Kawasaki Versys - 19" wire wheels added - Juice Box - Mods Review!

2.5 front wheel and 4.5 rear?

And then add rotors getting machined, assuming you can find a shop that will do it, then you are 2/3 of the way to Woody's setup.

3.5 in front and stock rear tire dimensions. You can look at different conversion charts as you shop for tires. Was a task. 2.5 is too thin, that is motocross size. You can convert my Shinkos here and other tire considerations. Woody's wanted to go to narrow for me in front.

http://www.cb450stuff.com/tires/

Well more narrow adds better off road behaviour and worsens on road capabilities. If you hang onto your OE wheels and tires, why no go for a narrower setup with the dirt wheels.

This is what I intend on doing.

True, so I kinda split the hair. The V is not an offroad bike, smooth fire trails and campgrounds ok, but you start with only 6" of front wheel travel, add a 19" wheel and raise the fender, you just do not have the suspension for 'crazy', but I see pics of people way off the grid, so I guess is whatever each person is comfortable with. Also, I don't want to be changing wheels based on my 'trip of the day', but is not a bad idea to have a set for full moto.

the need to machine rotors only comes into play if you happen to get OEM 310mm rotors with your DL wheel purchase, otherwise you would purchase 300mm rotors which bolt right up, matching the 300mm Versys rotor diameter.

if machining is required on 310mm rotors, it's inexpensive.

in reality, the only machine work that is required to fit the DL1000 wheel to a stock Versys is to cut down a pair of OEM wheel spacers, maybe $25, free if your buddy has a lathe or mill.

matching 3 spoke rear wheels are available and inexpensive, another easy swap.

the built spokes on RAD hubs are great looking wheels and i'm sure they'll perform well. my two sets of 3 spoke cast wheels in 17/19 have never cost more than $400/set, nowhere near 2/3 the cost of custom spokes.

Sounds good but apparently many are not finding the wheels at the price you have been fortunate to purchase.

I dunno about this.
first, I've never yet ridden a versys so I'm going from reading too much - but the consensus is, backward to v-strom, klr, others, the Versys is sprung "rock hard" bone stock. so it ain't a marshmallow. too much of that can be bad, but generally I'd rather deal with softening a bit.
Then, I spent money raising and stripping my 04 weestrom, and though I'm a little tall @ 6'2", i found that the tradeoffs were not that great. the few times the extra 1.8" clearance helped me were traded against a really high COG [it was really wicked with the wife on the back] and the footing in loose rocks with uncertain stability. wee does not break easy so I never had a problem bouncing off rocks etc on the bashplate... its a sled.
after a summer of 'tall and nekkid" I returned to stock, howbeit with the front as high as it could go.

Yes, the V is sprung hard. However, I have had 15 bikes over the years but all were motocross, this is my 1st street bike except for the 76 KZ400 I found in a barn. I'm 55, 6' and weigh 160, but actually like the solid feel of the suspension although I may tire of it in time, also all my off road bikes were sprung hard as well so I probably don't know the difference. As for COG, yep, felt that right away but really don't notice it now. Ultimately, I would like an A/V bike the KTM 900 or Triumph XC and maybe a bike more street oriented, Aprilia Shiver or used Ducati Monster.

Sometimes you get lucky

http://www.ebay.com/itm/05-Suzuki-V...xyY%2FlgVUk9NwGQDJZ2g%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Wich bikes can I get 300mm rotors that will fit the vstrom wheel?

hmmm.. "small dent on edge".
that's all it takes if it unseats der bead. been there.

before you source rotors, find a machinist. the DL650 wheel needs some work for use on the Versys, while the DL1000 wheel does not.

I already have access to a good machinist.

BTW: Either dl1000/dl650 do not work anyway with the versys 1000 wich runs a 25mm front axle.

Gotta source bearings, spacers and and a way to mate the ABS plate on there.

Have access to great wheel shop that is cheap but I may leave it as is depending on how bad it is.

Shinko AV tires. Same width in back but down to a 3.5" up front I think. Woody's wanted me to go narrower but so glad I did not. I am 90/10 street/dirt.

You can get a tkc 80 can you not? What's the point of bigger rims?

Anybody wanna sell there stock front rims? I'll buy both if I have to.

You had/have a KLR and a VS, think you could answer your own question, yes?

the 19" wheel with tire is very close to the same diameter of a 21" wheel with tire.

since you have owned at least 2 bikes with 21" wheels, and are familiar with that setup, it's not a stretch for the OP to assume that you should know the advantages of a 19" wheel on the front of the Versys, irrespective of tire choice.

you're making a big deal outta nuthin'.

as for a 17" TKC on the OEM Versys wheel, many Versys riders have mounted this tire once it became available in the OEM tire size.

