The MileagePlus Technology single compound that Continental has built into its ContiTour line is the element the company says “significantly extends mileage while maintaining exceptional handling.” We conducted a long-term test to assess the tire’s performance from birth to retirement. The Continental ContiTour tires in this test are the 100/90-19 M/C 57H TL and 130/90-16 M/C 73H RF TL.

How We Ran the Continental ContiTour Tire Test

The tires were tested on a 1999 Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster XLH with a Stage II Screamin’ Eagle kit. Most riding was solo, at normal posted speeds; no scratch racing, track days, burnouts, and so on. This bike does not have ABS. Heavy touring-type loads were not carried. High-speed Interstate highways were included in the mix, along with town and county roads and state highways, so the range of sustained speeds was complete. Tire inflation was maintained at specified levels, and tire condition was checked frequently. Almost all road surfaces were paved, though some stretches of township and county roads were gravel. There were no significant incidents involving heavy braking skids or striking road hazards. Basically, the tires were in typical cruiser-use conditions.

How the ContiTour Is Built

 

As marked on their sidewalls, the 100/90-19 front carries four polyester plies in both the tread and the sidewall, while the reinforced 130/90-16 rear runs five nylon plies under the tread over a three-ply sidewall. Nothing in the ContiTour range is radial. Every size is bias-ply, and those that carry a B designation are bias-belted, with stabilizer plies beneath the tread. Continental offers the line in front sizes from 16 to 21 inches and in rear sizes from 15 to 18 inches.

The ContiTour tread patterns have no mid-tread rain groove, front or rear. The tread patterns put maximum rubber on the road where the greatest portion of the load is carried. Instead of a central rain groove, a deep “7”-shaped sipe just off the centerline sends twin grooves toward the shoulder. That should enhance tread life while promoting good roadholding in the wet.

Grip, Wet and Dry

Perhaps the most interesting episode in the ContiTour tires’ performance on wet pavement occurred during the first week of their use. On a township road in the morning following overnight rain, the shaded areas of the road were still wet, while areas getting some sun were dry. A wild turkey broke from cover, flying across my line at windshield height. As luck would have it, I went from dry pavement to wet pavement while braking hard on a bike not equipped with ABS. Though the potential for a skid seemed high, the grip held up, and the bike decelerated in a straight line without skidding.

Cornering and braking on dry pavement at normal highway speeds are stable and predictable. The Sportster feels planted, even on roads with less-than-perfect surfaces. I had the opportunity to check out the tires on excellent new pavement, as well as those quiet but sometimes cobbly town roads. On the super-smooth U.S. Route 14 in Wisconsin between Arena and Spring Green, the tires provided a smooth ride with no evidence of vibration at the forks or pegs.

ContiTour Mileage: 6,575 Miles to the Cords

Ultimately, the question comes down to the claims about service life and the proof of miles in service. With the riding conditions as detailed above, the Continental ContiTour tires were in service for 6,575 miles.

At that point, on my usual pre-ride tire check, I noted that a short strip of the rear tire tread centerline had begun to reveal the cords. Even though there was still rubber over the cords on the rest of the rear tire, that marked the end of the road for the ContiTour tires in my test, despite the front tire having plenty of tread.

That mileage is probably within the range that many riders could get with road tires on a middleweight cruiser such as the Sportster 883.

Heavyweight bikes ridden more frequently at sustained Interstate highway speeds over longer stretches may get less mileage before needing replacement. Lighter bikes ridden primarily at lower speeds on state and county highways and side roads may well achieve higher mileage service life. As the classic caveat reminds us, your mileage may vary.

Who the ContiTour Suits

The ContiTour is a comfortable, confident cruiser tire that gave up nothing in grip, wet or dry, over 6,575 miles. Service life is where it’s merely ordinary. It’s a fair number for a cruiser rear, though the rear wore out well ahead of the front. The ContiTour is worth it for riders who want ride quality and predictable handling on a middleweight cruiser more than maximum miles per dollar.