84
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
85/100
4 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop SportSmart 2 vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV — 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
81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
70/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
87/100
7 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop SportSmart 2 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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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)
Diablo Rosso IV leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart 2 | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 93 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
SportSmart 2 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart 2 | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 67 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 79 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
SportSmart 2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart 2 | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
SportSmart 2 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart 2 | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 76 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
SportSmart 2 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart 2 | Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 97 | 91 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 92 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SportSmart 2 | Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 81 |
| Dry | 87 | 89 |
| Wet | 73 | 72 |
| Comfort | 90 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 83 | 76 |
| Handling | 97 | 91 |
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
84
/ 100
Tire A
81
/ 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 SportSmart 2 is generally regarded as a capable sport-oriented tire that offers a strong balance of dry grip, quick warm-up times, and excellent feedback. While users appreciate its neutral handling and stable carcass, some riders note that its wet-weather performance, particularly regarding rear-end traction, may lag behind premium competitors like Michelin.
Pros
- Excellent dry grip and cornering stability
- Rapid warm-up time
- High level of road feedback and communication
- Neutral and predictable turn-in behavior
Cons
- Rear tire traction can be inconsistent in wet conditions
- Performance is perceived as only a marginal upgrade over lower-cost alternatives
- Outperformed in all-weather versatility by some rival brands
Observations
- Riders on high-torque sportbikes like the Honda SP1 and ZX10R report high confidence in the tire's carcass stability during aggressive cornering.
- Users on middleweight commuters like the F800R find the tire suitable for a mix of daily riding and spirited mountain canyon carving.
The Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV is widely regarded as a top-tier hypersport tire that offers significant improvements in feedback, warm-up time, and lean-angle confidence over its predecessors. While users consistently praise its performance in both wet and dry conditions, the consensus notes that these gains come at a premium price point and with potential longevity trade-offs depending on riding style.
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet grip with rapid warm-up times.
- High level of precision and confidence at deep lean angles.
- Improved feedback and stability compared to previous generations (DR2/DR3).
- Surprisingly good low-speed stability and handling characteristics.
Cons
- Higher price point compared to competitors and previous models.
- Performance consistency may degrade as the tire reaches the end of its service life.
- Potential for increased wear rates under aggressive riding conditions.
Observations
- Users reported significant improvements in resistance to cupping on smaller displacement bikes (e.g., PCX 125) compared to the Diablo Rosso II.
- Aggressive riders utilizing standard sportbike sizes (120/70 and 190/55) report that the tire maintains performance characteristics comparable to more track-focused compounds like the Rosso Corsa II.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SportSmart 2 | B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Max Performance tires | Summer Max Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Dunlop
81
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Dunlop SportSmart 2 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop SportSmart 2 scores 83 vs 76 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop SportSmart 2 scores 97 vs 91 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop SportSmart 2 scores 90 vs 86 on comfort.
Tire A · Dunlop SportSmart 2
Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SportSmart 2 also compared with
Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV 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.