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Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Diablo Rosso IV leads, 76–74 Narrow edge

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Tire ABridgestone

Potenza RE 71RS

Summer

Tests 78 · 3 tests Owners 72 · 452 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 4 in 2022 TireRack Extreme Performance Summer Tire Test R17 (wet handling)

“Need heat cycle advice I recently got a screaming deal on some Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS for my daily driver. It usually doesn't see track time but I figured it would be fun to try it out for the cost. The tires were cheap because they had a 2021 production date. In the past to heat cycle a tire, I've just driven on the highway a couple of hours and let the tire sit for 24 hours. The hurdle is, It's winter and too cold to really make an impact. To add to that, I doubt I will have clean enough roads for that tire. My track does have winter lapping when it is clean and dry, but it still may be cold. Any suggestions on how to get a heat cycle on these tires in cold temperatures? Read more”

Tire BPirelli

Diablo Rosso IV

Summer

Tests 74 · 1 test Owners 79 · 177 reviews

Best test result: #5 of 12 in 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 80

    Dry

    Potenza RE 71RS +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score)7468
    Reviews found online9087
    Dry Handling (% of best)99%97%
  2. 79

    Wet

    Level
    79
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score)8679
    Reviews found online6880
    Wet Handling (% of best)100%97%
  3. 65

    Comfort

    Diablo Rosso IV +10
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score)71–
    Reviews found online5681
  4. 66

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score)67–
    Reviews found online64–
  5. 61

    Treadwear

    Diablo Rosso IV +5
    66
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IV
    Reviews found online5966
  6. 84

    Handling

    Diablo Rosso IV +3
    87
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IV
    Reviews found online8487
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Potenza RE 71RSPirelli Diablo Rosso IV
Relative Score 74 76
Dry 80 76
Wet 79 79
Comfort 65 75
Noise 66 –
Treadwear 61 66
Handling 84 87

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.

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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Potenza RE 71RS

Diablo Rosso IV

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

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryPotenza RE 71RSDiablo Rosso IVΔBoth?
Dry Handling Dry 99% #2/4 · 2022 TireRack Extreme Performance Summer Tire Test R17 97% #8/12 · 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test +1.3 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 67% #2/4 · 2022 TireRack Extreme Performance Summer Tire Test R17 20% #5/12 · 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test +46.7 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #1/4 · 2022 TireRack Extreme Performance Summer Tire Test R17 97% #5/12 · 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test +2.7 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Potenza RE 71RS

Pros

  • Outstanding dry grip and rapid warm-up characteristics.
  • Highly predictable and communicative at the limit, allowing for easy recovery.
  • Improved on-road refinement, noise levels, and comfort compared to its predecessor.

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear, especially when used aggressively on track or heavy vehicles.
  • Tendency to become 'greasy' or lose peak grip during extended track sessions.
  • Stiff sidewalls can make mounting the tires onto rims difficult.
All owner themes in the Potenza RE 71RS review

Tire B Diablo Rosso IV

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet grip with a high level of rider confidence
  • Fast warm-up time and predictable handling at deep lean angles
  • Improved steering precision and turn-in compared to previous generations like the Diablo Rosso III

Cons

  • Higher price point compared to some competitors and previous models
  • Noticeable reduction in grip and increased rear wheel spin as the tires wear down
  • Requires full operating temperature for optimal performance late in its life cycle
All owner themes in the Diablo Rosso IV review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS

Positive

The Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS is widely praised by the community as an exceptionally sticky and high-performing 200 treadwear tire, popular for track use and spirited driving. Users frequently discuss fitment considerations like whether they run wide compared to other tires, and note opportunities for closeout deals. While recognized for incredible grip, users acknowledge their short lifespan and limited utility in cold or wet conditions.

r/MechanicAdvice ·1 upvote ·2021-08-02

“Mileage-expectancy of Bridgestone Potenza RE-71Rs? (200-rated, I think?) Forgive me I'm getting the terminology wrong, but I just bought a super dynamite NA Miata that has had a TON of incredible suspension work (mostly Flyin' Miata stuff) and the stickiest tires I have ever experienced by FAR: Potenza RE-71Rs. (Forget full measurements but they're on 15 x 7.5" inch wheels, 6UL's by 949 Racing.) And I think their life is pretty much over. I love them but I don't want to track the car; I want to drive it two hours into the country every other weekend. I want to drive through the mountains with great . . . spiritedness . . . but I don't need track-focused tires. I'd much rather have something slightly less grippy in exchange for longer tread life. The previous owner (who I've stayed in touch with) recommenced I get "300-rated" tires instead of "200-rated" tires. I don't really know what that means or how many miles I can expect from such a tire. I'm contemplating getting the Continental Extreme Contacts, but I just don't know enough about tires to know what they're like or how much ACTUAL mileage I can get----I also dont' understand 200 vs. 300 tires. Please help?”
r/ElantraN ·5 upvotes ·2025-09-06

“Track tire fitment Just got some new Bridgestone Potenza RE-71rs in 245/40r18. I did my research on this subreddit and it seems like that will fit without rubbing/camber bolts. Does anyone know if the RE-71rs’ run wide cause they measure a full inch wider than the stock PS4s’, I’m just wondering now if I’ll need camber bolts. I’d prefer not, just want to throw them on and go. For reference they are being mounted onto a 18x8.5 +45 Enkei TS-V wheel. If anyone could offer insight cause I just can’t understand how they would fit but maybe I’m just over thinking it. Stock suspension by the way. I searched the sub and didn’t see anything with exact matching specs, only bigger and different tires. Tl;dr Will 245/40r18 Bridgestone Potenza RE-71rs’ fit on an 18x8.5 +45 wheel without clearance issues/adding other modifications (camber bolts) on our car? Thanks for any help! Read more”
r/GR86 ·256 upvotes ·2026-09-23

“Drove my GR86 coast to coast on pre-thrashed 200tw tires in 3.5 days AMA 2024 GR86 Premium performance package mt Bridgestone Potenza RE-71rs tires Car had 24,000ish miles and now has 27,000ish”
Top themes
#exceptional track grip#tire sizing and fitment#closeout and clearance deals#short tread life expectancy#spirited driving performance

Based on 10 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle type—Motorcycle
Sizes available10—
Rim diameters15″ – 19″—
Tread depth7/32″—
UTQG200 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV

Winner: Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV — better comfort, treadwear and handling. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS if dry matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV scores 75 vs 65 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV scores 66 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 80 vs 76 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV scores 87 vs 84 on handling.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS
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Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
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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.

76

Narrow edge

Diablo Rosso IV

Amazon