Supermoto holds a special place in this reviewer’s heart simply because it’s a segment that embodies the most youthful thrills of motorcycling. Wheelies, stoppies, backing it in, and general tomfoolery are the status quo in the supermoto class, where all our favorite two-wheeled anti-social behaviors are alive and thrive. That brings us to the all-new Continental ContiAttack SM 2 tire, which the historic German manufacturer has updated, pushing the sporting boundaries further with its street-legal and track-ready rubber.
In 2011, Continental launched its ContiAttack SM tire line and cemented itself as one of the few tire brands committed to this niche space—high-performance DOT-approved rubber for lightweight sport machines. In 2018, the brand expanded on those goals with the ContiAttack SM Evo, which brings us to the 3rd generation of this range. The new ContiAttack SM 2 boasts claimed improvements in all measurable areas: dry grip, wet traction, mileage, feel, handling, and comfort.
When we describe the supermoto market as niche, we speak from a North American perspective; European markets tend to be much more supportive of this class, especially with young new riders. In the States, we have a handful of mainstream street-legal supermoto options, which include the KTM 690 SMC R, Husqvarna 701 Supermoto, and GasGas 700 SM (all Pierer Mobility Group machines), the Ducati Hypermotard 698, the Kawasaki KLX300SM and KLX230SM, and the long-running Suzuki DR-Z400SM which is replaced by the DR-Z4SM in 2025.
Naturally, the Conti rubber directly serves these bikes with a range of widths that include two front sizes (110/70 and 120/70) as well as three rear choices (140/70, 150/60, and 160/60)—all radials for 17-inch rims. In fact, the SM 2 is scheduled to be the OE-fitment tire aboard the KTM and Husky supermotos soon.
The folks at Continental aren’t dummies, though, and know that catering to such a focused field of bikes might not be a winning proposition. Luckily, the ContiAttack SM 2 shares size ranges, as well as speed and load ratings, making it suitable for the all-important and much larger lightweight sportbike classes. It’s crucial to acknowledge this because low-displacement motorcycles can be underserved in terms of performance rubber choices.
Readers looking to upgrade the OE tires on bikes such as the Aprilia RS 457, BMW G 310 R, CFMoto 300SS, Honda CBR300R/CB300R, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, KTM RC 390/390 Duke, Kawasaki Ninja 500/Z500, Triumph Speed 400, and Yamaha YZF-R3/MT-03, shouldn’t be thrown off by the SM branding. If it’s lightweight and sporty leaning, this tire is for you.
Brand reps characterize the third-generation SM tire as an evolution, allowing engineers to expand on several proven Continental technologies. That begins with reimagining its traditionally firm carcass construction derived from the brand’s ContiTrack race tires, illustrating the racier DNA within the SM 2 rubber.
Carcass and sidewall construction significantly influence chassis feedback and brand identity for any tire manufacturer. Continental typically opts for stiffer build characteristics, which net large amounts of road feel transmitted to the rider—design doctrine also displayed in Dunlop and Michelin products.
As the SM 2 is aimed at sub-375-pound motorcycles, engineers chose to deviate from their usual rigid design philosophy to allow more flex properties better tuned to lighter machines. To do that, designers use new techniques and lighter materials throughout the tire that shave 140 grams (about five ounces) from the carcass overall.
Two key benefits are realized with these changes. It allows for greater tire deformation and improved grip via a wider contact patch. Additionally, the claimed mileage has significantly increased to the tune of 16 percent in the rear and 28 percent in the front when compared to its predecessor.
Looking deeper, Continental has redesigned the SM 2 compounds at each end, deploying what it calls BlackChili Compound—a proprietary term representing the brand’s most technologically advanced rubber formulas coming out of its Korbach-based facility. Sadly, and much to my chagrin, the rubber is not infused with chili. If there were, it would give much more credence to the “throwing down a spicy lap” idiom.
At any rate, the Continental ContiAttack SM 2’s new compound design direction underlines a greater performance focus. In the front, a new silica-infused compound anchors riders in cold or wet conditions via quick warm-up times and improved damp performance while still delivering sporting dry grip. Meanwhile, the rear relies on a high carbon-black compound, providing maximum grip riding in dry environments, though it sacrifices some capability in the damp. So, how that shakes out is a thoroughly sporty all-weather tire in the front and a high-performance tire in the rear.
