Dubya Edge Wheel Set

I will be straight up with you all… I am not a huge fan of $1500.00 wheel sets. Most of the time, I am a big stock wheel/hub guy, but in some cases I do need a little more security or toughness  in my wheels. I am a big believer of bringing an extra set of wheels to the track just in case you get a flat or have some sort of wheel failure. Full disclosure: The Dubya Edge Wheel set has been in my shop for more than a year and I am just now getting the information out to you guys now! Why? A couple reasons… I am normally a stock wheel set kind of rider and I am very finicky with rigidity, yet most of the time aftermarket wheel sets have given more rigidity that I wasn’t looking for. Finally, after a year or so, I got off my ass and put them on my 2021 Honda CRF450R as I have experienced some wheel problems with my Honda’s in the past. So why not test the Edge wheel set with a bike that actually could use it! 

The Dubya Edge wheel set was created for the blue collar type of rider that is looking for some added bling with durability. Each Edge wheel set centers around a forged aluminum Edge proprietary hub, which are laced to a Dubya by Excel rim, using stainless steel Dubya spokes and nickel plated steel nipples. Each wheel set is pre-assembled in Dubya USA’s Southern California facility by the same technicians who assemble all of Dubya’s top professional factory riders and teams wheel sets. Instead of using your stock wheel spacers, the Edge wheels come with their own specific spacers to each bike. I actually like when aftermarket wheels come with their own spacers as it can make your dollar stretch further! How? Well, we have a couple Yamahas in the shop that have different axle sizes (two and four stroke) so it’s nice all we need to do is swap spacers instead of getting another hub. It just makes swapping wheels more seamless. 

We have put nearly 50 hours on the wheels themselves and so far we have been pleased. The hub has been surprisingly not as rigid as I initially thought and the rim also has held up to the standard local motocross abuse. I am not over jumping landings or slamming into faces of jumps on purpose, but I feel like I am fairly hard on a bike, yet these Dubya wheels have given me zero headaches. The stainless spokes needed to be adjusted a few times after break in, but since then, they have stayed within a quarter turn of true. For $639.00 I feel like this wheel set is a great purchase for the rider who wants a fresh look on his/her bike as well as some durability that you maybe can’t find at times from your stock wheel set. I also like that the color of the hub doesn’t fade or beed out after several rides/washes. I don’t trust a lot of “inexpensive” wheel sets, but this is one that I am happy to put my hard earned money on. The weight of the complete wheel set is just north of the stock wheel set by a half a pound, but this is something that I did not feel once out on the track. 

The Dubya USA Edge wheels are available with the standard front rim size 21×1.60, while the rear wheels come in 19×1.85, 19×2.15 or 18×2.15 rim sizes. If you’re looking for some cool colors, the rims come in either black or silver, and the hub color matches the brand of machine you’re riding. The only brands that can mix and match the Dubya USA Edge hub colors are KTM (orange) and Husqvarna (blue), since they are exactly the same, but I don’t think you will be running blue on your KTM. Dubya currently doesn’t offer an Edge set up for the #RMaRMy, but hopefully you Suzuki lovers can do your battlecry loud enough, so that John and Kristen from Dubya can hear you.   

If you have any questions about this test please feel free to contact me at kris@keeferinctesting.com 

Tusk Impact Wheelset (2019 Yamaha YZ450F)

Mounting up some hubs/wheels is one of the first aftermarket modifications riders do to their ride. Do all dirt bikes need aftermarket wheels/hubs? No they don’t, but some can benefit from a beefier wheelset (like the Honda CRF250/450R and Yamaha YZ250/450F), so we decided to try the Tusk Impact wheelset and put some abuse on them to see if they really are a great purchase for your used or new steed. 

Yes, this test took a while, but we have put numerous hours on these wheels to see how they would hold up, because quite frankly we don’t want to push something on you if it’s a P.O.S. Tusk’s aluminum hubs are forged from 6061 T-6 aluminum, not cast, and CNC-machined for a quality fit. The Tusk hubs come with high-quality bearings, seals and hard anodized wheel spacers. We have over power washed these areas to see how they have held up and we were surprised that we didn't encounter any issues while testing. The rims are anodized and made from 7075-T6 aluminum. They aren’t the more popular D.I.D. or Takasago rims, but come from a Tusk supplier. The spokes are 3024 stainless steel and are heavier than other spoke choices (more on that in a minute). Tusk wheels come completely assembled and will interchange with the stock OEM wheel components, which is very seamless and nice for the consumer. 