I'm not trying to make a big deal. But if I could answer my own question I wouldn't have one. Thank you for the response. May be I'm just stupid in the subject. But I still don't understand what the advantages are from putting a larger diameter wheel on a 450 pound bike dry. I've had a dirt bike from the age of 4 I'm 28 now. I get a bike and I learn to ride it the way the big guy designed it. I received the first versys in Arkansas. Sure it has its sort comings but all around its a pretty awesome bike. What I was trying to simply ask was what advantages are there from having a bigger tire. I taller tire/rim would have a smaller foot print over the stock tire which is much wider so what is the advantage. wider tire equals more contact so more traction right? Like I said I get a bike and learn to ride it l, if I feel it doesn't meet my ability I get rid of it. That's why I saw the klr engine failure as such a blessing in disguise, hated the bike to underpowered fairings are like wings on the freeway. Loved the 07 and below. I've seen somewhere that a larger tire takes a bigger rolling area to complete one revolution but how does that translate into a better set up?

Handling off road is different than highway. A street bike generally has 17/17" rims and they corner great and stick great. The best handling though is NOT a fat front, ride a TW 200 Yami and see. The fast street bikes run a reasonably narrow front tire. Not exactly sure of the physics of it all but they roll into a turn better and have less flex in the sidewalls than a fat tire does. A fat tire like what you see on Harleys and the like are usually 15" or so and they are mushy handling and sloppy feeling.

A tire like that in the dirt does not track well at all and gets very little feel and feed back. I have done it many times and it is not impossible, but not that fun either.

A comprimise is a 19"/17" frt/rr combo like many ADVenture bikes run like on a Super Tenere or BMW Gs/GSA. The fat front on those still limit TRUE off road ability IMHO, but they are better than the smaller diameter on a sportier or tourer style bike.

As for the 21" front wheel you can not get any better in the DIRT but less traction and control on the pavement. The front 21" inch in soft sand works more like a rudder on a ship, It does dig in a bit to sand but it manuvers through the sand much easier that a 19" or smaller wheel does. It dopes still wander in soft sand but goes where it is pointed overal whereas a 19 or smaller with a fatter tire also digs in to soft sand but it PLOWS the sand and if it catches any edge under the sand it just hooks and burys in and you corkscrew in.

I have owned and DO own many bikes, If I was 100% pavement or hard pack dirt I would not hesitate to run a supermoto style 17" set like a Ducati Multi Strada. If I am 80/20% highway with some gravel & dirt mix then I am 19" frt, 17 or 18" rear. If I am any soft sand or rocky dirt with 65/35% or greater tar to dirt ratio it is 21" front and 17-19" rear, period.

So the key is picking the right bike for your riding style and places and use it. In a perfect world we could all have many bikes and choose what we were doing today and use that weapon.

I hope that helped a little. Your premise is not without merit, but until you get into REALLY fat tire like a quad or 3 Wheeler style tire it will not track on top off sand, like a Honda Fat Cat, but then you have NO street useability for all intensit purposes. It is ALL a comprimise of some sort,
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This was the reply I was looking for or explanation. Totally understand. But would have to say it seems by buying a bike designed for one type of riding and trying to change it to suit another is pointless. I personally would love to get my hands on a 950/990. But by doing all that to a Versys IMO you take away from its ride ability. I like to be able to tear up the streets but I can still carry a decent pace off road. If you want to do some rougher off roak get a different bike....guess I answered my own question. Just my two cents. Me and the versys haven't meet a double track or forestry road I couldn't carry a dent pace on. If I had 2grand to blow I'd buy another dirt bike. I was talked into the new Metzler tourance next...this tire is absolutely worthless on anything not payment. I was burning through the avon in about 1000-1500 miles so I got to talking with my local dealer and they recommended the next said it had the same ability etc. I escort funerals full throttle...full brake...repeat repeat every weekend. So naturally I tend to wear a tire out faster than most. Next question would a larger tire increase or decrease braking force over stock. A avon is roughly 200 so I thought I could find a used rim to mount a tkc on for about the same price if anybody who has done the mod would like to sell theirs.

Side note the next is an amazing tire for on the street wet and dry conditions. Avon distanza leads it by far off road. Typically I can ride 50+ on a nice forest road except this weekend every time I got close I was everywhere. Still managed but wasn't as smooth as past experiences. Ive always had to compromise on tires because I ride my bike for hire so any help on a second rim would be awesome.