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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso III — 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.

Tire A Dunlop

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
87/100
2 owner reviews
Dry
95
Wet
75
Comfort
95
Treadwear
70
Handling
95
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Pirelli

Pirelli Diablo Rosso III

Summer Max Performance tires

Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
83/100
9 owner reviews
Dry
90
Wet
77
Comfort
88
Treadwear
75
Handling
90
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictToo close to call: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II and Pirelli Diablo Rosso III are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II is stronger on comfort, dry and handling. Pirelli Diablo Rosso III is stronger on treadwear.
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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 II leads by 5
A
95
B
90
Why this score
SourceSportmax Qualifier IIDiablo Rosso III
Tyre Reviews owners 95 90

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Diablo Rosso III leads by 2
A
75
B
77
Why this score
SourceSportmax Qualifier IIDiablo Rosso III
Tyre Reviews owners 75 77

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 7
A
95
B
88
Why this score
SourceSportmax Qualifier IIDiablo Rosso III
Tyre Reviews owners 95 88

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Diablo Rosso III leads by 5
A
70
B
75
Why this score
SourceSportmax Qualifier IIDiablo Rosso III
Tyre Reviews owners 70 75

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 5
A
95
B
90
Why this score
SourceSportmax Qualifier IIDiablo Rosso III
Tyre Reviews owners 95 90

Scores at a glance

CategoryDunlop Sportmax Qualifier IIPirelli Diablo Rosso III
Relative Score 83 82
Dry 95 90
Wet 75 77
Comfort 95 88
Treadwear 70 75
Handling 95 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.

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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 Sportmax Qualifier II

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.
Tire B Pirelli Diablo Rosso III

The Pirelli Diablo Rosso III is widely regarded as a high-performance sport tire that excels in providing predictable grip, excellent feedback, and confidence-inspiring wet-weather handling. While users consistently praise its agility and performance on twisty roads, there is a notable divide regarding tread longevity, with some riders experiencing rapid wear compared to more specialized track-focused or touring alternatives.

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and predictable handling at various lean angles
  • Improved wet-weather performance compared to more aggressive track-oriented tires
  • Fast warm-up times providing immediate confidence
  • High level of rider feedback and stability under heavy braking

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting premature rear tire wear
  • Potential for rapid degradation under aggressive riding styles
  • Isolated reports of structural issues such as delamination

Observations

  • Sportbike riders (Ducati 959 Panigale, Yamaha R1) report high satisfaction with the tire's ability to handle aggressive cornering and track-day usage.
  • Users transitioning from touring-oriented tires (e.g., Scorpion Trail) to the Rosso III note a significant increase in agility and cornering capability, though at the expense of touring longevity.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso III
CategorySummer Ultra High Performance tiresSummer Max Performance tires
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Pirelli

Too close to call: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II and Pirelli Diablo Rosso III are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II is stronger on comfort, dry and handling. Pirelli Diablo Rosso III is stronger on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 88 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 A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 90 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Pirelli Diablo Rosso III scores 75 vs 70 on treadwear.

Tire A · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso III
Check price on Amazon

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.