90
/ 100
Objective (60%)
74/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
89/100
16 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop RoadSmart III vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso II — Compared (September 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: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better wet, treadwear and dry. 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)
RoadSmart III leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 97 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 90 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 73 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 14
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 75 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 84 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop RoadSmart III | Pirelli Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 80 |
| Dry | 95 | 90 |
| Wet | 89 | 73 |
| Comfort | 88 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 89 | 75 |
| Handling | 89 | 84 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
90
/ 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 Dunlop RoadSmart III is highly regarded as a durable, high-performance sport-touring tire that excels in longevity without sacrificing significant grip. Users consistently praise its stability and confidence-inspiring handling across a variety of motorcycles, particularly heavy touring bikes and sportbikes used for long-distance travel.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and mileage compared to dedicated sport tires.
- Sharp, responsive steering and handling characteristics.
- Consistent and reliable grip in both dry and wet road conditions.
- Stable performance under heavy loads, including luggage and pillion passengers.
Cons
- Occasional reports of rear-end slippage during aggressive cornering with power input.
- Front tire wear can be uneven or faster than expected depending on suspension setup.
- Some users noted a firm ride quality due to the stiff carcass construction.
Observations
- BMW K1600GTL owners report the tire is an excellent match for the bike's weight and touring demands.
- Sportbike riders (e.g., GSXR1000) appreciate the tire as a long-lasting alternative to pure sport rubber without losing agility.
- The stiff carcass design is noted to sharpen steering response, which is particularly beneficial for heavier touring motorcycles.
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 · Dunlop RoadSmart III | B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring tires | Summer Max Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Dunlop
80
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better wet, treadwear and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 75 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 95 vs 90 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 84 on handling.
Tire A · Dunlop RoadSmart III
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop RoadSmart III 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.