Owner’s Testimonial
The protagonist of today’s article is not Continental, it’s one of you. We wanted to talk to one of our users about his experience riding with one of our tires. Our protagonist’s name is Ramón and he has been riding motorcycles for almost 4 decades. After owning all kinds of motorcycles and traveling around the world, Ramon now rides a KTM 1290 Super Duke R with our ContiRoadAttack 4.
On more than one occasion we have told you that one of the main characteristics of the ContiRoadAttack 4 is its great versatility and the ability to fit a wide range of motorcycle types. While a pure sport tire offers faster warm-up times and better grip, its durability remains limited. On the other hand, a touring tire offers great durability from the start. The ContiRoadAttack 4 is able to combine all these features to achieve the best performance in both cases.
This feature means that hyper-touring tires can be fitted to bikes with high displacement and power as well as to smaller, sporty or sport-touring machines. They are suitable for urban and highway use as well as for road and curvy routes. All this and much more is what Ramón does with his Super Duke and he tells us about his experience.
Continental: For what do you normally use your motorcycle?
Ramón: The truth is that for everything, whenever I have the option and I don’t have to transport people or bulky objects. Whenever possible I go to work by motorcycle, and practically every weekend we go out on the road; 3 or 4 times a year, a long trip of 4-5 days and if it could be more, then more would be…
Continental: How many miles do you normally ride on your routes?
Ramón: Short weekend morning rides, about 125 miles, and if we stretch a bit up to 250. On the longer trips, about 1,200 miles, and from there on.
Continental: Why did you choose to put Continental tires on your bike, and why specifically the new ContiRoadAttack 4?
Ramón: Because it promised what I was looking for. Good grip at the limit and more than acceptable durability.
Continental: What do you expect from a tire?
Ramón: It depends on what you use the bike for; except on the KTM, that they are not expensive, durable and work well in cold weather, without being rocks without grip. On the KTM, that they grip well, but don’t run out after 1,500 miles…
Continental: Do you ride in the rain, and what do you think a tire should have in wet conditions?
Ramón: The truth is that I try to do it as little as possible, where I live rain is not usual. But obviously, the most important thing is grip, and above all confidence in the tire, since we are not used to riding in the wet around here.
Continental: How have the ContiRoadAttack 4 tires worked out for you?
Ramón: EXCELLENT. And I put it in capital letters not to flatter, but because it is true. I have them mounted on my KTM, which I ride a lot on the gas and with a brutal torque. They have never given me any problem, at the level (we are talking about riding on the road, of course) of any super sport tire. And with a duration that has surprised me, I have been able to do more than 3,000 miles on the rear, almost all of them at a very fast speed and maintaining all their performance
Continental: If you have to compare them with any other tire, what advantages have you seen over those you have previously ridden?
Ramón: I’ve ridden everything – touring, semi-touring, sport and ultra-sport – and all brands. The ContiRoadAttack 4 are, in my opinion, the most balanced, since the touring tires don’t have enough grip when you open the gas hard and end up limiting you; and the very sporty ones don’t last more than 900 or 1,200 miles, especially the rear one. I expect the current front to last well over 4,000 miles, as right now they have more than 3,000 miles on them and they are not worn or staggered. For a trip to the Alps a few years ago I mounted the ContiRoadAttack 2, and they also gave me a very great result both in grip and durability. But clearly I have to say that on the ContiRoadAttack 4 I notice a big step forward in both ways. These last ones last a little less, but in return you can open the gas much harder, especially in the last degrees of inclination.
Continental: Would you repeat?
Ramón: Of course, in fact, I’m going to do it soon.
Continental: What recommendations can you give to other users when they are looking for a new tire for their bike?
Ramón: There is no bad tire nowadays, even from cheap brands, you just have to think that you should not prioritize saving a few dollars after having bought a bike of great economic value. Not only for safety, the most important thing, but also for sensations. In fact, I spend the most on tires, in view of the voracity of the KTM in this aspect.
The first thing is to know how you are going to use the bike, and from there, choose the tire that best suits you. I have no problem fitting older generation tires, as long as they fit what I need. But with the ContiRoadAttack 4, despite being somewhat more expensive than the average, the right choice is sure because they grip a lot, more than enough, and are durable enough. In the end, the cost per mile is equal to or less than other cheaper or sport tires, and the riding experience is unbeatable with them.