ContiRoad Attack 2: First impressions
New tyres, chain and sprockets fitted: it was time to hit the highway and exorcise some ghosts.
The new tyres are ContiRoad Attack 2s. After some indifferent and suboptimal experiences with Herr Continental's tyres before (Road Attacks on an ST1300 and an FJR1300, and ContiMotions on the Shiver two changes ago) the Attack 2s are his last shot at redemption.
I also decided at this change to go with a 190/50 rear instead of the more usual 180/55. Senor Aprilia says this is quite OK, indeed this size is listed as a legitimate fitment option.
Today was a great test for tyres: Wet roads, sometimes laced with liberal amounts of Herr Diesel's fine product, dry roads, and all shades in between.
The front 120/70 Attack 2 is a particularly sharp handling tyre but not in an ambiguous or scary sense. After a couple of fastish corners I had its intentions sorted.
The 190/50 rear is interesting. It's not as slow or stable as I had been led to believe. It's definitely discernibly different to a 180/55 though. I would describe it as languid -- smooth and sorted.
After about 300km I can say that I am quite liking these Attack 2s. They scampered home very nicely indeed across the Rimutakas with no sign of skitterishness or other general imprecision.
As for the other new stuff: I went for Aprilia OEM sprockets -- 16 tooth front and 44 tooth rear. The chain is a 525VM G&B 120ZB XJ X-ring DID. It's gold and quite the shizzle.
"Standing on your mother's corpse you told me that you'd wait forever." [Bryan Adams: Summer of 69]
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Originally Posted by sinned
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