New tyre launch: 2017 Continental RoadAttack 3

Continental RoadAttack 3, £254 pair

(based on 120/70/17 and 180/55/17)

Launched last week, Continental’s new RoadAttack 3 is the latest addition to the hugely important sports-touring tyre sector. A development of the popular and capable RoadAttack 2 Evo, Continental claim the RoadAttack 3 gives improved wet grip, which was the Evo’s only really stumbling block, as well as increased feel and boosted mileage.

• Related: Best sports-touring tyres

The German firm say they’ve achieved this by developing a new tread pattern, which now features a Drainage Groove design that uses lateral channels to help shed water away from the surface for increased wet grip. A wider slick centre section helps with acceleration and mileage, while a chunkier side-block design improves side-grip capabilities in the dry. Conti also say warm-up time has been improved, thanks to added silica in the tread compound. All these new features are key to what Continental calls Grip Limit Feedback, which is designed to give the rider a better feel of what the tyres are doing in all situations, especially at the limits of grip. 

MCN got our first taste of the new RoadAttack 3 in dry and warm conditions in Mallorca, and the roads there provided a range of different surfaces and conditions to test the tyres. Fitted to a 2016 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S, the RoadAttack 3 gave excellent feel and confidence straight from cold. Continental produce their motorcycle tyres with no release agent from their manufacturing process. They call this ‘Traction Skin’, and it means riders do not have to go through a running-in period in order to scrub off the slippery release agent from the surface of a new tyre, which makes them very safe from the start.

TOP STORIES

• Five bikes that could be yours for less than £100-a-month
• BMW R nineT Pure: ‘A charming motorcycle’
• High Beach meet: ‘Ancient woodland attracting bikers for almost 90 years’
• What’s good about this Rokker jacket?
• Bike of the day: Ducati 848

Once warm, the RoadAttack 3 performed superbly on twisty roads. Both the rate of turn and stability at speed were excellent, and clearly show the RoadAttack’s sporting potential. In terms of rear grip I found that they performed well. The only time I could get the rear to break loose was by turning the Ducati’s traction control off and really provoking the back end with large amounts of throttle, and even then the preceding slide was predictable. Meanwhile, the front gave faultless traction confidence, even on rougher surfaces.

The RoadAttack 3 is a tyre that is likely to be at least as good as other tyres in this segment of the market. Continental have progressively closed the gap on the other brands, and with the RoadAttack 3 it is likely to have risen almost to the top. Meanwhile, the older RoadAttack 2 and RoadAttack 2 Evo remain in the German manufacturer’s range. 
To find out how the RoadAttack3 stacks up against its rivals, check out MCN’s sports-touring tyre test in the June 7 issue.

Available in an impressively wide range of manufacturer-recommended fitments, including a GT-specific model for heavier tourers. Front: 110/70/17, 120/60/17, 120/70/17, 120/70/17 GT, 100/90/18, 110/80/18, 120/70/18, 110/80/19, 120/70/19 
Rear: 130/80/17, 150/70/17, 150/70/17, 160/60/17, 170/60/17, 170/60/17, 180/55/17, 180/55/17 GT, 190/50/17, 190/50/17 GT, 190/55/17, 190/55/17 GT, 130/80/18, 160/60/18 

For more information visit www.conti-bike.co.uk

 

Looking for the perfect two-wheeled companion? Visit MCN Bikes For Sale website or use MCN’s Bikes For Sale App.