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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Road 5 vs Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV — 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 1 + 1 road tests and 24 + 182 owner reviews. How we score

Diablo Rosso IV leads, 77–75 Narrow edge

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Michelin Road 5
Tire AMichelin

Road 5

Summer

± 8

Tests 67 · 1 test Owners 79 · 24 reviews

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
Tire BPirelli

Diablo Rosso IV

Summer

± 7

Tests 75 · 1 test Owners 81 · 182 reviews

Best test result: #5 of 12 in 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test (wet handling)

Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    Diablo Rosso IV +3
    75
    Why this score
    SourceRoad 5Diablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6768
    Reviews found online7886

    Road 5: 60% × 67.3 + 40% × 78.2 = 72

    Diablo Rosso IV: 60% × 67.8 + 40% × 86.3 = 75

  2. 80

    Wet

    Diablo Rosso IV +2
    82
    Why this score
    SourceRoad 5Diablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 77 (est.)81
    Reviews found online8383

    Road 5: 60% × 77.4 (est.) + 40% × 82.9 = 80

    Diablo Rosso IV: 60% × 81.4 + 40% × 82.5 = 82

    No road tests of wet for Road 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 76

    Comfort

    Level
    76
    Why this score
    SourceRoad 5Diablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online7980

    Road 5: 40% × 70.8 (est.) + 60% × 79.2 = 76

    Diablo Rosso IV: 40% × 70.9 (est.) + 60% × 80.1 = 76

    No road tests of comfort for Road 5. 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 Diablo Rosso IV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  4. 72

    Treadwear

    Road 5 +2
    70
    Why this score
    SourceRoad 5Diablo Rosso IV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7571

    Road 5: 60% × 69.7 (est.) + 40% × 75.4 = 72

    Diablo Rosso IV: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 71.4 = 70

    No road tests of treadwear for Road 5. 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 Diablo Rosso IV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  5. 77

    Handling (owners)

    Diablo Rosso IV +9
    86
    Why this score
    SourceRoad 5Diablo Rosso IV
    Reviews found online7786
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Road 5Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
Relative Score 75 77
Dry 72 75
Wet 80 82
Comfort 76 76
Treadwear 72 70
Handling (owners) 77 86

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
± 8

Road 5

± 7

Diablo Rosso IV

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryRoad 5Diablo Rosso IVΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #5/6 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test #5/12 2025 Sport and Hypersport Motorcycle Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Road 5

Pros

  • Class-leading wet weather grip and rider confidence
  • Excellent tread life and durability for touring applications
  • Dual-compound construction provides a balance of stability and cornering grip

Cons

  • High susceptibility to punctures from road debris
  • Soft carcass construction can be prone to structural damage from impacts
  • Some users report a lack of feedback compared to dedicated sport tires
All owner themes in the Road 5 review

Tire B Diablo Rosso IV

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet grip with a high level of rider confidence
  • Fast warm-up time and predictable handling at deep lean angles
  • Improved steering precision and turn-in compared to previous generations like the Diablo Rosso III

Cons

  • Higher price point compared to some competitors and previous models
  • Noticeable reduction in grip and increased rear wheel spin as the tires wear down
  • Requires full operating temperature for optimal performance late in its life cycle
All owner themes in the Diablo Rosso IV review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Road 5 B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Road 5

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV

Narrow edge: Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV — better handling and dry. Where the Michelin Road 5 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV scores 86 vs 77 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV scores 75 vs 72 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Road 5
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Tire B · Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
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Road 5 or Diablo Rosso IV?

Which is better in the wet, Road 5 or Diablo Rosso IV?

Neither, by our numbers: 80 vs 82 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Road 5 or Diablo Rosso IV?

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV, 75 vs 72 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Road 5 or Diablo Rosso IV?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 76 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Road 5 or Diablo Rosso IV?

Neither, by our numbers: 72 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