Continental supporting Bobby Bolton’s 10,000-mile UK to Australia road trip

Continental Tyres is supporting “global nomad” Bobby Bolton in his attempt to drive his converted MAN truck 10,000 miles from the UK to Australia. Conti has fitted four off-road optimised HCS tyres to the truck and installed the ContiPressureCheck tyre pressure monitoring system and ContiConnect digital tyre management system, enabling remote monitoring of temperatures and pressures. Bolton will travel through more than 25 countries with his Labrador, Red, on their journey. Bolton has documented on his social media channels the preparation of his 18-tonne, four-wheel-drive overland-style truck for the hostile terrain it will encounter on the journey south. The travellers will use the load bed of the former water bowser as accommodation while on the road.

Bobby Bolton explained his relationship with Continental had been inspired by personal memories: “The opportunity to work alongside Continental on my trip is one that I couldn’t pass up on. Having heard my dad retell a story countless times of a Continental tyre that came on the truck he bought second-hand, and managed more than 500,000 miles being swapped from drive to lift axles and regrooved twice, I knew I was in safe hands.

“The most impressive part of the HCS tyres is not the size or apparent ease by which the team at the ContiAcademy in Lutterworth was able to fit them over on the split rims, but the way they can work with the ContiPressureCheck and ContiConnect tracking and monitoring solutions. Being able to monitor my tyre pressures and temperatures is going to be invaluable as I cross terrains ranging from the snowy Himalayas to the arid sandy landscapes of the Middle East. I’m sure it will give my dad some peace of mind, too, as he will be able to monitor the same parameters as well as my location.”

Bobby Bolton’s self-assembled 18-tonne, four-wheel-drive overland-style MAN truck is fitted with Conti’s off-road optimised HCS tyres, the ContiPressureCheck tyre pressure monitoring system, and ContiConnect digital tyre management system (Photo: Continental)

Ian Jackson, digital fleet solutions manager at Continental Tyres, said: “Bobby’s trip to Australia is no easy feat, but we’re confident that our tyres and digital solutions will help him on his way. Thanks to our ContiPressureCheck and ContiConnect systems, Bobby, his dad, and the team at Continental will be keeping a watchful eye to ensure that the tyres are in top condition throughout the mammoth drive. All at Continental wish Bobby the best of luck with his voyage.”

Designed to make missions possible, the Continental HCS tyre provides outstanding traction, even on the very harshest of terrains. With strength engineered into every part of the tyre’s construction, the HCS achieves a high level of operational safety, long-lasting service, and outstanding resistance to damage.

Continental’s intelligent tyres, incorporating ContiPressureCheck and ContiConnect, allow truck and bus operators to continuously monitor the performance of their tyres and quickly identify potential inflation issues. Data can be displayed on a screen in the vehicle’s cab, collected using a static yard reader or shared remotely, in real time, through the ContiConnect digital tyre management system.

Bobby Bolton is sharing updates from his journey on his Instagram page.