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Summer tire Summer High Performance tires Updated May 2026

Pirelli Diablo review

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.

Relative score
78/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
75/100
9 reviews
Pirelli Diablo
Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

75%
Would buy again 69%
Dry
Overall dry
73%
Corner stability
75%
Dry traction
74%
Steering response
71%
Wet
Overall wet
79%
Wet traction
84%
Comfort
Overall comfort
79%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
83%
Handling
Overall handling
74%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 9 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

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

Worth knowing

  • 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.
Head-to-head

Pirelli Diablo compared

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