58
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
59/100
27 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Bridgestone Battlax BT 016 vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso II — Compared (May 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
80
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
82/100
19 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Pirelli Diablo Rosso II — better wet, treadwear and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown
5 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso II leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | Battlax BT 016 | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 72 | 90 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso II leads by 25
Why this score
| Source | Battlax BT 016 | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 48 | 73 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso II leads by 21
Why this score
| Source | Battlax BT 016 | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso II leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | Battlax BT 016 | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 52 | 75 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso II leads by 19
Why this score
| Source | Battlax BT 016 | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 84 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Battlax BT 016 | Pirelli Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 58 | 80 |
| Dry | 72 | 90 |
| Wet | 48 | 73 |
| Comfort | 65 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 52 | 75 |
| Handling | 65 | 84 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
58
/ 100
Tire A
80
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Bridgestone Battlax BT-016 is widely regarded as a capable, high-performance tire in warm, dry conditions, often praised for its stability and grip during spirited riding or track use. However, user consensus is polarized due to its poor performance in wet or cold weather, with many riders reporting a significant lack of confidence and traction in adverse conditions.
Pros
- Excellent dry grip and high-speed stability when tires are at operating temperature
- Predictable handling and feedback during aggressive cornering in warm weather
- Strong performance for track-day enthusiasts
- Good value for riders prioritizing dry-weather performance
Cons
- Dangerous or unpredictable traction in wet, damp, or cold conditions
- Short tread life, with many users reporting significant wear between 2,500 and 4,000 miles
- Slow warm-up time, requiring caution during the initial miles of a ride
- Inconsistent wear patterns, often resulting in the front tire wearing out faster than the rear
Observations
- Users on high-torque supersport bikes (e.g., GSXR750, R1) frequently report rear-wheel slippage and rapid tread depletion.
- Riders with older 16-inch front wheel configurations noted the tire provides good feedback and turn-in agility despite limited modern tire options.
The Pirelli Diablo Rosso II is widely regarded as a high-performance sport tire that excels in dry-weather grip, rapid warm-up times, and rider feedback. While it earns praise for its confidence-inspiring handling on sport bikes, user experiences regarding tread longevity and wet-weather performance are polarized, often depending heavily on bike weight and riding style.
Pros
- Exceptional dry-weather grip and cornering stability
- Rapid warm-up time for immediate performance
- Predictable handling and high levels of rider feedback
- Strong value proposition compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life, with reports of rapid center wear and cupping
- Polarized wet-weather performance ranging from 'glue-like' to 'dangerous'
- Tendency for the rear tire to square off over time
- Front tire profile can feel overly 'pointy' or aggressive for some riders
Observations
- Smaller displacement bikes (e.g., DRZ400SM, YZF-R25) report significantly higher mileage and longevity compared to high-horsepower sport bikes.
- High-horsepower motorcycles (e.g., ZX10R) experience rapid rear tire degradation, often requiring replacement in under 2,000 miles under spirited use.
- Some riders noted that the tire's profile on naked bikes can lead to overly quick turn-in characteristics.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Battlax BT 016 | B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Max Performance tires | Summer Max Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
58
/ 100
Bridgestone
80
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Pirelli Diablo Rosso II — better wet, treadwear and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II scores 73 vs 48 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II scores 75 vs 52 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II scores 86 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II scores 84 vs 65 on handling.
Tire A · Bridgestone Battlax BT 016
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
More comparisons
Also compared with
Bridgestone Battlax BT 016 also compared with
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.