USED AND ABUSED
AS ABUSED BY JEFF G. HOLT
CONTINENTAL CONTITOUR TIRE
T
he 2017 Continental ContiTour tire is an all-new version of the German brand’s successful tire it has been selling for a few years. The new version is now specifically designed and manufactured for today’s touring-style bikes. The ContiTour tire possesses what Continental calls MileagePlus Technology. It’s a combo of casing, compound, and tread design, which the manufacturer says considerably prolongs the tire’s mileage life while maintaining great handling under different weather and/or road conditions. Inside the tire, there is an all-new proprietary carcass construction process, which features dual-reinforcement belts and nylon and aramid carcass plies made just for V-twin bikes. The new casing makes for a tire that I have found to be both a solid and predictable tire that still has a high level of comfort. Outside, the ContiTour has an all-new tread pattern with 6–9mm groove widths for superior drainage and a special rubber compound. Continental really upped its tire performance as well as durability with increased traction in the wet. The rear tire has a groove-free center tread band that increases rear tire life and offers better stability over ruts, freeway, bridge expansion joints, and grooved highways. I have personally ridden both the older version of this tire as well as more than a few miles with the new version, and I can say that the claims the folks at Continental have professed seem to be very legit. I would put this tire up against any other leading tire brand making tires for baggers today. It is good to see a large brand such as Continental step up in this small market segment and pack the new iteration of the ContiTour with a ton of tech. For more info on the ContiTour tire, check out continental-tires.com/ motorcycle. HB
74 / HOTBIKE.COM
“I HAVE PERSONALLY RIDDEN BOTH THE OLDER VERSION OF THIS TIRE AS WELL AS MORE THAN A FEW MILES WITH THE NEW VERSION, AND I CAN SAY THAT THE CLAIMS THE FOLKS AT CONTINENTAL HAVE PROFESSED SEEM TO BE VERY LEGIT.”
