Tests – · none yet Owners 78 · 11 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop Sportsmart vs Michelin Pilot Road 4 — 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 0 + 0 road tests and 11 + 19 owner reviews. How we score
Sportsmart leads, 76–74 Narrow edge
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Tests – · none yet Owners 76 · 19 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
78
Dry
Sportsmart +573Why this score
Source Sportsmart Pilot Road 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 84 76 Sportsmart: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 84.1 = 78
Pilot Road 4: 60% × 71.3 (est.) + 40% × 76.1 = 73
No road tests of dry for Sportsmart. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
No road tests of dry for Pilot Road 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
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76
Wet
Pilot Road 4 +278Why this score
Source Sportsmart Pilot Road 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 76 (est.) Reviews found online 78 81 Sportsmart: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 77.8 = 76
Pilot Road 4: 60% × 76.1 (est.) + 40% × 80.5 = 78
No road tests of wet for Sportsmart. 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 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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75
Comfort
Sportsmart +273Why this score
Source Sportsmart Pilot Road 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 77 75 Sportsmart: 40% × 70.4 (est.) + 60% × 77.3 = 75
Pilot Road 4: 40% × 69.9 (est.) + 60% × 74.8 = 73
No road tests of comfort for Sportsmart. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Pilot Road 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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69
Treadwear
Pilot Road 4 +170Why this score
Source Sportsmart Pilot Road 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 71 73 Sportsmart: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 70.8 = 69
Pilot Road 4: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.7 = 70
No road tests of treadwear for Sportsmart. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Road 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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84
Handling (owners)
Sportsmart +975Why this score
Source Sportsmart Pilot Road 4 Reviews found online 84 75
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Sportsmart | Michelin Pilot Road 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 74 |
| Dry | 78 | 73 |
| Wet | 76 | 78 |
| Comfort | 75 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 70 |
| Handling (owners) | 84 | 75 |
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
76
/ 100
Sportsmart
74
/ 100
Pilot Road 4
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Sportsmart
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet grip that inspires rider confidence
- Predictable feedback and handling, especially when approaching the limit
- Fast warm-up times suitable for both road and occasional track use
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life, ranging from 3,000 to 8,000 miles depending on usage
- Stiff N-TEC construction can feel harsh over road imperfections
- Occasional reports of air pressure retention issues on specific rear units
Tire B Pilot Road 4
Pros
- Outstanding wet weather grip and performance
- Impressive tread life and mileage longevity for touring and commuting
- Predictable and confident handling in everyday dry and wet conditions
Cons
- Slippery when brand new, requiring a cautious break-in period
- Tread pattern can cause movement or a vague front-end feel in warmer weather
- Some riders experienced uneven wear or quicker wear on the front tire
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Sportsmart | B · Michelin Pilot Road 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Dunlop Sportsmart
74
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Road 4
Narrow edge: Dunlop Sportsmart — better handling and dry. Where the Michelin Pilot Road 4 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Dunlop Sportsmart rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Michelin Pilot Road 4 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 19 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Sportsmart scores 84 vs 75 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Sportsmart scores 78 vs 73 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop Sportsmart
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Road 4
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Sportsmart or Pilot Road 4?
Which is better in the wet, Sportsmart or Pilot Road 4?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 78 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Sportsmart or Pilot Road 4?
Dunlop Sportsmart, 78 vs 73 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Sportsmart or Pilot Road 4?
Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 73 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Sportsmart or Pilot Road 4?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 70 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