Best Motorcycle Sport Tires – Our Top 3

Top 3-5

Introduction

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There are millions upon millions of motorcycle riders all over the globe. Some take their bikes very seriously and invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in them. While others are a lot more laid back and just enjoy the road.

It’s also very hard no to like motorcycles, especially since they come in various models. You can find a great bike for any type of terrain. There are sports, touring, motocross, off-road bikes, and a lot more. However, a motorcycle is only as good as its tires.

You can spend a million dollars on your ride, but if you have a cheap set of tires, the motorcycle’s performance decreases significantly. This is why tire manufacturers provide tires specifically made for sport, touring, cruiser, off-road, sand, motocross, etc.

Compared to car tires, motorcycle tires wear a lot quicker. This is because you need a lot more grip on two wheels than on four. And to offer an excellent grip, motorcycle tires are made from a softer compound. This makes the tires wear off pretty fast.

However, since the rear tire is under the most pressure, it needs to be replaced more often than the front one. This is why a lot of riders replace their front tire every second rear tire change.

This gives the riders the opportunity to play mix-and-match with their tires. And while mixing tires can be fun and perfectly safe, it takes a professional to choose them properly. Otherwise, you might end with a very dangerous combination of tires,

Since mixing tire brands can be unpredictable, experts advise against doing it. Unless, of course, your motorcycle comes with mixed tires from the factory.

When it comes to motorcycle tires, the best manufacturers in the world are Michelin and Pirelli.

Best Motorcycle Sport Tires – How to choose

Best Motorcycle Sport Tires
Road and desert

Everyone has to change their motorcycle’s tires sooner or later. Be it because they’re worn out, damaged, old, or simply because the rider wants to change the motorcycle’s style. And for riders that live for speed, the go-to set of tires is the sport one. So let’s take a moment and talk about what exactly should you look for in a sports motorcycle tire.

First of all, and we can’t stress this enough, you have to invest in the best quality you can afford. This doesn’t mean to blindly buy the most expensive set you can find. You might end up spending a fortune and ending up with a set of tires that don’t fit your needs.

The reason why quality is so important is that sport tires are made for extreme speeds, and extreme speed means great danger. A high-quality set of tires should perform optimally at all times and never cause you to lose control of the motorcycle, not even for a split second.

Sport tires should be made from a special compound that allows them to provide excellent grip, without sacrificing mileage or speed performance. Their compound is generally softer than a cruiser tire’s compound and can provide the most grip.

They should also be much more versatile than typical track tires. This is because they’re widely used on various paved surfaces and in various riding conditions.

If you plan to use the sport tires on city streets and highways, they also need to have more thread than a race tire. However, sports tires aren’t ideal for wet surfaces. If you plan on driving during rain, you can invest in a rain set of tires.

Best Motorcycle Sport Tires – Michelin and Pirelli

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Best Motorcycle Sport Tires

In this article, we’ll talk about our Top 3 Motorcycle Sport Tires. And we’ll focus specifically on two of the biggest tires manufacturers in the world, Michelin, and Pirelli. So let’s take a moment and get to know both brands a little bit better.

Let’s start with Michelin, which is a French multinational tire manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand. Even if you’re completely uninterested in the tire industry, it’s still impossible to never have heard of them. They’re the-second largest tire manufacturer after Japan’s Bridgestone.

Michelin is also widely known for its Red and Green travel guides, its roadmaps, and the Michelin Stars offered to restaurants for their cooking. And among their numerous inventions, the removable tire, the pneurail, and the radial tire are also included.

When it comes to making motorcycle tires, they have plenty of experience. Michelin participated in MotoGP from 1972 to 2009. And in 36 years, they achieved 360 victories. This gives them enough experience to develop some of the best motorcycle tires on the market.

Best Motorcycle Sport Tires

Now let’s talk about the Italian multinational company, Pirelli. It’s based in Milan and is the world’s 5th largest tire manufacturer. You will find some of the best tires on the market for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles, come from Pirelli.

Pirelli has been sponsoring sport competitions since as early as 1907. It’s also the exclusive tire supplier for the FIM World Superbike Championship. This experience made them one of the best motorcycle tire manufacturers in the world.

Their motorcycle tires include the Diablo line, made for road and track, the Angel line, made for street and commuting, and the Scorpion line, made for road and off-road.

Best Motorcycle Sport Tires – Comparison Table

Product Name
Michelin Pilot Power
Pirelli Angel ST
Pirelli Diablo Rosso III
Image
Michelin Pilot Power
Pirelli Angel
Pirelli Diablo
Top Quality
Yes
Yes
Yes
Excellent Grip
Yes
Yes
Yes
Great for Street
Yes
Yes
Yes
Great for Track
Yes
Yes
No
Excellent Wet Performance
Yes
Yes
Yes
Excellent Dry Performance
Yes
Yes
Yes
Quick Warm-Up
Yes
Yes
Yes
Link

1 Michelin Pilot Power

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Description

The first one on our list is none other than the Michelin Pilot Power. It uses a very special compound that was originally developed for MotoGP racing. It also has a tread pattern that covers less than 12% of the surface of the tire. This gained this model a spot among the very first sport tires on the market.

