Coyote
11th February 2007, 08:51
AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE
A month or so ago I got Conti City's for the RG after the local shop recommended them. The shop had to order them in and when they got in I was disappointed. They had a massive tyre wall that ballooned out the side and a very thin tread. They are a 2.75 - 17 47P front and a 3.00 - 17 50P rear. They looked pathetic, but they were all I could afford. $200 fitted
By the time they were worn in enough so I couldn't take them back to the shop, they started getting really dodgy. At the lights I did a wheel spin on the double white lines for about 2 seconds until it finally moved onto tarmac. On the ride to Wanganui I did a massive drift (in the wet) which must've looked awesome but it still wasn't good.
Then the other day I went for a ride to cool down (another story). It had been raining. I slid to a stop at an intersection with both wheels locked. And then the first corner I go on the front lost grip and I was sent flying into a parked bus and the bike into the bus stop. Also, just so you don't think I'm a hoon and I'm expecting too much from the tyres, the other day I was going around a corner and gently rolling the throttle, and the rear started going out to the side slowly.
And today as I was coming back home (ran out of oil so I couldn't get to the sprints) and I was going down the Upper Hutt side of the Rimutakas. As I was braking for a corner the rear suddenly lost grip making the bike jump up and to the side. I hadn't changed down a gear (which I always did on the CBR and this would happen). The bike violently started fishtailing until it suddenly found grip and I kept on going. This was in the dry (although a coldish morning).
They're useless in the wet. And they're not much better in the dry. Avoid getting these tyres and save up for something better (which is what I'm doing now. TT900s would be good). The only thing they've got going for them is that after about 2000k's the still look brand new so they should last for ages. If you plan to commute on a bike but when it rains you'll take the car, then maybe these tyres would be a cheap alternative from good ones.
A month or so ago I got Conti City's for the RG after the local shop recommended them. The shop had to order them in and when they got in I was disappointed. They had a massive tyre wall that ballooned out the side and a very thin tread. They are a 2.75 - 17 47P front and a 3.00 - 17 50P rear. They looked pathetic, but they were all I could afford. $200 fitted
By the time they were worn in enough so I couldn't take them back to the shop, they started getting really dodgy. At the lights I did a wheel spin on the double white lines for about 2 seconds until it finally moved onto tarmac. On the ride to Wanganui I did a massive drift (in the wet) which must've looked awesome but it still wasn't good.
Then the other day I went for a ride to cool down (another story). It had been raining. I slid to a stop at an intersection with both wheels locked. And then the first corner I go on the front lost grip and I was sent flying into a parked bus and the bike into the bus stop. Also, just so you don't think I'm a hoon and I'm expecting too much from the tyres, the other day I was going around a corner and gently rolling the throttle, and the rear started going out to the side slowly.
And today as I was coming back home (ran out of oil so I couldn't get to the sprints) and I was going down the Upper Hutt side of the Rimutakas. As I was braking for a corner the rear suddenly lost grip making the bike jump up and to the side. I hadn't changed down a gear (which I always did on the CBR and this would happen). The bike violently started fishtailing until it suddenly found grip and I kept on going. This was in the dry (although a coldish morning).
They're useless in the wet. And they're not much better in the dry. Avoid getting these tyres and save up for something better (which is what I'm doing now. TT900s would be good). The only thing they've got going for them is that after about 2000k's the still look brand new so they should last for ages. If you plan to commute on a bike but when it rains you'll take the car, then maybe these tyres would be a cheap alternative from good ones.