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 IV — 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
81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
70/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
87/100
7 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 6
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 97 | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 93 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 67 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 79 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 76 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso IV leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 91 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 92 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop RoadSmart III | Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 81 |
| Dry | 95 | 89 |
| Wet | 89 | 72 |
| Comfort | 88 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 89 | 76 |
| Handling | 89 | 91 |
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
81
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/6 · 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test | 20% #5/12 · 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test | +30 | Different tests |
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 IV is widely regarded as a top-tier hypersport tire that offers significant improvements in feedback, warm-up time, and lean-angle confidence over its predecessors. While users consistently praise its performance in both wet and dry conditions, the consensus notes that these gains come at a premium price point and with potential longevity trade-offs depending on riding style.
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet grip with rapid warm-up times.
- High level of precision and confidence at deep lean angles.
- Improved feedback and stability compared to previous generations (DR2/DR3).
- Surprisingly good low-speed stability and handling characteristics.
Cons
- Higher price point compared to competitors and previous models.
- Performance consistency may degrade as the tire reaches the end of its service life.
- Potential for increased wear rates under aggressive riding conditions.
Observations
- Users reported significant improvements in resistance to cupping on smaller displacement bikes (e.g., PCX 125) compared to the Diablo Rosso II.
- Aggressive riders utilizing standard sportbike sizes (120/70 and 190/55) report that the tire maintains performance characteristics comparable to more track-focused compounds like the Rosso Corsa II.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop RoadSmart III | B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring tires | Summer Max Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Dunlop
81
/ 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 72 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 76 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 95 vs 89 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop RoadSmart III
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop RoadSmart III also compared with
Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV 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.