90
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
88/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop SportSmart MK3 vs Michelin Pilot Power 3 — 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
85
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
78/100
15 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop SportSmart MK3 — better treadwear and comfort. Pick the Michelin Pilot Power 3 if wet and dry 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)
Pilot Power 3 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart MK3 | Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 92 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Pilot Power 3 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart MK3 | Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 82 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
SportSmart MK3 leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart MK3 | Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 88 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
SportSmart MK3 leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart MK3 | Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 86 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
SportSmart MK3 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | SportSmart MK3 | Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 92 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SportSmart MK3 | Michelin Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 85 |
| Dry | 90 | 93 |
| Wet | 73 | 84 |
| Comfort | 100 | 83 |
| Treadwear | 100 | 77 |
| Handling | 93 | 92 |
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
90
/ 100
Tire A
85
/ 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 MK3 is generally regarded as a high-performance tire that excels in aggressive road riding conditions. While users praise its longevity and exceptional grip once at operating temperature, there are noted limitations regarding its performance in cold or suboptimal road surfaces.
Pros
- Excellent grip levels when tires are at operating temperature
- Impressive tread longevity for a sport-oriented tire
- Highly capable performance for spirited road riding
Cons
- Reduced traction in cold weather conditions
- Noticeable loss of grip on dirty or compromised road surfaces
Observations
- Performance characteristics are highly optimized for dry, warm-weather road racing environments.
The Michelin Pilot Power 3 is widely regarded as a high-performance sport motorcycle tire that excels in dry grip and spirited riding conditions. While users praise its confidence-inspiring handling and longevity for a sport-oriented compound, it is noted to be less suitable for cold-weather commuting or riders seeking the all-weather versatility of the Pilot Road series.
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip suitable for both road and track use
- Strong reputation for safety and reliability
- Impressive tread life for a high-performance sport tire
- Predictable handling characteristics in warm conditions
Cons
- Reduced wet weather performance at extreme lean angles
- Can feel twitchy or unstable when cold
- Not ideal for cold-weather commuting compared to touring-oriented tires
- Increased noise levels as the tire reaches the end of its service life
Observations
- Sportbike riders (e.g., Yamaha YZF-R1) report high satisfaction with the tire's performance in aggressive cornering.
- Users transitioning from sport-touring tires (like the Pilot Road series) to the Pilot Power 3 noted a significant difference in warm-up requirements and cold-weather stability.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SportSmart MK3 | B · Michelin Pilot Power 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer Extreme Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Dunlop
85
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Dunlop SportSmart MK3 — better treadwear and comfort. Pick the Michelin Pilot Power 3 if wet and dry matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop SportSmart MK3 scores 100 vs 77 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop SportSmart MK3 scores 100 vs 83 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Power 3 scores 84 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Power 3 scores 93 vs 90 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop SportSmart MK3
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Power 3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SportSmart MK3 also compared with
Michelin Pilot Power 3 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.