Conti's on new R12RT

[128266]

just got new 07 that came with Continentals. Any comments from others who have had these tires and how they compare to other brands?
thanks

[MLS2GO]

Little over 3000 miles the front was shot and the back not far behind. Z6's now, they seem fine.

[deilenberger]

If they're the Road Attacks with the cool boomerang pattern..

I have 10,001 miles on my front. It's getting a bit gnarly with cupping, but it should make it to spring. The rear was replaced at 6,000 - still had plenty of tread, but Conti warrantied it due to a very slow leak. Current one has 4,001 miles on it - and looks good for another 4,001 miles.

That's on an R1200R - the lightest of the R12 bikes AFAIK.. YMMV on heavier (RT's) bikes, but I've been happy with them. Good grip - even when in cold (37F) rain (today..) and very predictable tire.

I have very mixed feelings on the Z6 - liked how they handled, but the rear didn't wear all that well for me (on a K75S with non-stock wheels) and the lack of a wear bar in the center of the rear rather worried me. Know more than one person who has gone through the rubber into the cords.

[hass]

If they're the Road Attacks with the cool boomerang pattern..

I have 10,001 miles on my front. It's getting a bit gnarly with cupping, but it should make it to spring. The rear was replaced at 6,000 - still had plenty of tread, but Conti warrantied it due to a very slow leak. Current one has 4,001 miles on it - and looks good for another 4,001 miles.

That's on an R1200R - the lightest of the R12 bikes AFAIK.. YMMV on heavier (RT's) bikes, but I've been happy with them. Good grip - even when in cold (37F) rain (today..) and very predictable tire.
Which version of the RAs do you have Don? There are two versions one with the tread pattern reversed - if you look at your bike from the front which way do your "arrows" point; up or down?

[RTs4me]

I've just fitted a pair to my R1200RT.

I like them. Good grip, wet or dry. Nice 'rounded' profile allows the bike to fall into the curves. Very little road noise, unlike my previous howling Bridgestones. Too early for me to comment on mileage yet.

There is a special 'C' fitment for the RT. I think it's a stiffer sidewall to cope with the weight of the bike. I expect that since yours are 'OEM', then they will be 'C's.

In the UK, the best part is the price. The Road Attacks are only about 2/3 of the price of Michelins, Bridgestones or Metzelers. Even if they only last 2/3 of the distance, I'd rather change them and have relatively fresh rubber on the bike.

[FredRydr]

If they're the Road Attacks with the cool boomerang pattern. ...Good grip - even when in cold (37F) rain (today..) and very predictable tire.I agree, more so than any other tire I used on a Roadster. I've used M4 and M6 tires most of the time (on R1100R, R1150R and R1200R), and the new Contis give me more reliable feel for those slips, with less surprise (i.e. panic) when I am pushing the poor machine.

Fred
'07 R1200R

[deilenberger]

Which version of the RAs do you have Don? There are two versions one with the tread pattern reversed - if you look at your bike from the front which way do your "arrows" point; up or down?Going to look..

The boomerangs point down on the front. Is there any other difference?

[hass]

Going to look..

The boomerangs point down on the front. Is there any other difference?No, but I read someplace that the reason Conti (and other manufacturers - for example Michelin) switched the patterns on their front tyres to a "backwards" pattern was to reduce cupping. I was at a Michelin seminar earlier in the year and they explained this phenomenon to us.

[deilenberger]

No, but I read someplace that the reason Conti (and other manufacturers - for example Michelin) switched the patterns on their front tyres to a "backwards" pattern was to reduce cupping. I was at a Michelin seminar earlier in the year and they explained this phenomenon to us.That begs the question - which way are they supposed to go to reduce cupping? My cupping is quite noticeable now at 10,000 miles on the front.. (I do tend to brake somewhat hard which probably doesn't help.)