Engineers also updated resins that have helped improve overall traction. Each compound is claimed by Continental to have superior flex properties, expediting warm-up times and performance in all conditions. Moreover, we’re seeing another nudge in a slightly forgiving direction, favoring lightweight motorcycle classes that won’t load tires the way a heavier bike will.
Interestingly, Continental does not use multi-compound rubber, at least not in the traditional sense. The SM 2 and other Conti models use a heat curing process to create harder, high-mileage sections on the tire crown, gradually transitioning to softer, grippier shoulder rubber that has cured at a different rate. It’s an elegant solution that eliminates the confidence-sapping squirming sensation felt under acceleration or braking, sometimes experienced with multi-compound tires that rely on distinct layers.
Those familiar with the SM family of tires will notice a sharp departure from its tread pattern that has remained somewhat similar since its inception. The Continental ContiAttack SM 2 brings a new tread design with a higher land-to-sea ratio, allowing more rubber to contact the road surface.
For example, the shoulders are bare to provide better grip at high lean, and the rear tire’s center has no siping. The logic is sound; riders are unlikely to carry high lean angles in poor conditions, so the edges are as smooth as a slick for better grip when the opportunity arises.
According to the brand, these updates work harmoniously to provide improved mileage. While compound tweaks are also responsible for this significant step forward in longevity, it also credits the SM 2’s deeper tread depth as an essential contributor to that mission. Tire brand representatives are increasingly cagey about citing mileage because it depends on numerous variables; you’re probably looking at 3k, which is on par with other performance options.
Taken together, the updates revealed more intriguing performance figures. During internal testing at Continental’s testing facilities in Hanover, Germany, test riders decreased dry lap times by 1.17 seconds and wet lap times by 2.37 seconds. Those are notable gains, with the only difference being a fresh set of SM 2 tires over the SM Evo.
To test the Continental ContiAttack SM 2 tire, I went to one of Europe’s most scenic and motorcycle-friendly locations—Leogang in the Austrian Alps. It’s a small resort town known for its world-class mountain bike and ski facilities. Above all else, Leogang provides direct access to extraordinary, winding mountain routes, making this proverbial wonderland a motorcycling paradise among its many other attractions.
A 2024 KTM 690 SMC R met me in the hotel parking lot, shod with a completely new set of SM 2 tires that hadn’t seen a solitary mile turned. Starting my day with the enchanting mountain scenery behind us, which highlights TractionSkin, one of Continental’s more intriguing features.
Slippery tire-mold releasing agents are a thing of the past for all major manufacturers. However, scrubbing tires in and allowing the fresh, uniform rubber to gain texture from the road surface is still recommended for most road tires. TractionSkin sidesteps that issue by manufacturing the tires with a physical texture that eliminates typical new-tire break-in procedures. A set of Conti road tires are ready to go when you slap them on. Neat.
That’s handy because the Continental crew helped me shake the jetlag off by leading me on a 10-minute ride to an incredibly unique racetrack—the ÖAMTC Experience Center in nearby Saalfelden. If you’re wondering what ÖAMTC is, it translates to Austrian (Österreicher) Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club.
Comparable to a large kart track, the roughly three-quarter-mile-long ÖAMTC Experience Center can be reconfigured in numerous layouts, where it’s used for tire testing and various rider/driver training courses. Aside from being nestled against an astonishing Alpine hillside, another curious feature of this highly technical circuit is that the asphalt is made up of the same stuff you’d find out on everyday roads instead of the generally more abrasive asphalt aggregates racetracks use to encourage grip. Essentially, it’s a closed-course environment specifically designed to simulate real-world conditions.
That’s all well and good, but to anyone with a supermoto underneath them and a set of leathers on, it equates to a ripping-fun kart track to test the limits of the new Continental ContiAttack SM 2 rubber. The engaging little circuit even throws in a few elevation changes—we don’t make ’em like this Stateside!
With the tires effectively scrubbed by the manufacturing technique, the main concern any rider faces when entering a racetrack with the SM 2s is getting them up to operating temperature. This task illustrates a high point of Conti’s sport rubber—the new compounds heat up rapidly, giving riders the confidence to push within a lap or so—the balmy Austrian conditions also helped.
The SM 2 delivers track-capable grip right out of the gate, so you can immediately toss your supermoto around as intended. The rubber lets riders put faith in the front end as they trail brake deep into corners before hammering the throttle during exits. Sure, a proper race or track-day tire will offer higher grip, but these are darn sticky while providing better mileage.
