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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop Trailmax Meridian vs Pirelli Scorpion STR — 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 Trailmax Meridian

All Season All Terrain and Off Road tires

Dunlop Trailmax Meridian tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
2 owner reviews
Dry
85
Wet
80
Snow
–
Comfort
85
Noise
–
Treadwear
70
Handling
85

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Pirelli

Pirelli Scorpion STR

All Season Touring tires

Pirelli Scorpion STR tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
81/100
56 owner reviews
Dry
88
Wet
83
Snow
81
Comfort
81
Noise
89
Treadwear
78
Handling
77

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictToo close to call: Dunlop Trailmax Meridian and Pirelli Scorpion STR are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Trailmax Meridian is stronger on handling and comfort. Pirelli Scorpion STR is stronger on treadwear, dry and wet.
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Category breakdown

7 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) Scorpion STR leads by 3
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
85
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
88
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
Tire Rack owners – 77
Tyre Reviews owners 85 83
SimpleTire owners – 93

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Scorpion STR leads by 3
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
80
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
83
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
Tire Rack owners – 74
Tyre Reviews owners 80 73
SimpleTire owners – 92

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
–
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
81
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
Tire Rack owners – 81
SimpleTire owners – 81

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Trailmax Meridian leads by 4
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
85
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
81
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
Tire Rack owners – 66
Tyre Reviews owners 85 72
SimpleTire owners – 89

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
–
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
89
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
SimpleTire owners – 89

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Scorpion STR leads by 8
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
70
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
78
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
Tire Rack owners – 75
Tyre Reviews owners 70 69
SimpleTire owners – 87

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Trailmax Meridian leads by 8
A — Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
85
B — Pirelli Scorpion STR
77
Why this score
SourceTrailmax MeridianScorpion STR
Tyre Reviews owners 85 77

Scores at a glance

Dunlop Trailmax Meridian vs Pirelli Scorpion STR: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Trailmax MeridianPirelli Scorpion STR
Relative Score 80 81
Dry 85 88
Wet 80 83
Snow – 81
Comfort 85 81
Noise – 89
Treadwear 70 78
Handling 85 77

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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Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Dunlop Trailmax Meridian

The Dunlop Trailmax Meridian is highly regarded by adventure motorcycle riders, particularly those transitioning from premium competitors like the Michelin Road 5 Trail. Users report that the tire offers performance parity or superiority, making it a strong contender for high-performance adventure touring bikes.

Pros

  • Excellent handling characteristics comparable to top-tier competitors
  • Strong performance on heavy adventure motorcycles
  • High level of rider confidence and reliability

Observations

  • Users specifically noted high satisfaction when fitted to the BMW R1250GS platform.
Tire B Pirelli Scorpion STR

The Pirelli Scorpion STR is widely regarded as a durable, long-lasting all-season tire that excels in highway comfort and consistent performance across varied road conditions. While many users praise its longevity and reliability for towing and daily commuting, a segment of the user base reports inconsistent experiences regarding tread life and noise levels as the tires age.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability, with many users reporting 40,000 to 80,000+ miles of use.
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality, particularly on highway surfaces.
  • Strong performance in wet and snowy conditions, providing a secure, surefooted feel.
  • Excellent versatility for light off-road use, gravel, and towing applications.

Cons

  • Increased road noise and potential for rougher ride quality as the tread wears down.
  • Inconsistent tread life reports, with some users experiencing premature wear compared to expectations.
  • Mixed feedback on wet-weather grip, with some users finding it inferior to dedicated summer or high-performance alternatives.
  • Occasional reports of sidewall vulnerability or structural issues under heavy use.

Observations

  • Owners of heavy SUVs and crossovers like the Volvo XC70 and Land Rover Discovery report high satisfaction with longevity, often citing the tire as a reliable OE replacement.
  • Users with high-torque vehicles or those who frequently tow heavy loads report that the tire maintains stability and traction better than more aggressive off-road alternatives.
  • Some users noted that the tire's performance characteristics, particularly noise, become more pronounced on 17-inch and larger fitments as the tire reaches the end of its service life.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Trailmax Meridian B · Pirelli Scorpion STR
CategoryAll Season All Terrain and Off Road tiresAll Season Touring tires
Vehicle typeMotorcycleSUV and 4x4
Sizes available—3
Rim diameters—18″ – 20″
Tread depth—10/32″
UTQG—520 A A
Treadwear warranty—65,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—44 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Pirelli

Too close to call: Dunlop Trailmax Meridian and Pirelli Scorpion STR are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Trailmax Meridian is stronger on handling and comfort. Pirelli Scorpion STR is stronger on treadwear, dry and wet.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Trailmax Meridian scores 85 vs 77 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Pirelli Scorpion STR scores 78 vs 70 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop Trailmax Meridian scores 85 vs 81 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Pirelli Scorpion STR scores 88 vs 85 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop Trailmax Meridian
Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion STR

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.