New additions joining Continental bike tyre range in 2016

The New Year is now up and running, and Continental Motorcycle UK has given a rundown of tyre arrivals to expect in the Continental range for 2016.

It’s been a long time coming – pre-production examples were first displayed at motorcycle trade shows in 2014 – but this year racers can look forward to an all-new high performance tyre in the form of the ContiTrack Slick. Continental has fine-tuned the tyre’s construction and revitalised the compound to make it even more competitive on circuits than previous-generation tyres, offering more precise steering and increased traction out of the corners, to help riders find the perfect line and power into the straight. Stability under hard braking has also been improved, says Continental.

Size availability will cover both UK and European conditions. A total of 15 sizes have been announced, however Continental Motorcycle UK notes that 120/75, 160/60 and 200/65 sizes will only be available from the second quarter of 2016 and recommends interested parties contact it for information on product availability.

Another new arrival in 2016 is the ContiSportAttack 3 hypersport tyre. The official debut of the third-generation tyre took place at the Red Bull Ring in Austria in July 2015, and at the time Continental Motorcycle UK said the ContiSportAttack 3 “sets new standards” for handling and performance at high angles of lean in both dry and wet conditions.

“The ContiSportAttack 3, which is handmade in Germany, features a substantial improvement in levels of wet grip, thanks to a completely revised tread pattern which aids water drainage from around the contact patch, and our latest RainGrip compound, the result of extensive research and development by our expert chemists at Continental. The size of the contact patch has also been optimised to improve overall grip on both wet and dry surfaces,” shares Continental Motorcycle UK.

Continental’s new Grip Limit Feedback Technology is said to deliver “unparalleled levels of feedback at high angles of lean,” which gives riders “much greater control at the very limits of the tyre.” The casing used in the ContiSportAttack 3 features a zero degree steel belt, and ContiMoto UK says this has been fine tuned to deliver “superb stability and precise handling on the very latest breed of sports bikes.”

“Our innovative MultiGrip Technology, which creates a dual-compound style tyre from a single piece of rubber, has also been improved to make the tyre more durable, giving riders more mileage than its predecessor,” adds Continental Motorcycle UK. “Our core Traction Skin Technology is also included, which increases rider safety and reduces the need for scrubbing in thanks to the micro-rough surface which can be found on the tyre from new – increasing initial levels of grip from the moment the new tyre is fitted to the bike.”

Continental Motorcycle UK says the ContiSportAttack 3 is ideal for fast road riding and the occasional track day. It will be the official tyre of California Superbike School UK in 2016 – the first track training school in the country to achieve Gold Standard accreditation from the Motorcycle Industry Accreditation Centre.

This year the official UK importer of Continental two-wheeler tyres also has a pair of new tyres entering the ContiRoadAttack 2 EVO range, products engineered specifically for use on heavy touring bikes such as the FJR1300. Continental Motorcycle UK observes that while the ContiRoadAttack 2 “went down very well” when tested in its standard form by the FJR Owners Club in 2014, this version will “stand up to the rigours of packing in the miles on these types of bikes even better.” These additions to the range “gives even more riders the opportunity to discover the benefits of riding on Continental,” it adds.

Three new sizes also join the TKC 70 dual purpose tyre range this year, the 120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) TL M+S front tyre and the 160/60 ZR17 M/C (69W) TL M+S and 180/55 ZR17 M/C (73W) TL M+S rear tyres. Continental Motorcycle UK expects these to arrive in the UK in the second quarter of 2016.