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Michelin Pilot Power 2CT vs Michelin Power 5 — Compared

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

Power 5 leads, 71–67 Narrow edge

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Tire AMichelin

Pilot Power 2CT

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 67 · 452 reviews

“I've had 2 sets of Pilot Power 2CT. Got about 10k miles off the front (pushing it) and about 5-6k miles off each rear. You might be able to extend that if you have more twisty roads available. I have to slog through miles of straights to get anywhere twisty like that. My experience with them in the damp and cold has been very good though, but if that doesn't apply to you it's not much of a pro. Personally? I'm getting Road 5s/Road 6s for public roads, and another set of tires (Rosso IIIs) specifically for track and summer use. The Roads will last you even longer and handle themselves in a corner very well. I'm expecting the roads to last me 7-8k miles before I have to swap out the rear”

Tire BMichelin

Power 5

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 73 · 16 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 69

    Dry

    Power 5 +3
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Power 2CTPower 5
    Reviews found online7075
  2. 66

    Wet

    Power 5 +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Power 2CTPower 5
    Reviews found online6576
  3. 70

    Comfort

    Power 5 +2
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Power 2CTPower 5
    Reviews found online7074
  4. 65

    Treadwear

    Power 5 +1
    66
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Power 2CTPower 5
    Reviews found online6566
  5. 65

    Handling

    Power 5 +10
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Power 2CTPower 5
    Reviews found online6575
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Power 2CTMichelin Power 5
Relative Score 67 71
Dry 69 72
Wet 66 74
Comfort 70 72
Treadwear 65 66
Handling 65 75

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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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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Headline score

Pilot Power 2CT

Power 5

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Pilot Power 2CT

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and high-angle cornering capability
  • Fast warm-up time from cold conditions
  • Excellent front-end feedback and planted feel

Cons

  • Abrupt or non-progressive transition point when reaching the limit of grip
  • Rear tire can kick out or lose communication under heavy acceleration
  • Some riders experience reduced confidence or slickness in wet conditions
All owner themes in the Pilot Power 2CT review

Tire B Power 5

Pros

  • Exceptional wet-weather grip and stability in standing water
  • Rapid warm-up times, even in cooler ambient temperatures
  • Agile handling and predictable cornering behavior on public roads

Cons

  • Tendency for the rear tire to square off prematurely
  • Inconsistent performance and grip degradation as the tire reaches the end of its life
  • Lack of confidence at maximum lean angles compared to dedicated track tires
All owner themes in the Power 5 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Power 2CT

Mixed

The Michelin Pilot Power 2CT remains a popular, budget-friendly sport tire with a long market history, offering decent grip for street and light track use. However, riders note that they are an older design compared to modern alternatives like the Dunlop Q3+ or Michelin Road series, with some users experiencing sliding at high leans or shorter rear tire lifespans.

r/MT09 ·2 upvotes ·2025-11-01

“Mix setup — Road 6 front / Power 2CT rear on MT-09 SP. What do you guys think? Hey guys, I’d like to hear your opinion. I’ve got an MT-09 SP, bought it in May 2025, and I’ve already worn out the stock Bridgestone S23 tires over the season. Now I’ve got a mix setup — Michelin Road 6 on the front and Michelin Pilot Power 2CT on the rear (got them as a gift). What do you think — is that a decent combo? Any pros/cons I should know about? The weather’s still nice here, so I’m planning to keep riding until the roads get too wet with autumn rain. 🌧️🏍️”
r/supermoto ·2 upvotes ·2026-10-03

“I still use good old pilot power 2ct, cheap but enough grip for most riding. Big reason I do 't go for sm2's (for example), is I also go on trips with it and trough rain occasionally. They will wear to quickly.”
r/Trackdays ·3 upvotes ·2021-03-27

“Pilot Power 2CT I've got my first track day of the season coming up and it's going to be the first time on track with my new to me RC51. It currently has a pair of Pilot Power 2CTs on it with a lot of life still left in them. What are realistic expectations for these tires on track? I've done 3 track days so far, 2 of which were on Roadsmart 3s (I took my daily) and in the later sessions I was finding the limit of the rear tire.”
Top themes
#Longevity and mileage#Price and affordability#Wet weather grip#Track day suitability#Comparison to newer tires#Street riding performance

Based on 16 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Power 5

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Power 2CT B · Michelin Power 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Power 2CT

Michelin Power 5

Winner: Michelin Power 5 — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Power 5 scores 75 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Power 5 scores 74 vs 66 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Power 5 scores 72 vs 69 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
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Tire B · Michelin Power 5
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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.

71

Narrow edge

Power 5

Amazon