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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Battlax BT 021 vs Dunlop Sportsmart — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Sportsmart is ahead, 74–67

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Tire BDunlop

Sportsmart

Summer Max Performance tires

Tests – · none yet Owners 76 · 11 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 68

    Dry

    Sportsmart +10
    78
    Why this score
    SourceBattlax BT 021Sportsmart
    Reviews found online6883
  2. 67

    Wet

    Sportsmart +7
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBattlax BT 021Sportsmart
    Reviews found online6675
  3. 67

    Comfort

    Sportsmart +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBattlax BT 021Sportsmart
    Reviews found online6675
  4. 66

    Treadwear

    Sportsmart +1
    67
    Why this score
    SourceBattlax BT 021Sportsmart
    Reviews found online6668
  5. 66

    Handling

    Sportsmart +17
    83
    Why this score
    SourceBattlax BT 021Sportsmart
    Reviews found online6683
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Battlax BT 021Dunlop Sportsmart
Relative Score 67 74
Dry 68 78
Wet 67 74
Comfort 67 72
Treadwear 66 67
Handling 66 83

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Battlax BT 021

Sportsmart

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Battlax BT 021

Pros

  • Exceptional tread longevity and durability for high-mileage commuters
  • Reliable performance for motorway and long-distance riding
  • Strong grip characteristics when tire pressures are correctly calibrated

Cons

  • Handling characteristics can feel unpredictable or heavy if pressures are not perfectly matched to the bike
  • Reports of poor wet-weather grip and lack of rider feedback
  • Tendency for the center of the tire to flatten out significantly during high-mileage motorway use
All owner themes in the Battlax BT 021 review

Tire B Sportsmart

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet grip that inspires rider confidence
  • Predictable feedback and handling, especially when approaching the limit
  • Fast warm-up times suitable for both road and occasional track use

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life, ranging from 3,000 to 8,000 miles depending on usage
  • Stiff N-TEC construction can feel harsh over road imperfections
  • Occasional reports of air pressure retention issues on specific rear units
All owner themes in the Sportsmart review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Battlax BT 021 B · Dunlop Sportsmart
CategorySummer High Performance tiresSummer Max Performance tires
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Battlax BT 021

Dunlop Sportsmart

Winner: Dunlop Sportsmart — better handling, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sportsmart scores 83 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Sportsmart scores 78 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Sportsmart scores 74 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop Sportsmart scores 72 vs 67 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Battlax BT 021
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Tire B · Dunlop Sportsmart
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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

74

Leads

Sportsmart

Amazon