Tusk’s Yamaha hubs are anodized blue, but aren't quite that “deep blue” we see on other hubs, which isn't a bad thing, but took sometime to get used to. The hub color is more of a light baby blue that offsets the black rims nicely. Tusk offers all of the colors of the manufacturer carousel so DO NOT worry they have every color for your ride. Yes, the Tusk wheelset is heavier than the standard OEM wheelset on the YZ450F, but if you’re reading this test I assume that weight isn't an issue for you. If you’re looking for a lower cost hub/rim than you shouldn't be looking at weight numbers, but we will give you the difference anyway. The Tusk front wheelset weighs in at 7 pounds 14 ounces and the stock OEM front wheelset weighs in at 7 pounds 11 ounces. NOT A HUGE DIFFERENCE! The Tusk rear wheelset weighs in at 11 pounds 9 ounces and the stock OEM rear wheelset comes in at 10 pounds 10 ounces. NOT THAT HUGE OF A DIFFERENCE. 

So how do they work on the track? Installing aftermarket wheelsets can change a bike’s character on the track. Some wheelsets can make a bike feel rigid and stiff, especially on slap down landings and on braking bumps. I DO NOT use Excel A-60 rims/Talon hubs because of the rigidity on square edge and braking bumps. These hubs immediately change any bikes handing character. The Tusk hub/rims are only slightly more rigid feeling than that of the stock Yamaha hubs/rims and DO NOT give me that harsh feeling on the track. Yes, it’s slightly firmer than the OEM hub/rims, but they aren’t so stiff that I wanted to take them off ASAP. If you’re purchasing these, give yourself a couple rides to adjust to them, but I am sure you will get acquainted fairly quickly. If they do feel slightly harsher than your stock wheelset try speeding up your rebound on your fork and shock 1-2 clicks to see if that helps. Trust me, it helps in almost every condition with stiffer wheelsets. This allows the wheel to follow the ground better and absorb some of that new found firmness of the hub/rim. 

Rear.

Front.

So how did they hold up? Look… You can count on two things… I am a hard ass when it comes to wheels and clutches. These Tusk hubs/wheels have held up surprisingly well for a lower price point wheelset. The spokes needed to be checked after every ride for the first couple weeks of riding, but after that I didn't have to fuss with them that much. You especially need to keep an eye on the spokes closest to the rim lock, so if you’re lazy (which some of you are) and you don’t want to go around the complete wheel, use the first few spokes as a guide to judge if the others might be loose. In other words if the ones closest to the rim lock are loose then check the whole damn wheel! After almost 30 hours the rim did get a couple whoops in them, but nothing that warranted me to get a new wheel laced up. You know that feeling (when you’re in the air) and your wheel is bouncing around because it has a couple good whacks to it? Yeah, that feeling never happened to me over the course of this test. Good news! The anodizing will fade over time so be forewarned that if you use harsh chemicals like Simple Green or 409 to wash your machine, the hubs will discolor somewhat. I usually use Bike Wash from Blud Lubricants or Slick Products because they are less harsh on our bikes. 

So is the Tusk Wheelset worst it? If you’re looking for another set of wheels that you can take to the track (in case of a flat) for a spare, want a set of practice wheels, or just looking to freshen up your older machine with some bling, the Tusk Wheelset is a great choice. Are these the wheels that I would take to a Supercross? Not necessarily, but for 98% of us they are plenty strong enough. For $549.99 a set, this Tusk wheelset is a really good choice for the working man that loves to go rip on the weekends, wants to look cool, or maybe just wants a back up set so he doesn't have to change a tube/tire at the track between motos. 

I also understand that some people on my social media page say they have had bad luck with these wheels. I understand there is an exception to every evaluation, but I have put in a ton of hard hours on these and have seen zero failures on my end. This doesn't mean that this product is 100% bulletproof, but I would have zero issues riding with these wheels and or recommending these to all of you. If you have any questions about this test or product please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com. You can order the Tusk wheelset at rockymountainatvmc.com and choose from an array of sizes and colors