[FredRydr]

No, but I read someplace that the reason Conti (and other manufacturers - for example Michelin) switched the patterns on their front tyres to a "backwards" pattern was to reduce cupping. I was at a Michelin seminar earlier in the year and they explained this phenomenon to us.Kinda a weird coincidence that all the patterns of the various tire manufacturers reduce cupping by reversing their respective tread patterns.

Fred

[billp]

Kinda a weird coincidence that all the patterns of the various tire manufacturers reduce cupping by reversing their respective tread patterns.

Fred

Are you guys suggesting we all run our front tires backwards to reduce cupping?

[hass]

Are you guys suggesting we all run our front tires backwards to reduce cupping?No - because the rest of the tyres construction would be wrong. The manufacturers reversed the way they "printed" the tread to reduce cupping. So if you can choose between two tyres (e.g. two conti RAs) and one has the pattern reversed - choose that one!

Cupping was worse when the points of the tread pointed downwards (as seen from the front of the bike) because then the first point of impact of the tyre on the asphalt was the narrow point of the pattern increasing heat in this region and thus leading to more wear that in the rest of the tyre = cupping. By reversing the pattern they could ensure that the first point of impact was over a wider area. So the "new" reversed pattern has the points or arrows pointing up (as seen from the front of the bike). I believe this is only on the front tyres.

Michelin actually told me that the tread pattern has two main functions: 1. it allows the tyre to flex and therefore generates heat. and 2. it is cosmetic. Apparently (and very unlike car tyres) round profile narrow bike tyres can push away water even with no tread so my belief that tread was for water dispersion was erroneous.

[deilenberger]

No - because the rest of the tyres construction would be wrong. The manufacturers reversed the way they "printed" the tread to reduce cupping. So if you can choose between two tyres (e.g. two conti RAs) and one has the pattern reversed - choose that one!

Cupping was worse when the points of the tread pointed downwards (as seen from the front of the bike) because then the first point of impact of the tyre on the asphalt was the narrow point of the pattern increasing heat in this region and thus leading to more wear that in the rest of the tyre = cupping. By reversing the pattern they could ensure that the first point of impact was over a wider area. So the "new" reversed pattern has the points or arrows pointing up (as seen from the front of the bike). I believe this is only on the front tyres.
Ah - now I know what to look for next front tire..

Michelin actually told me that the tread pattern has two main functions: 1. it allows the tyre to flex and therefore generates heat. and 2. it is cosmetic. Apparently (and very unlike car tyres) round profile narrow bike tyres can push away water even with no tread so my belief that tread was for water dispersion was erroneous.
I think Michelin was smoking an illegal substance when they told you that... I've never heard the claim that the tread pattern doesn't help in water dispersal before. Was this a Michelin engineer speaking or a salesperson?

[hass]

Engineer - he said the effects of tread pattern on water dispersal were negligible on bike tyres as they have such a small contact area so the pressure alone is sufficient.

[AllanCook]

I've got 6,500 miles on the Road Attacks on my R1200R. While they are worn, I think they are probably good for another 5K or so. I'm getting much better wear on them than the Metzelers I ran on my R1150R, and they seem a little grippier.

[LongWays]

Changed the rear of my 07 RT today, about 8000 miles and the wear marks were just starting to show - front has a ways to go yet. Think this is the first bike I have owned where I am sticking with the OEM tires. I did some research the last few weeks about rubber and something I read in review stuck with me - "the tire really suits the character of the bike more than the others tested" (or something to that effect), and I can't say that I disagree.

[FredRydr]

I've got 6,500 miles on the Road Attacks on my R1200R. While they are worn, I think they are probably good for another 5K or so. 11,500 miles??? I am very happy to get 6,000 miles out of a rear, and maybe half as much more on a front, and that's on three Beemer Roadsters since '99, using sport-touring tires (Road Attacks, Pilot Roads, ME Z6). How do people do it? Fill them with helium? Ride in the rain or ice all the time?

Fred (180 lbs and rides his unladen bike in the mountains of central Pennsylvania)

'07 R1200R
'02 R1150R (gone)
'99 R1100R (more gone)
& others beforehand