German Black Magic
GERMAN BLACK MAGIC
IF THERE IS ONE PLACE ON Earth that embraces the motorcycle, it’s Spain, to the point that your average motorist barely notices when a gang of leather-clad foreign journalists buzzes them on a winding mountain road. This motorcycle hotbed was the site of the introduction of Continental’s newest radial tire, the ContiSportAttack.
The Hannover-based company is in the middle of masterminding a North American comeback after decades out of the consumer limelightespecially in reference to high-performance radiais. Two years after introducing the excellent ContiRoadAttack sport-touring tire, Conti has set its sights on the repli-racer segment.
With the SportAttack,
Conti is aiming squarely at high-end street tires like the Dunlop Qualifier, Michelin Pilot Power and Pirelli Diablo Corsa; tires more than capable of tackling the occasional track day.
The SportAttack is a zerodegree-wound, steel-belted radial. Conti chose steel belts over Kevlar for quick, uniform heat distribution despite a slight weight penalty. Unlike the high-silica-content RoadAttack, the rear tire contains no silica, with carbon black taking its place for a slightly stiffer carcass and better resistance to the heat generated by 170-hp Open-class sportbikes. The SportAttack front still uses a silica-infused compound for improved grip in wet conditions.
On the street, the SportAttack proved to be an impressive performer. Conti claims the SportAttack has the softest compound of any DOT tire not specifically made for racing; subsequently, warm-up time has been reduced dramatically. The morning of our street ride, the SportAttack was ready to carve comers even before the engine was up to temperature.
Neutral handling is the first thought that came to mind after a few miles on the SportAttack on a variety of sportbikes. The tire exhibited linear and predictable turn-in with excellent stability during hard acceleration and braking, giving ample confidence on unfamiliar roads at the ridiculous pace that guide (and Conti Motorcycle President) Joerg Essiger sucked journalists into.
The true test of the tires came at the Circuito de Calafat, a scrappy little track two hours south of Barcelona. It was here that the SportAttack impressed the most. A 15lap stint on worn tires resulted in no obvious degradation in performance on a Honda CBR600RR, with excellent handling and grip. The same thing couldn’t be said later in the day of a CBR1000RR that was all too happy to smoke its rear tire exiting Calafat’s smooth, polished comers. This, despite good grip entry to apex and decent side grip.
Retailing for about $300 per set, the SportAttack is a competitively priced tire that offers excellent grip on the street and is more than capable on the track at anything less than full race pace. Conti’s latest provides impressive performance for muscular modem sportbikes.
Blake Conner
