Conti Road Attack mini-review

Okay guys I have the Conti Road Attacks on my 99VFR and my front tire is over 10,000 miles and the rear tire (2nd conti) has 3,600 miles as the first one gave out at 6,800 miles...

I find the tires grip in dry and wet conditions are very good and when I ride it like I stole it , well i am still here posting on this thread..LOL.

I find the Conti's to be a great tire and just like the VFR , when I find something I like I will keep using it until something better is found .Find something better than a VFR, now thats a joke.LOL

 

Oops, wasn't paying attention.

I have my tire pressure at the recommended 42 psi. I notice when the tires start slipping or just don't really feel right, then they are a bit low on air. I have also noticed that they don't really lose air pressure over time like on my car. I check them about once a month and are always around 42psi, give or take a pound or two.

Road temp makes a huge difference too. Here in AZ where air temps easily reach 110F makes them a little greasy feeling. There is a mountain road near my house that you can really notice this affect. 110 and slippery at the bottom and 80's near the top and sticking like glue!

 

I finally got mine on yesterday and put about 100 miles on last night. Wow what a difference from the ole 204's that were done. It's amazing what any new tires do!

Is anyone running nitrogen in them, the dealer told me an extra $6 per tire and that the pressure will stay up better, it will provide a softer ride and also increase tire life. He sold me on it!

More to follow as the miles role on.

 

I will also be putting nitrogen in mine. I have a riding buddy that will do it for free, so why not right?

 

<snip> I have my tire pressure at the recommended 42 psi. <snip>

The '98s run 42 front and rear? My manual states 36F and 42R, it's a 1993 and that's what I'm running. I wonder if that higher pressure in the front of the newer bikes is b/c they weigh a bit more, and also to keep the front from cupping??

 

Given that air is 78% nitrogen, they may be overselling it just a wee bit..... It's good though - does not rust the inside of steel wheels (no o2), and is larger molecules than general air so the tires bleed pressure down slower. It's also more temperature stable - expands less as it heats up than air, which is why racers use it.

 

6500 miles on my conti road attacks. Here is my opinion: The tire wears beautifully (I wouldn't be surprised to get 10K on this set). Mine are still quite round and I ride the freeway 40-50 miles a day (depends if I commute from my girlfriend's place or not). They are really confidence inspiring in the summer and corner great! At a cornering clinic I rode earlier this summer, they handled the heat pretty well. I only saw a very very slight loss of traction when the tire was really hot. I didn't wreck like a few other riders...so that's a plus.

Ok...here is the bad part of the continentals: I live in Seattle and commute year round, rain or shine, hot or cold. It isn't uncommon to put 20-25,000 miles on my bike a year. The road attacks do NOT handle very well in the rain. The tire takes a long time to heat up and even when hot, it isn't as sticky as other tires. There is a trade off if you buy these tires: They last longer than others, but the rubber compound is harder and runs cooler. I don't think I will buy a set of Conti's again, but then again maybe I should just get another bike for rainy winter riding!

If you were riding in a much more mild, warmer, or dryer climate, these tires can not be beat. They simply do not wear out.

 

OK, so finally my Road Attack's are worn out. They are cracking, cupped, and worn down to the wear markers. I have put 12,000 miles on them and have been more or less very happy. I have ridden in weather ranging from 20 deg Fahrenheit to 90+ deg Fahrenheit, from frosty to rainy to scorching. I have ridden from city traffic, to beautiful curvy roads, to straight highway. Final verdict: These tires are a great bang for the buck! They wear really well, but be careful. The trade off here is that the rubber is harder, but then again don't flat spot very easy. Reasons why I want to purchase these again: 12,000 miles is simply amazing for a motorcycle tire. Reasons why I might switch: softer rubber will give me a bit more confidence in cold mornings. Either way, if you buy these tires you won't be too disappointed....a great value!

 

12,000 MILES?! I got barely 4 thousand out of the rear. I was satisfied with the handling, but quite dissatisfied with the wear.

 

only 4,000 miles? Man...how come so little? They make road attack's, sport attacks, and trail attacks. I'm pretty sure (about 95%) that I purchased the road attacks, but I may have purchased the sport attacks. I did do a secondary balance of the front tire at about 6,000 miles. This helps, but wouldn't account for the 8,000 extra miles I put on mine versus yours. I wonder if it has to do with the temperate climate here in Seattle or the quality of the roads?

 

I got around 6000 out of my rear and was pleased with the grip but wanted to try other rubber. The angle ST's are great but only got about 7000 out of a rear. I just put some Pilot 2's on my SV but haven't gotten to try them out yet.

 

The front tire was less than half used, still in great shape. But the rear tire was completely used up after a summer of 50% highway/50% twisty.
My current Pilot Road has given me around 10,000 miles on the same roads. Most of those being in California from top to bottom.