rear tire even made the stock gearing (known to be a little too high from the factory) just about perfect and got the speedo and GPS numbers closer together. Minimal loss of pavement handling with a tremendous increase of dirt and gravel capability is just what the ADVmoto doctor ordered!

Sound like a lot to keep track of? We’ve heard the folks at Twisted Throttle express strong interest in developing a Versys Enduro Kit which would include the complete wheel set and other important accessories you’d need (some mentioned below) to make this great bike even better. With the exception of a few parts in the project, Twisted Throttle carries the most comprehensive collection of adventure touring accessories for the Versys in North America.

Exhaust

If there was ever an exhaust that would bring out the dark side of such a practical and fun bike, the Yoshimura TRC series would be it. Not only does it shave several pounds of weight without making it top heavy, but by bringing the pipe higher and out to the side, it adds several benefits. First, the higher exhaust means more clearance for water and mud. Second, it frees up space in front of the now larger rear wheel for routine maintenance, while gaining a little bit of ground clearance under the bike as well.

In typical Yoshimura fashion, everything from the welds to the carbon fiber finish is art and the included hardware is top-notch. The TRC-D (with a dual tip) has a well-tuned sound, amazingly throaty, that makes the twin 650 sound like a race bike. Luckily, you can get all the bite with 10 decibels less bark by ordering the TRC (with single tip) and a quiet core insert which has made the bike more pleasant during extended rides and should provide back pressure closer to the stock muffler.