Riding styles evolve. The purchase of a bike with better off-road capabilities, the addition of new friends who take you off your beaten track, or the experience of a particularly well run dual-sport ride, can significantly change what you’re asking from your tires.

A few thousand dual-sport miles after purchasing a Tiger 800 Roadie for touring, I had evolved into an ADV rider and was in search of a more aggressive tire than the Heidenau K60s Scouts. 

I needed a tire designed specifically for taking large adventure bikes off road and also comfortably handling pavement. I’d heard a whisper about the Vee Rubber VRM-401 40/60 (on/off-road) tires on AdventureMotorcycle.com and managed to get my hands on a set to test.

The first thing I noticed was how light the VRM-401s were, compared with the K60s. This is a direct result of the Kevlar belt carcass (specific to certain sizes) designed specifically for heavy loads and the higher horsepower of large adventure touring bikes.

I also noticed that the knobbies have more space between each tread than the TKC80s, which means improved off-road traction, front end bite, and self-cleaning capabilities—especially in mud. And the rubber compound used in these tires is softer than Kenda’s Big Blocks, which gives more confidence during on-road riding.

On my first scrub-in ride I couldn’t believe how smooth and quiet they were on the highway. This is due in part to the block spacing and multiple shapes and sizes of the tread blocks, which convinced me that this tire has been developed with more thought than the standard format of “one big block then one small block; repeat.”

Both front and rear tires have four different rows of knobby sizes and not all are square. I was comforted that the rear tire doesn’t wobble or follow cracks on the road at high speeds like the Heidenau’s, but with any knobby in wet conditions, riding requires an extra dose of caution.

I was impressed by the back tire hook-up in loose gravel, and was able to navigate slippery winter mud without incident. The front tire cut through mud, and feels well planted in sand. It dug in right away with any losses of front end traction being predictable and savable compared to less aggressive tires—you won’t find yourself worrying about getting stuck in mud or a loss of forward momentum on an uphill (within reason). These tires perform even better than I expected off road.

After 800 miles I’m still impressed by the technology. The overall feel and feedback is far better than I thought possible on a 500+lb ADV bike. The pattern gives the tires an aggressive look and they definitely stand out against non-knobby tires. The first 200 miles seemed to wear the rear tire faster than I expected, with power slides in the gravel quickly wearing out the very front edge of the center knobbies and taking off the knurling on the bigger lugs.

The next 600 miles showed little further change and I’m optimistic that the rear tire will wear well. The front shows virtually no wear at 800 miles but my riding style asks very little from the front tire on or off road.

With the heavyweight ADV tire market becoming more crowded and increasingly scrutinized this is one tire that should be on your short list. MSRP: TBA. Sizes: 110/80-19, 90/90-21, 130/80-17, 150/70-17, 140/80-18, 150/80-18, with other sizes on their way. VeeRubber.com

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