SR Street/Track Day Tire Comparison Test - Both Sides Of The Fence

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Continental Contisport Attack
Introduced in late '05, the ContiSport Attack tire has undergone some updates last year, with the tire now featuring the same "Continuous-Compound" technology as the company's race-oriented ContiRace Attack tires. Instead of using different compounds on the sides and center of the tire as is becoming common with high performance rubber these days, the Contis use a "single compound...that through a temperature-controlled curing process delivers the benefits of a dual-compound tire without the abrupt transition between the different compounds that dual compound tires are known for." Thus, the ContiSport Attack has a "soft compound on the outer edge for maximum grip... but is harder in the center for extended high-speed durability." As before, both front and rear ContiSport Attacks are constructed with a zero-degree steel belt on a rayon base, and use a compound Continental technicians call "Black Chili," which they claim is the softest being used in the sport radial market.

As before, however, despite those claims of the softest compound, the Contis felt to have a harder rubber than many other tires in the test. Both Holst and Kunitsugu gave the ContiSport Attack low marks for warm-up and break-in at the track, with Kunitsugu writing that "break-in and warm-up took extraordinarily long," and Holst complaining that "even after three laps, the carcass felt stiff, unforgiving, and traction was always `skatey', like an old Daytona bowling ball compound." Both riders felt steering was sharp and precise, with Kunitsugu giving the Contis high marks for feedback as well. But traction overall was rated lower by both riders than all the other tires in the track portion of the test; Kunitsugu stated that "grip that wasn't that great to start with fell off after a few laps, hurting my confidence level even more," while Holst commented that "it never felt hooked up, even on the last lap." Holst was concerned enough that he came in to have the tires checked for any abnormalities.

The tall profile front tire forced significant spring preload changes in the fork of both bikes, yet on the street, Trevitt wrote that the Contis still fell in toward max lean and felt "tippy" in slow turns at small lean angles. While traction was fine in fast, smooth turns, lack of compliance in slow turns or midcorner bumps/rough pavement would unsettle grip and erode confidence. As expected with the hard compound, wear levels were easily the best in the test on both street and track.

(740) 966-3106
www.conti-online.com

Continental Contisport Attack

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Dunlop Qualifier
Just introduced in time for our December '05 street tire test, the Dunlop Qualifier front tire features a cross-ply (Dunlop calls it "cut-angle breaker") construction with two nylon and two aramid reinforcement belts, while the rear utilizes the company's Jointless Band (JLB) circumferential belt over two nylon carcass plies. The front tire profile is based upon the Sportmax GP DOT race tire with similar compound, while the rear tire retains the profile of the old D208ZR street tire but with compounding very close to the medium compound used on the Sportmax GP race tire. Tread patterns are an evolution from the D208ZR and closely approximate the sparse race appearance of the Sportmax GP race tire.

The Qualifier has the tallest front tire profile in this group, requiring significant chassis adjustments to achieve best results, especially on the 600. Traction, compliance, and steering were rated highly by both Holst and Kunitsugu at the track, although both felt that steering effort was a little high compared to the others. While Holst wasn't too fond of the Dunlop's slightly soft and compliant feel, Kunitsugu felt that "compliance is pretty good, yet still gives good feedback...good stability accelerating over bumps and under hard braking, with no squirming on the brakes while steering nicely trail braking." Overall grip received high scores from both, with Kunitsugu noting, "edge grip is better than most but still not the best of the lot."

The Dunlop received high marks on the street as well, with the exception of Trevitt and Kunitsugu both noting that break-in took a long time before tire grip felt really settled in. Although compliance was good at max lean, Trevitt felt that the Qualifier's carcass was stiff while at or near vertical, which would allow bumps to upset handling on corner entry. Wear rates were moderate on the street, a bit more severe on the track.

(800) 548-4714
www.dunlopmotorcycle.com

Dunlop Qualifier