Tests – · none yet Owners 82 · 14 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Avon Spirit ST vs Dunlop SportSmart MK3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Spirit ST is ahead, 78–73
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Tests – · none yet Owners 75 · 3 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
79
Dry
Spirit ST +673Why this score
Source Spirit ST SportSmart MK3 Reviews found online 85 76 -
83
Wet
Spirit ST +1370Why this score
Source Spirit ST SportSmart MK3 Reviews found online 87 70 -
74
Comfort
Level74Why this score
Source Spirit ST SportSmart MK3 Reviews found online 79 79 -
70
Treadwear
SportSmart MK3 +373Why this score
Source Spirit ST SportSmart MK3 Reviews found online 73 78 -
83
Handling
Spirit ST +677Why this score
Source Spirit ST SportSmart MK3 Reviews found online 83 77
Scores at a glance
| Category | Avon Spirit ST | Dunlop SportSmart MK3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 78 | 73 |
| Dry | 79 | 73 |
| Wet | 83 | 70 |
| Comfort | 74 | 74 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 73 |
| Handling | 83 | 77 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
78
/ 100
Spirit ST
73
/ 100
SportSmart MK3
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Spirit ST
Pros
- Excellent wet and dry weather grip
- High durability and resistance to squaring off
- Strong value proposition compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Reports of vague steering feedback and reluctance to turn on certain bikes
- Inconsistent quality control leading to high-speed vibrations for some users
- Poor customer support resolution for warranty claims
Tire B SportSmart MK3
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Avon Spirit ST | B · Dunlop SportSmart MK3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Which one should you actually buy?
78
/ 100
Avon Spirit ST
73
/ 100
Dunlop SportSmart MK3
Winner: Avon Spirit ST — better wet, dry and handling. Pick the Dunlop SportSmart MK3 if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Avon Spirit ST scores 83 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Avon Spirit ST scores 79 vs 73 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Avon Spirit ST scores 83 vs 77 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop SportSmart MK3 scores 73 vs 70 on treadwear.
Tire A · Avon Spirit ST
Tire B · Dunlop SportSmart MK3
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How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.