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 Road 5 — 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 + 1 road tests and 16 + 24 owner reviews. How we score
RoadSmart III is ahead, 80–75
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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
RoadSmart III +672Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Road 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 72 67 Reviews found online 86 79 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 97% RoadSmart III: 60% × 72.1 + 40% × 85.9 = 78
Road 5: 60% × 67.4 + 40% × 78.7 = 72
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83
Wet
RoadSmart III +380Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Road 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 80 (est.) ≈ 78 (est.) Reviews found online 88 83 RoadSmart III: 60% × 80.1 (est.) + 40% × 87.6 = 83
Road 5: 60% × 77.6 (est.) + 40% × 83.1 = 80
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 Road 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
78
Comfort
RoadSmart III +276Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Road 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 83 80 RoadSmart III: 40% × 71.6 (est.) + 60% × 82.5 = 78
Road 5: 40% × 71.1 (est.) + 60% × 79.8 = 76
No road tests of comfort for RoadSmart III or Road 5. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
76
Treadwear
RoadSmart III +472Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Road 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 82 75 RoadSmart III: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 82.3 = 76
Road 5: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 75.2 = 72
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 Road 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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87
Handling (owners)
RoadSmart III +978Why this score
Source RoadSmart III Road 5 Reviews found online 87 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop RoadSmart III | Michelin Road 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 80 | 75 |
| Dry | 78 | 72 |
| Wet | 83 | 80 |
| Comfort | 78 | 76 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 72 |
| Handling (owners) | 87 | 78 |
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
75
/ 100
Road 5
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Dunlop RoadSmart III finished ahead 1 times and Michelin Road 5 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | RoadSmart III | Road 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 99% | 97% | +2.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test · 180/55 R17 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/6 | #5/6 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test · 180/55 R17 |
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 Road 5
Pros
- Class-leading wet weather grip and rider confidence
- Excellent tread life and durability for touring applications
- Dual-compound construction provides a balance of stability and cornering grip
Cons
- High susceptibility to punctures from road debris
- Soft carcass construction can be prone to structural damage from impacts
- Some users report a lack of feedback compared to dedicated sport tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop RoadSmart III | B · Michelin Road 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Which one should you actually buy?
80
/ 100
Dunlop RoadSmart III
75
/ 100
Michelin Road 5
Winner: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better handling, dry and treadwear. 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 A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 87 vs 78 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 78 vs 72 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 76 vs 72 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 83 vs 80 on wet.
Tire A · Dunlop RoadSmart III
Tire B · Michelin Road 5
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RoadSmart III or Road 5?
Which is better in the wet, RoadSmart III or Road 5?
Dunlop RoadSmart III, 83 vs 80 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, RoadSmart III or Road 5?
Dunlop RoadSmart III, 78 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, RoadSmart III or Road 5?
Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 76 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, RoadSmart III or Road 5?
Dunlop RoadSmart III, 76 vs 72 on our treadwear score.
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