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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop TrailSmart Max vs Michelin Power 5 — 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 TrailSmart Max

All Season All Terrain and Off Road tires

Dunlop TrailSmart Max tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
93/100
3 owner reviews
Dry
93
Wet
93
Comfort
100
Treadwear
100
Handling
87

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Michelin

Michelin Power 5

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Michelin Power 5 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
79/100
15 owner reviews
Dry
86
Wet
81
Comfort
85
Treadwear
72
Handling
81

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop TrailSmart Max — better treadwear, comfort and wet. 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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) TrailSmart Max leads by 7
A — Dunlop TrailSmart Max
93
B — Michelin Power 5
86
Why this score
SourceTrailSmart MaxPower 5
Tyre Reviews owners 93 86

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) TrailSmart Max leads by 12
A — Dunlop TrailSmart Max
93
B — Michelin Power 5
81
Why this score
SourceTrailSmart MaxPower 5
Tyre Reviews owners 93 81

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) TrailSmart Max leads by 15
A — Dunlop TrailSmart Max
100
B — Michelin Power 5
85
Why this score
SourceTrailSmart MaxPower 5
Tyre Reviews owners 100 85

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) TrailSmart Max leads by 28
A — Dunlop TrailSmart Max
100
B — Michelin Power 5
72
Why this score
SourceTrailSmart MaxPower 5
Tyre Reviews owners 100 72

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) TrailSmart Max leads by 6
A — Dunlop TrailSmart Max
87
B — Michelin Power 5
81
Why this score
SourceTrailSmart MaxPower 5
Tyre Reviews owners 87 81

Scores at a glance

Dunlop TrailSmart Max vs Michelin Power 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop TrailSmart MaxMichelin Power 5
Relative Score 95 80
Dry 93 86
Wet 93 81
Comfort 100 85
Treadwear 100 72
Handling 87 81

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 TrailSmart Max

The Dunlop TrailSmart Max is highly regarded by adventure motorcycle riders for its exceptional balance between sport-touring road performance and light off-road capability. Users consistently praise its handling, wet-weather confidence, and comfort, positioning it as a superior upgrade over many original equipment tires.

Pros

  • Excellent handling and turn-in precision on tarmac
  • Strong wet-weather grip and stability
  • High levels of rider comfort and low noise output
  • Versatile performance across varying road conditions

Cons

  • Limited performance in deep mud or technical off-road terrain
  • Tendency to power slide under aggressive acceleration in heavy rain
  • Perceived as less capable in off-road environments compared to dedicated dual-sport tires

Observations

  • Riders of large-displacement adventure bikes like the BMW R1200 GSA report high satisfaction with longevity and road-biased performance.
  • Users of mid-weight adventure bikes like the V-Strom 650 appreciate the high grip levels on tarmac but note the tire's limitations on loose gravel surfaces.
Tire B Michelin Power 5

The Michelin Power 5 is widely regarded as a high-performing street sport tire that excels in rapid warm-up, wet-weather confidence, and agile handling. While most riders praise its real-world versatility and grip, opinions on longevity and high-lean-angle stability are polarized, with some users preferring competitors like the Bridgestone S22 for track-oriented or aggressive riding.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet-weather grip and stability in standing water
  • Rapid warm-up times, even in cooler ambient temperatures
  • Agile handling and predictable cornering behavior on public roads
  • Strong confidence-inspiring feedback during braking

Cons

  • Tendency for the rear tire to square off prematurely
  • Inconsistent performance and grip degradation as the tire reaches the end of its life
  • Lack of confidence at maximum lean angles compared to dedicated track tires
  • Mixed reports on overall mileage, with some users experiencing rapid wear under heavy engine braking

Observations

  • Users on middleweight naked bikes like the KTM Duke 790 report excellent synergy and traction control performance.
  • Riders with high-torque bikes featuring strong engine braking noted a 'sketchy' front-end feel and accelerated rear tire wear.
  • Mileage reports vary significantly, ranging from 2,500 miles to over 8,000 miles depending on riding style and bike weight.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop TrailSmart Max B · Michelin Power 5
CategoryAll Season All Terrain and Off Road tiresSummer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Michelin

Winner: Dunlop TrailSmart Max — better treadwear, comfort and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop TrailSmart Max scores 100 vs 72 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop TrailSmart Max scores 100 vs 85 on comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop TrailSmart Max scores 93 vs 81 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop TrailSmart Max scores 93 vs 86 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop TrailSmart Max
Tire B · Michelin Power 5

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.