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 — 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
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
75/100
9 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II — better dry, handling and comfort. Pick the Pirelli Diablo if treadwear and wet 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
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 73 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Diablo leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 79 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 79 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Diablo leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Sportmax Qualifier II leads by 21
Why this score
| Source | Sportmax Qualifier II | Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 74 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II | Pirelli Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 78 |
| Dry | 95 | 73 |
| Wet | 75 | 79 |
| Comfort | 95 | 79 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 83 |
| Handling | 95 | 74 |
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
78
/ 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 is widely regarded as a reliable, high-value sport-touring tire that excels in providing consistent grip and confidence for daily commuting and spirited road riding. While users praise its predictable handling and wet-weather performance, the consensus notes a trade-off in longevity, with many riders experiencing significant rear tire wear within 4,000 to 5,000 miles.
Pros
- Excellent dry grip once the tire reaches operating temperature
- Inspiring feedback and planted handling for confident cornering
- Strong performance in wet weather conditions
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium racing-focused rubber
Cons
- Rapid rear tire wear and tendency to square off
- Requires significant warm-up time to reach optimal traction
- Can feel unstable or 'sketchy' in cold or damp conditions before warming up
- Tendency to pick up road debris and grit due to the soft compound
Observations
- Riders on middleweight sportbikes like the CB650F and SV650 report high satisfaction for commuting and touring applications.
- Aggressive riders on high-performance machines like the CBR600RR note that while the tire is excellent for daily use, it lacks the ultimate edge-grip required for track-day knee-down riding compared to dedicated summer or race-compound tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II | B · Pirelli Diablo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Dunlop
78
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II — better dry, handling and comfort. Pick the Pirelli Diablo if treadwear and wet matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 73 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 74 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II scores 95 vs 79 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Pirelli Diablo scores 83 vs 70 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II also compared with
Pirelli Diablo 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.