Thanks to the special design, you can benefit from a maximum lean angle of 50.6 degrees on dry surfaces and 41.9 degrees on wet pavement. This will allow you to take corners like a professional.

With its short warming-up period, the Michelin Pilot Power can reach its full potential in a very short amount of time. This will provide an incredible cornering grip on dry pavement and amazing performance at high speed.

Generally, high-performance tires are designed to perform extremely well at extremely high speeds. However, the Pilot Power offers the same high-end performance but without sacrificing its impressive durability.

Thanks to its high-performance design, the Pilot Power is suitable for both street use and track use. However, it will offer much better results on the highway than on the track. But if you want a tire that excels on the street and is good on the track, this is the perfect choice for you.

Another great thing about the Pilot Power tires is their stylish look. While some riders say that the look of a tire doesn’t matter, only its performance. There are a lot of riders that spend a lot of money and effort in making their ride look a certain way.

And at the end of the day, there’s no denying that a set of tires can change your motorcycle’s entire look. This is a perfect combination of style and performance.

Pros

  • High-End Quality
  • Extremely Durable at High Speeds
  • Warms Up Quickly
  • Incredible Cornering Grip
  • Ideal For Street or Track Use
  • MotoGP Rubber Mix
  • Maximum Lean Angle of 50.6 Degrees on Dry
  • Maximum Lean Angle of 41.9 Degrees on Wet
  • Tread Pattern Covers Less Than 12% of the Tire Surface

Cons

  • May Feel Twitchy

2 Pirelli Angel ST

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Description

The second one on our list is Pirelli’s Angel ST. With this tire, Pirelli didn’t hold back and put everything they could in making it a leader on the do-it-all-tire premise. They carefully designed it by mixing a perfect combination of speed resistance and a decent tread lifespan.

Most riders, that are crazy about speed, would happily sacrifice tread for as much grip as possible. And most high-end performance tires are designed to do just that. However, Pirelli decided to take a chance and introduce a tire that’s just as awesome but also safer and long-lasting.

With its special compound mix, the tire is practical, long-lasting, and has increased stability. However, it can also offer an excellent cornering grip on both dry and wet surfaces.

The tires have a special angle groove arrangement that provides excellent tread life. They also have a V-Groove in the center that offers a rich contact feel when braking. their short grooves provide additional stability. And the side to side grooves offer additional water drainage while riding in wet conditions.

Their wide contact in the center of the tread provides amazing grip, great wear life, and a very smooth and comfy ride. The angle groove arrangement can also offer a reliable wet performance. And the longitudinal grooves offer additional drainage at every angle.

Pirelli also had a lot of fun designing this unique tire look. Both the rear and front tire feature a faint angelic image that fades away after approximately 650 miles. And the pattern that remains shows a faint demonic image where the angelic figure used to be.  

Another great thing about the Angel ST’s tread is that they keep all the handling, grip, and drainage capabilities throughout the tire’s lifespan.

Pros

  • High-End Quality
  • High-End Performance
  • Impressive Durability
  • Long-Lasting
  • Safe
  • Unique Design
  • Excellent Cornering Grip
  • Amazing Performance on Both Wet and Dry Surfaces

Cons

  • Slightly Pricey

3 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III

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Description

The last one on our, Best Motorcycle Sport Tires Top 3, is the famous Pirelli Diablo Rosso III. This set of tires allows you to comfortably ride everything from arrow-straight highways to mounting roads. Regardless of where your next destination is, this set of tires will offer a quick, direct, and linear steering. It can also offer an excellent cold grip.

Thanks to the special design, the Diablo Rosso III warms up very quickly. This will allow you to enjoy the maximum performance of these tires after just a few miles.

When it comes to the tread lifespan, it’s not that great. However, the average lifespan for a high-performance motorcycle tire is around 3,700 miles. And this tire offers up to 3,000-3,500 miles when used on a powerful ride.

On the track, the Rosso III works pretty well and remains stable. It also feels anchored while trail braking and offers a pretty good grip. However, they’re not really the best option if you’re looking for a set of tires that excels on track.

Pirelli used the technology developed by being the supplier for the World Superbike Championship to make the Diablo Rosso III. These sport tires are designed for riders that spend most of their time on city roads and highways, and maybe a few track days. However, the tires deliver optimal performance in both dry and wet conditions.

The front tire uses 100% silica compound, while the rear tire has a dual-compound design.

Pirelli kept the tread pattern from the Diablo Supercorsa DOT race tires on the Rosso III. But they also added some extra groves to improve their water evacuation capabilities.

The Diablo Rosso III has a pretty good tread lifespan as well. Depending on how hard you ride, you can expect anywhere between 3,500-4,000 miles.

Pros

  • High-Performance
  • Great Quality
  • Durable
  • Long-Lasting
  • Quick Warm-Up
  • Comfortable
  • Excellent Performance on Dry Pavement
  • Excellent Performance in Wet Conditions

Cons

  • Not Ideal For Trackday

Conclusion

Michelin and Pirelli are some of the best motorcycle tire manufacturers in the world. They have years of experience by sponsoring various racing competitions. This gave them enough knowledge to research, design, develop, and manufacture the Best Motorcycle Sport Tires on the market.

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