Dubya Talon EVO Wheelset

Having a spare set of aftermarket wheels is a bit of a luxury, due to the somewhat extreme prices of the top-of-the-line sets. Quite honestly, though, these were the only option I would have seriously considered, since entry-level wheelsets often seemed to be not only heavier than stock, but also quite a bit weaker. What's the point of buying a shiny new set of wheels, if they're just going to change shape when you come up short on a double? The crew at Dubya recognized that not everyone has the budget to go after the same wheels they build for the likes of JGR or Red Bull KTM. That's why they teamed up with one of the companies they represent, Talon, to build a suitable wheelset for the everyday Joe that also wouldn't break the bank.

Dubya Talon EVO Wheelset Features:

• EVO hub is built from 6082 billet aluminum.
• Wheels are assembled with carbon-steel spokes and nickel plated steel nipples.
• Talon EVOs are available in 21-inch front wheel and optional 18- or 19-inch rear wheel.
• EVO hubs covered by one-year warranty.
• Hub color options depend upon brand of bike, total colors include; orange, blue, and red.
• Components are hand assembled at Dubya USA.
• MSRP $899.98.

First Impressions

As mentioned before, I've been extremely skeptical of entry-level wheels, due to some personal experiences and seeing many friends go through set after set of wheels that wouldn't hold up for more than a few weeks. There literally wasn't a wheelset on the market under $1000 that I'd put on my own motorcycle, without making me question their durability. Thus you can understand my worries when I was approached about testing a new set of wheels, until I had a personal assurance from Dubya's John Anderson that the Talon EVOs would change my mind on this topic.

First up, the wheels don't appear much different from Talon's higher-end offerings. The center hub diameters are almost identical, and most of the machining even looks similar. The only real obvious difference are the rims, which are sourced directly from Talon, instead of D.I.D or Excel.

Installation is beyond straightforward. Once you have tires, rotors and a sprocket mounted, remove your old wheels and put the EVOs in their place. The EVO wheels come with their own spacers designed to match that hub; don't use the stockers.

On the Track

There's not much to say about wheels on the track. The rims have stayed round, so there's no jittering around and the hubs roll just as smoothly, if not better than the stock set. Meaning there's no extra drag that you can feel while riding.

Long-Term Durability

The biggest kicker with any entry-level wheelset is how do they handle extended abuse? After a few months on our RM-Z 250 on a moto track, and then a swap over to the 450 for moto and off-road loops, they've held up amazingly! After the first few rides, there was a minor bit of tightening required for the spokes, but nothing major. Not once did a single spoke become much looser than the rest of the wheel. After two or three tightening sessions over the first month, the spokes seemed to have found a resting point and have held their tension. I was also impressed by the strength of the spoke nipples themselves. Usually after a decent amount of adjusting, some cheaper brand's nipples will deform and squish, making them almost impossible to get the spoke wrench back on the next time around. With the EVOs however, this didn't occur.

Even after multiple encounters with faces of landings I found by mistake, rocks and the occasional canyon-sized square edge hole, the rims have held their original shape quite well. The only standout wear relates to the rim itself, where the black coating has begun to strip/wear-off a bit due to the tire rubbing against the edges when it flexes. There's also one minor thing that relates to the hubs, as any red anodizing struggles to keep its original deep shade of color over a long period of time.

The Last Word

At $899.98, the Talon EVOs are pushing the scale when it comes entry-level wheels. But this extra bit of dough seems to have gone a long ways towards getting a set of wheels that have the needed durability. Would I put these wheels on a bike destined for Supercross, Nationals, or even off-road races such as WORCS? No. Even Dubya admits these wheels aren't quite built for those levels of abuse, but they're a great wheel for the weekend warrior who needs to replace their worn-out stockers, have a spare set, or just want to add a bit of bling.

Vital MX Rating

Check out DubyaUSA.com to get more information on what wheel options are available.

About the Test Rider

Michael Lindsay- is a born-and-raised moto freak and gearhead from the heart of motocross in Southern California. First swinging a leg over a bike at the age of five, he immediately caught the racing bug, spending nearly every weekend behind a gate…and a lot of time on the couch while injured. While swinging back and forth between moto and the off-road scene, giving him a wide range of experience on the bike. Of course, all of this led to one thing: Lindsay loves working on his bikes almost as much as he loves talking about them. When he’s not in the Vital MX forum or writing his latest product review, you can find him out at the track taking dirt naps, snapping some pictures, or drooling over the latest parts for his bike. With an outspoken personality, gearhead background, and as Vital MX’s guru for product, Michael is here to share his unbiased opinion.

Review by Michael Lindsay // Photos by Michael Lindsay