Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 85 · 16 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 6 in 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop RoadSmart III vs Michelin Pilot Road 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 16 + 22 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Road 3 leads, 82–80 Narrow edge
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Tests – · none yet Owners 88 · 22 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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78
Dry
Pilot Road 3 +381Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Pilot Road 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 72 ≈ 77 (est.) Reviews found online 86 89 RoadSmart III: 60% × 72.1 + 40% × 85.8 = 78
Pilot Road 3: 60% × 76.7 (est.) + 40% × 88.6 = 81
No road tests of dry for Pilot Road 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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83
Wet
Pilot Road 3 +386Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Pilot Road 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 80 (est.) ≈ 82 (est.) Reviews found online 88 91 RoadSmart III: 60% × 80.1 (est.) + 40% × 87.6 = 83
Pilot Road 3: 60% × 82 (est.) + 40% × 91 = 86
No road tests of wet for RoadSmart III. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for Pilot Road 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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78
Comfort
Pilot Road 3 +280Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Pilot Road 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 82 85 RoadSmart III: 40% × 71.6 (est.) + 60% × 82.4 = 78
Pilot Road 3: 40% × 72.1 (est.) + 60% × 85.4 = 80
No road tests of comfort for RoadSmart III or Pilot Road 3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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76
Treadwear
Pilot Road 3 +177Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Pilot Road 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 82 84 RoadSmart III: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 82.4 = 76
Pilot Road 3: 60% × 72.3 (est.) + 40% × 83.9 = 77
No road tests of treadwear for RoadSmart III. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Road 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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86
Handling (owners)
Pilot Road 3 +187Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 86 87
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop RoadSmart III | Michelin Pilot Road 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 80 | 82 |
| Dry | 78 | 81 |
| Wet | 83 | 86 |
| Comfort | 78 | 80 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 77 |
| Handling (owners) | 86 | 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 starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
80
/ 100
RoadSmart III
82
/ 100
Pilot Road 3
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A RoadSmart III
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and mileage compared to dedicated sport tires.
- Sharp, responsive steering and handling characteristics.
- Consistent and reliable grip in both dry and wet road conditions.
Cons
- Occasional reports of rear-end slippage during aggressive cornering with power input.
- Front tire wear can be uneven or faster than expected depending on suspension setup.
- Some users noted a firm ride quality due to the stiff carcass construction.
Tire B Pilot Road 3
Pros
- Outstanding wet-weather traction and cornering grip
- Confident performance and stability across varied road conditions
- Improved steering agility and handling compared to older models
Cons
- Shorter tread life reported by aggressive riders
- Occasional complaints regarding vague front-end feedback or light steering feel
- Higher price point noted by some users
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop RoadSmart III | B · Michelin Pilot Road 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Which one should you actually buy?
80
/ 100
Dunlop RoadSmart III
82
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Road 3
Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Road 3 — better dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score. Dunlop RoadSmart III rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 16 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Road 3 scores 81 vs 78 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Road 3 scores 86 vs 83 on wet.
Tire A · Dunlop RoadSmart III
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Road 3
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RoadSmart III or Pilot Road 3?
Which is better in the wet, RoadSmart III or Pilot Road 3?
Michelin Pilot Road 3, 86 vs 83 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, RoadSmart III or Pilot Road 3?
Michelin Pilot Road 3, 81 vs 78 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, RoadSmart III or Pilot Road 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 80 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, RoadSmart III or Pilot Road 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 77 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
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.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology