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Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Sportsmart vs Michelin Pilot Road 4 — Compared

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

Sportsmart leads, 74–72 Narrow edge

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Tire ADunlop

Sportsmart

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 76 · 11 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 77

    Dry

    Sportsmart +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceSportsmartPilot Road 4
    Reviews found online8274
  2. 73

    Wet

    Pilot Road 4 +3
    76
    Why this score
    SourceSportsmartPilot Road 4
    Reviews found online7478
  3. 72

    Comfort

    Level
    72
    Why this score
    SourceSportsmartPilot Road 4
    Reviews found online7674
  4. 67

    Treadwear

    Pilot Road 4 +1
    68
    Why this score
    SourceSportsmartPilot Road 4
    Reviews found online6870
  5. 81

    Handling

    Sportsmart +8
    73
    Why this score
    SourceSportsmartPilot Road 4
    Reviews found online8173
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop SportsmartMichelin Pilot Road 4
Relative Score 74 72
Dry 77 72
Wet 73 76
Comfort 72 72
Treadwear 67 68
Handling 81 73

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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Recomputed
Headline score

Sportsmart

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
All owner themes in the Sportsmart review

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
All owner themes in the Pilot Road 4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Sportsmart B · Michelin Pilot Road 4
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Sportsmart

Michelin Pilot Road 4

Winner: Dunlop Sportsmart — better handling and dry. Pick the Michelin Pilot Road 4 if wet matters most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sportsmart scores 81 vs 73 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Sportsmart scores 77 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Road 4 scores 76 vs 73 on wet.

Tire A · Dunlop Sportsmart
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Road 4
Check price on Amazon

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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.

74

Narrow edge

Sportsmart

Amazon