83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
87/100
2 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso II — 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.
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 Sportmax Qualifier II — better handling, comfort and dry. Pick the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II if treadwear matters 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
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 90 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 73 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Diablo Rosso II leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 75 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 84 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II | Pirelli Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 80 |
| Dry | 95 | 90 |
| Wet | 75 | 73 |
| Comfort | 95 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 75 |
| Handling | 95 | 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
83
/ 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 Sportmax Qualifier II is regarded as a responsive and confidence-inspiring tire that offers excellent feedback and predictable handling characteristics. While it performs well in spirited riding conditions, users note that it requires a brief warm-up period to reach optimal operating temperatures in colder weather.
Pros
- Quick and agile turn-in response
- High levels of grip and tactile feedback
- Predictable behavior when approaching the limit of traction
- Reliable performance in wet conditions
Cons
- Requires significant warm-up time in cold temperatures
- Performance is sensitive to ambient temperature fluctuations
Observations
- Sportbike riders, specifically those on middleweight machines like the Kawasaki ZX6R, report a noticeable improvement in agility compared to competing brands.
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 Sportmax Qualifier II | B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso II |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer Max Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Dunlop
80
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II — better handling, comfort and dry. Pick the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 84 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 86 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 90 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II scores 75 vs 70 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II 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.