Longterm Test: Continental Road Attack Tyres

Long termers: Continental Road Attack tyres


Fitted: End of August 2009


Mileage so far: 600 miles


Well, how do you write up a product as well respected and regarded as these tyres?


I suppose that's the reason why I decided to start 6GBR in so much as to make all of the reviews more personal and less mainstream, otherwise what's the point???

As for the Road Attacks, I don't think that I have ever known a tyre with such a varied personality. Continental have had these tyres available now for a good few years, and from day one they have received repeated praise by the motorcycle press, and have launched four other commercially available variants, Trail Attack (to suit adventure trail bikes), Sport Attack (lower tread depth version of the Road attack, with higher silica content), Race Attack (track use only, with Slick, Intermediate, Wet variants), and Race Attack Custom, (for custom bikes and cruisers).

Warp factor 9 Sulu.
Beamed up grin on the rider comes as standard with these little jazz pups.

As for the Road Attacks, I can tell you for a fact that they are the scariest tyres ever that I have ridden on un-scrubbed, displaying some very odd and unpredictable behavior for the first 10 or so miles. Even most other tyres will warn prior to actually doing anything of a sinister nature. However, after this short period of re-evaluating life insurance as a sensible family investment; their performance started to shine very quickly, enabling normal cornering angles to be achieved on still relatively shiny tyres. This is something that I would never generally suggest or recommend to anyone to do, but you just find yourself doing it without thinking consciously of still being on fresh road rubber; unlike most other tyres I have ever ridden on new, including the BT021 Bridgestones.

One half of the reason why is based on the fact that when looking at the unmounted tyres inside, it is quickly realised that the Road Attack is endowed with a very lightweight and supple carcase. This allows for the heightened comfort when on the move, and consequently the factory claimed 12% increased footprint sizing on the tarmac.

The other reason is the Silica enriched rubber the tread is made from is so soft and squidgy even cold, which means heavily shortened warm up times. Combined with the trademark Star Trek insignia tread pattern with its deep (8mm rear, 6mm front tread depth) swoopy grooves to allow good water dispersal at all cornering angles. This ensures a more secure road holding feel, which in turn boosts confidence no end, in various unlikely conditions which would be commonly associated with just dry riding conditions on most other tyres.

So there you have it then surely?

You guessed it, no; as the front tyre's crown profile (the cross sectional shape of the curved tread and carcase), is almost semi elliptical, or egg shaped, with steeply curved tread shoulders, This shaping allows the bike to naturally “fall” into corners without conscious provocation from the handlebars, and is very disconcerting at first with a bike that is used to being man handled round corners at speed. This sensation though soon becomes reassuring that the bike is doing what it wants to and IS gripping securely.

Being the very first wet ride proper today (well, Tuesday anyway), I was actually looking forward to whether the Conti's would find their ceiling of brilliance and literally come unstuck. Well actually, no. The tyres performed more than predictably well. And thats it; no drama's, just business as usual, allowing you to get on with enjoying the ride.

Well that was until I got off the bike after getting home and noticing a loud hissing noise coming from the back of the bike, then discovering a shard of long, thin flint hanging out from the tread.

Oh shit.

Sods law has had it's fun again, but luckily not in the middle of nowhere.

Unbelievable to think that having a puncture could make such a gunky mess, especially when you see how big the hole in the tyre is.

Well luckily (I thought), I've got some foam just to tide me over, only to find that the damage was too much for the foam to find and seal up completely, resulting in a puddle of foam on the driveway, and the rest of the contents flung all over the back of the bike when trying to set the foam off. Nice.

Temporary, er how about non existent tyre repair. Thanks to this muck I now have a driveway that looks like a mutated giant Seagull has taken a shit on it, and it has also covered the rear of the Versys convincingly with this goopy crap. Thanks.

Well lesson learned, now after three days of struggling without my bike, the tyre has now been plugged. Great.

As for the reason why I've ended up with a puncture so soon has got me thinking; is it because the tread layer is just too soft, allowing debris to just get pushed in and through the thin carcase? The plain and more than likely reason for it occurring is the crappy, gritty, and mucky lanes near to home, but I'm sure we'll see in time.


Conclusion.

For the money, there really is no comparison performance wise, with an almost supernatural dry and wet weather handling ability, with a very noticeable and pleasing difference in comfort when compared to other brands products of a similar price. I am concerned however with the wear rate and overall durability of these tyres, thanks to the incredible softness of the silica rich rubber compound used for the tread, and the remarkably supple carcasing which I am not convinced helps much to keep out nasties like flints and glass.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding, and so I'll keep you posted on the Road Attacks progress. Hopefully, the puncture just suffered was purely a freak instance, which can happen to any tyre given the right conditions.

Thanks Continental, I've got the grip, I now just don't want anymore punctures....

Ride safe,


Gordie.