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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT vs Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR — 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.

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
78/100
180 owner reviews
Dry
88
Wet
84
Comfort
82
Treadwear
60
Handling
81

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Dunlop

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
70/100
1 owner review
Dry
100
Wet
40
Comfort
90
Treadwear
40
Handling
90

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR if dry, handling and comfort matter most to you.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sportmax Qualifier HR leads by 12
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
88
B — Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
100
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx RTSportmax Qualifier HR
Tire Rack owners 86 –
Tyre Reviews owners 88 100
SimpleTire owners 92 –

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Sport Maxx RT leads by 44
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
84
B — Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
40
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx RTSportmax Qualifier HR
Tire Rack owners 79 –
Tyre Reviews owners 84 40
SimpleTire owners 87 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sportmax Qualifier HR leads by 8
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
82
B — Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
90
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx RTSportmax Qualifier HR
Tire Rack owners 70 –
Tyre Reviews owners 82 90
SimpleTire owners 95 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Sport Maxx RT leads by 20
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
60
B — Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
40
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx RTSportmax Qualifier HR
Tire Rack owners 70 –
Tyre Reviews owners 60 40
SimpleTire owners 84 –

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sportmax Qualifier HR leads by 9
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
81
B — Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
90
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx RTSportmax Qualifier HR
Tyre Reviews owners 81 90

Scores at a glance

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT vs Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Sport Maxx RTDunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
Relative Score 77 65
Dry 88 100
Wet 84 40
Comfort 82 90
Treadwear 60 40
Handling 81 90

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.

Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

The Dunlop SportMaxx RT is widely regarded as a high-performance tire that excels in dry and wet grip, offering a comfortable and quiet ride that often transforms the driving dynamics of the vehicles it is fitted to. While users frequently praise its handling, braking, and confidence-inspiring feedback, the consensus is heavily polarized by its rapid tread wear, which many owners find unacceptable for daily driving.

Pros

  • Exceptional grip in both dry and wet conditions
  • High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
  • Predictable handling and communicative steering feedback
  • Strong braking performance
  • Good value for money compared to other premium brands

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
  • Soft sidewalls which some users find less sharp for aggressive cornering
  • Reports of cracking or premature aging of the rubber compound
  • Poor performance in snow or freezing temperatures
  • Inconsistent longevity across different vehicle weights and driving styles

Observations

  • Users with heavy front-wheel-drive vehicles or high-torque diesel estates frequently report the fastest tread wear, often requiring replacement under 15,000 miles.
  • Owners of performance-oriented cars (e.g., Alfa Romeo, Mazda, Volvo) often report that the tire significantly improves ride quality and noise levels compared to stiffer OEM tires like run-flats or Pirelli P Zeros.
  • Some users on 19-inch sizes noted increased road noise and harshness, suggesting the tire's comfort benefits may be more pronounced on smaller rim diameters.
Tire B Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR

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 Sport Maxx RT B · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR
Category—Summer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle type—Motorcycle
Sizes available5—
Rim diameters17″ – 19″—
Tread depth9/32″—
UTQG240 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Dunlop

Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR if dry, handling and comfort matter most to you.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT scores 84 vs 40 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT scores 60 vs 40 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR scores 100 vs 88 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR scores 90 vs 81 on handling.

Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
Tire B · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR

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.