Tests – · none yet Owners 53 · 173 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx vs Michelin Pilot Road 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Road 3 is ahead, 77–59
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Tests – · none yet Owners 81 · 22 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
61
Dry
Pilot Road 3 +1677Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 58 83 -
61
Wet
Pilot Road 3 +2081Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 57 85 -
54
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 44 – -
60
Comfort
Pilot Road 3 +1575Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 51 81 -
62
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 56 – -
56
Treadwear
Pilot Road 3 +1672Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 49 77 -
55
Handling
Pilot Road 3 +2782Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx Pilot Road 3 Reviews found online 55 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx | Michelin Pilot Road 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 59 | 77 |
| Dry | 61 | 77 |
| Wet | 61 | 81 |
| Snow | 54 | – |
| Comfort | 60 | 75 |
| Noise | 62 | – |
| Treadwear | 56 | 72 |
| Handling | 55 | 82 |
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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Neutral
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
59
/ 100
SP Sport Maxx
77
/ 100
Pilot Road 3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A SP Sport Maxx
Pros
- Strong dry and wet grip when brand new
- Responsive handling and sharp cornering precision
- Low initial road noise and good ride comfort on smooth surfaces
Cons
- Rapid and uneven tread wear (often wearing out in under 10,000–15,000 miles)
- High road noise and 'sawtoothing' issues as the tires age
- Noticeable drop in wet-weather traction and sudden loss of grip near the end of their lifespan
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 SP Sport Maxx | B · Michelin Pilot Road 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Motorcycle |
| Sizes available | 8 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 21″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
59
/ 100
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
77
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Road 3
Winner: Michelin Pilot Road 3 — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Road 3 scores 82 vs 55 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Road 3 scores 81 vs 61 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Road 3 scores 77 vs 61 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Road 3 scores 72 vs 56 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Road 3
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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.