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 Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR — 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
65
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
70/100
1 owner review
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR if dry matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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)
Sportmax Qualifier HR leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 97 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 100 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 49
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 40 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier HR leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 90 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
RoadSmart III leads by 49
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 40 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier HR leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | RoadSmart III | Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 90 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop RoadSmart III | Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 65 |
| Dry | 95 | 100 |
| Wet | 89 | 40 |
| Comfort | 88 | 90 |
| Treadwear | 89 | 40 |
| Handling | 89 | 90 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
90
/ 100
Tire A
65
/ 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 Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR is perceived as a performance-oriented tire best suited for lightweight, lower-horsepower motorcycles in dry conditions. While it offers high levels of confidence and agility, its utility is significantly hampered by poor wet-weather performance and exceptionally short tread life.
Pros
- Excellent dry-weather grip and handling
- High confidence during aggressive cornering
- Reduced rotational inertia suitable for smaller displacement bikes
Cons
- Very poor tread longevity, even on low-power motorcycles
- Significant lack of traction in wet conditions
Observations
- Users note that the H-rated specification is well-matched for smaller displacement bikes (e.g., 60BHP range) to improve acceleration.
- Despite the lower power output of the intended vehicle class, the tire still suffers from rapid tread wear.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop RoadSmart III | B · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Premium Touring tires | Summer Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Dunlop
65
/ 100
Dunlop
Winner: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR if dry matters most to you.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 40 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 40 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR scores 100 vs 95 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop RoadSmart III
Tire B · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop RoadSmart III also compared with
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR 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.