Which Tire Does My Bike Need?
Choosing tires is not an easy task, we know that. If you are a regular visitor to our blog, you will be used to the presentations or analysis of each of our tires, but do you know which one is right for you? Each of our ranges is composed of a series of tires created to meet different needs. In this way, we make sure that the tires can be adapted to each bike, each rider and each riding style.
When it’s time to change tires, stop and ask yourself these five questions, because being clear about your needs and choosing the right tire for them can significantly improve your riding and the performance of your bike.
1. Types of Motorcycles, Which One Is Mine?
Let’s start with the most basic, and I’m sure you all know it well. What type of motorcycle do I have? Although it seems very simple, the list is quite long. You must take into account the type of use you are going to give to know what group belongs to yours. Going from more asphalt to more off-road we find the following: Super sports, sports, naked, sport-touring, touring, custom, trail, supermotard, enduro, motocross and trial. Of course, we cannot forget the scooters either.
As with motorcycles, our tires are also divided into ranges depending on the type of use. At Continental you will find the following:
Racing: for supersports bikes and track entries.- Sport/Hyper-sport: for supersports and sports bikes.
- Sport Touring: for naked, sport-touring, touring, custom and trail.
- Off-road/Enduro: for trail, supermotard, enduro and motocross.
- Classic/Classic Racing: for classic sports bikes.
- Supormoto: for supermotard.
- Custom/Touring: for custom.
- Scooter: for scooter and maxiscooter.
So, does this mean that a motorcycle should only fit its corresponding type of tire? No, in fact, as you will see in the list above, there are motorcycles that can carry several types of tires. This will depend on the other factors explained below.
2. How Is My Riding?
This is probably the most important question of all: what is going to be the most common riding with my motorcycle? We must take into account if we are going to use it as daily transport (to go to work, for example) or if we will use it for sporadic routes. If we will be riding off-road (TKC 80), road (ContiRoadAttack 4 or ContiTrailAttack 3), mixed conditions (TKC 70 or TKC 70 Rocks), or even if our idea is to go to the track (ContiRacetAttack 2 or ContiTrack). At Continental we have a tire for every terrain and for every type of use, carefully created with the aim of solving the peculiarities of each of them.
For this reason, different tires can be valid for the same motorcycle depending on its use. For example, let’s say we have a KTM Super Duke R, on which we would normally put a super sport tire, such as the ContiSportAttack4, but our use is more daily. In this case, we would need another type of performance, less racing and we could opt for a ContiRoadAttack 4.
You should also take into account if you are going to carry a lot of cargo or if you usually carry a passenger. This will not only help you to choose one tire or another, but also to know the correct tire pressure. In addition, if you ride a heavy Sport Touring bike with a lot of luggage, you can opt for a reinforced casing tire such as the ContiRoadAttack 3 GT.
3. What Sizes Can I Use?
Once we are clear about the type of motorcycle we have, we must ask ourselves, what sizes can I use? To find out you can look at the technical data sheet of your motorcycle, there you will find the sizes and options recommended by the manufacturer. Another option is to check them on the side of the tire you have installed. If they are the tires that come as standard, that’ s fine, but if you just got a second-hand bike, you better check them, as the previous owner may have made the wrong choice.
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Now, can I fit my bike with tires of other sizes? There are users who have bikes with large sizes and want to mount other even larger tires, or users who have older bikes and whose sizes are no longer manufactured. The answer is yes, but always taking into account what the law says and that the measures recommended by the manufacturer are the ideal ones for the motorcycle.
4. Am I Affected by Other External Elements?
Yes, it is necessary to take into account the climate and the place where we are going to ride our motorcycle. It is not the same to ride in a dry area with high temperatures as in a wet area where rain or cold predominate. Continental tires have technologies to adapt perfectly to this type of conditions. For example, if you are in a place where it usually rains, you should opt for a tire with RainGrip technology, which gives the tire greater grip in the wet.
5. What Is My Budget?
Last but not least, how much can I afford to spend? Knowing your budget is essential when choosing the perfect tire, as it will help you narrow down your search and avoid spending more than you have to. Don’t worry, at Continental you can find tires for every budget without sacrificing performance. For example, if you need a road tire, you can choose between the ContiRoadAttack 3, which are the premium tires of the sport-touring range, or the ContiRoad, the little brother of the previous one whose aim is to satisfy the need for motorcycle tires a little more accessible but offering a good, safe and durable performance.