As I counted laps off, the tire wear looked like I’d done nothing more than a spirited road ride, never displaying the tell-tale gumming you might expect after a 20-minute track session.
Consistency is a noteworthy characteristic here, as this sporty rubber manages heat well, never becoming greasy during extended stints. Part of the wear observation may be due to the less abrasive asphalt surface at ÖAMTC Experience Center combined with the arguably lower kart track speeds. Continental didn’t deviate from KTM manufacturer-recommended PSI settings, so they were pretty elevated by average racetrack standards (33 front and 36 rear).
While certainly not the norm, conventional trackday-wisdom says that those higher pressures should lead to overheating or spiking pressures—basically, things will get squirely. Thankfully, that isn’t the case. Conti engineers stressed that they develop and test their tires based on OEM-recommended pressures.
The tight, hard-charging environment of the kart track is perfect for sampling the new carcass and sidewall design, which has undoubtedly changed from what we’ve come to know Continental to provide concerning its tires. Lighter bikes mean less load during all cornering phases, which Conti engineers considered by allowing more squish throughout the carcass when braking and on the edge of the tire.
The Continental ContiAttack SM 2 tires remain dead stable when hard on the binders, though the extra give encourages forgiveness, allowing the rear to hook up nicely without compromising feedback. The few times I was overzealous of the gas, brakes, or fluffed lines, it was clear that traction was on its way out long before disaster struck.
To put the stiffness thing in perspective, Conti hasn’t adopted the same traits seen in the often soft-carcass Pirelli and Metzeler rubber. However, the brand has aligned itself closer to what’s seen from Bridgestone, which is usually smack in the middle of all brands in terms of overall stiffness. Again, it telegraphs crucial information to the rider.
These newfound traits came into focus when we had an opportunity to spin laps on a special track-only guest for our test, the 2024 KTM 390 Duke. Admittedly, leggy supermotos with their semi-long-travel suspension require a lot of rider input and weight transfer to decipher a wealth of feedback. The naked 390 Duke immediately gelled with the SM 2, enjoying the agility they provide and the high-level grip that a lightweight machine will revel in.
With my half track-day in the bag, the same bikes and tires allowed me to explore the Austrian Alps, where wickedly tight and entertaining mountain routes are a dime-a-dozen. The same impressive grip levels felt at the track translated to incredibly sure footing on dry streets.
However, readers will notice the lush, green environment, which can create a mishmash of wet and dry roads once you’re weaving through tree-lined routes. Continental is certainly onto something here because the silica-rich front bites well in mixed conditions, including damp pavement or heat-soaked tar snakes. Despite using a sportier compound, the rear performs as you’d want in tricky situations.
Steep tire profiles help encourage speedy tip-in rates that pair well with the frenetic nature of riding supermoto bikes. Those traits were flattering at the kart track, and the 390 Duke particularly enjoyed them. Thankfully, these qualities translated to the sometimes lower speeds on the road, with stability also shining through when being whipped through hairpin turns and high-speed sweepers.
The compliant qualities Continental baked into the rubber this time around should be discussed in a street context. Roads are inherently rough, with broken asphalt and potholes. A stiff, unforgiving tire can perform well on the track yet be uncomfortable on the street.
That isn’t the case for the Continental ContiAttack SM 2, and certainly not when paired with a leggy supermoto. The tire hides the rough stuff far better than most conventional road motorcycles, while never skimping on the aforementioned feedback.
Winding my way back to the hotel, Continental has done an impressive job updating the ContiAttack SM 2, standing proudly as a tire dedicated to lightweight sport machines. Yes, yes, supermotos are the focus when it comes to branding. However, an entry-level sportbike is primed for these, too.
While single-day tire tests are limited in certain respects, my time in the Austrian Alps was thorough, doing more than a handful of sessions and the equivalent of a couple hundred miles by the time we wrapped. We’ll need a long-term test to discover peak mileage. That said, the wear I experienced was downright impressive.
Ultimately, we buy sport rubber for its sporting characteristics. The Continental ContiAttack SM 2 lives up to its name with aggressive profiles encouraging nimble handling and high levels of grip from a DOT-compliant road tire. If you’re on a street-legal supermoto, the choice is pretty straightforward, while the rest of the lightweight herd has an appealing new option laid out before them.
Photography by Andreas Berthel
Continental ContiAttack SM 2 Review Riding Style
