Tests – · none yet Owners 67 · 455 reviews
“Less than 200 miles on this brand new pilot power 2ct, and I got a flat. A goddamn staple thing. What do?”
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Power 2CT vs Michelin Power 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 0 + 0 road tests and 455 + 16 owner reviews. How we score
Power 5 leads, 71–68 Narrow edge
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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.
-
70
Dry
Power 5 +171Why this score
Source Pilot Power 2CT Power 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 72 73 Pilot Power 2CT: 60% × 69.4 (est.) + 40% × 71.6 = 70
Power 5: 60% × 70 (est.) + 40% × 72.9 = 71
No road tests of dry for Pilot Power 2CT. 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 Power 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
-
67
Wet
Power 5 +774Why this score
Source Pilot Power 2CT Power 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 66 75 Pilot Power 2CT: 60% × 67.9 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 67
Power 5: 60% × 72.9 (est.) + 40% × 74.7 = 74
No road tests of wet for Pilot Power 2CT. 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 Power 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
69
Comfort
Power 5 +271Why this score
Source Pilot Power 2CT Power 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 69 72 Pilot Power 2CT: 40% × 68.8 (est.) + 60% × 69.4 = 69
Power 5: 40% × 69.3 (est.) + 60% × 71.6 = 71
No road tests of comfort for Pilot Power 2CT or Power 5. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
66
Treadwear
Pilot Power 2CT +264Why this score
Source Pilot Power 2CT Power 5 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 65 (est.) Reviews found online 66 62 Pilot Power 2CT: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 66
Power 5: 60% × 64.8 (est.) + 40% × 61.7 = 64
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Power 2CT. 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 Power 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
63
Handling (owners)
Power 5 +1073Why this score
Source Pilot Power 2CT Power 5 Reviews found online 63 73
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Power 2CT | Michelin Power 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 71 |
| Dry | 70 | 71 |
| Wet | 67 | 74 |
| Comfort | 69 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 64 |
| Handling (owners) | 63 | 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 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
68
/ 100
Pilot Power 2CT
71
/ 100
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
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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
Riders generally view the Michelin Pilot Power 2CT as a proven, sticky sport tire offering dependable cornering grip and solid wet-weather performance at an attractive price point. While praised for street confidence and light track use, many note that modern sport-touring tires offer better tread life for heavy commuting or straight-line highway riding.
cbrforum.com
“Quote: Originally Posted by boredandstroked Its fine. I've ridden pilot sport/pilot power, power/2ct and 2ct/pure combos in the past. I also ride aggressively with canyon runs and freeway exchanges you can put your knee down on. The profile is the least of your worries as it changes as the tire wears out anyways. Tires are expensive as it is. When I bought my bike about 6 months ago, the rear tire was bald from the center - I figure due to "burn-outs". Front was good. There were Dunlops. So I changed the rear tire to Michelin 2CT and left the front as it was in good (about 80% new) condition. I ride hills, freeways, etc. I have not felt anything different. I'm still a noob, so may not be as aggressive as some of you guys, but I do tend to ride a little on aggressive side. Just my 2 cents. I'll probably get the front in another 3-5months, and go with the Michelins (2CT if available), otherwise...who knows...”
r/xsr900
·1 upvote ·2025-02-16
“I have Pilot Power 2CT. Honestly, wish I had gotten the Road 5’s (at the time). My tires are stickier than I personally need. Unless you’re going full lean angle on the street, I think they’re a bit aggressive IMO.”
r/motorcycles
·15 upvotes ·2012-04-07
“Less than 200 miles on this brand new pilot power 2ct, and I got a flat. A goddamn staple thing. What do?”
Top themes
#cornering grip#tire longevity#track day usage#dual-compound design#price and value#wet and cold performance#tire mixing setups
Based on 51 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Motorcycle |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
71
/ 100
Michelin Power 5
Narrow edge: Michelin Power 5 — better handling and wet. Where the Michelin Pilot Power 2CT is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Michelin Power 5 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 16 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Power 5 scores 73 vs 63 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Power 5 scores 74 vs 67 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
Tire B · Michelin Power 5
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Pilot Power 2CT or Power 5?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Power 2CT or Power 5?
Michelin Power 5, 74 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Power 2CT or Power 5?
Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 71 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Power 2CT or Power 5?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 71 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Power 2CT or Power 5?
Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 64 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