Buy your tyres now!

[Tvrv37]

Ok not strictly a mechanical issue, but one worth discussing.

One of the major constituents of all tyres and particularly motorbike tyres in this case is' carbon black'. This is a product manufactured from oil.

Carbon black is produced by the reaction of a hydrocarbon fuel such as oil or gas with a limited supply of combustion air at temperatures of 1320 to 1540°C (2400 to 2800°F).

About 22% of a tyre is made from this material.

Boring so far I get it hang in there!

The largest manufacturer of carbon black is Russia. With the exception of Belarus and China nobody is best mates with them and there is a world shortage of carbon black reducing availability and increasing the cost of new tyres. You may have noticed that a couple of decent hoops are going to set you back £300 if you can get them at all.

So fill your boots now even if you don't need them for 3 months, you've been warned!

[Ming]

I had the same trouble getting tyres for the van recently. Prices were going up weekly and I ended up paying nearly £100 each for budget tyres, when 6 months earlier they were £70.
I've got a new rear to go in this week before I go to Spain on it

[Jug]

I've been watching tyres over this winter, waiting for bargains... and then recently I took another look and found a shortage of any Continental tyres from my usual places (Pneus, Oponeo) and only the newest versions on M&P.
I want specific models of each, but mainly not the latest & greatest as I don't need them, and I don't think they last any longer anyway.

In the end I found the ones I wanted on Blackcircles.com and at great prices too, so snagged them now even though they aren't going to be needed until later in the year or next year.

Conti RA 2 rear (1190) - £79.68 **
Conti RA 3 front (1190) - £113.29
Bridgstone T31 front (SD990) - £82.75
Deliver £12.50

** Look how cheap that Conti rear was.. I now won't feel so bad when the 1190 eats through it in about 3,000 miles.
Should have bought 2 really... but you have to draw a line somewhere.

1.jpg

[Ming]

Rich - how do you find the RA's?

I had 2 sets of Trail Attack 2's on my 1190 and found them pretty excellent. The TA2's lasted 6500 miles on the rear and I'd just changed to the TA3 when I sold the bike, and if anything they were even better, especially in the wet. You can get them in 17" sizes so was going to get them for the Duke but I'd now realised there was a Road Attack version which I'm guessing is going to be even more suited to the 790.
I've got Power 5's on there at the moment which are great but don't wear very well, so wanted to change at the next chance.

[Jug]

This will be my first time on RA's. I went for those after recommendations from other 1*90 Adv inmates on the KTM forum.

The bike came to me with TA2's on which have been great.
I then put a TA3 on the rear and it was still great but I think it squared off quickly (could have been caused by a trip to Ireland though), and is now getting really close to the wear markers (at 3500 miles). I'd never get 6,500 miles from a rear as I'm too throttle happy, but with this one squaring off like it did I'm keen to try a different tyre. The thinking is that the TA range are a flatter profile tyre for trail use, so will be more prone to it. The RA should be a taller profile so will throw in quicker but also have more rubber down the centre area to start with.. I'll know soon enough I guess.

As for the TA2 front, mine has held up well but has scalloped out a little due to the tread pattern, so I choose the RA3's as it has a pattern which should be less prone to that.

For your Duke I'd deffo go for RA's rather than TA's.
On my SD I run the Bridgstone T30 Evos (soon to be T31's) and they last pretty well, even with my heavy right hand.

[Ming]

Probably helps that I have a racing snake physique

[ptolemyx]

You might have the physique Andy.....

[bkingalan]

Just put a Bridgestone s22 on the SD took over 2 weeks to get it , so bunny who gets them for me got 2 in and said your next one is waiting for you bonus

[Ming]

Just ordered a pair of RA3's from Two Tyres, who claim to have them in stock in the UK for £262 delivered. Thanks for the heads up Rich

[menzies3032]

Think I might have got lucky with mine then. I put a new set on end of March which should last me a year or 2 and they were at normal price's and availability.

[Ming]

Quick update. Received the pair of RA3's from Two Tyres within a week. Excellent service, good prices and even some freebies thrown in - neck tube, Continental watch and mug
www.twotyres.co.uk if you want some new boots

[Robbo87]

Andy, pls light my darkness, what's an RA3 when it's home?

[TLS-Moose]

Andy, pls light my darkness, what's an RA3 when it's home?

Could be Continental Road Attack, or could be Continental Race Attack ....... but going by the photo I'd say Road Attack

[ptolemyx]

Jug's post shows old Road Attack front and older Road Attack rear tyres. The latest even more super-duper tyres are Road Attack 4:-
https://www.continental-tires.com/motor ... adattack-4

You might want to look at the Sport Attack 4 tyres Phil:-
https://www.continental-tires.com/motor ... ortattack4

[Ming]

Sorry for the confusion.

They are Road Attack 3 front and rear.

I had both their Trail Attack 2 and 3 versions on my 1190 and 790Adv bikes and there wasn't much difference, apart from maybe the latter warmed up quicker. The TA and RA models were introduced about the same time but I don't think there's a TA4 out yet - maybe the RA4 beat it to it.
I'd happily have either on the Duke - the TA is ZR rated so good enough for fast bikes, just the tread design is slightly different