Previously riding Pilot Powers and 2CT on my Tuono, this is a big upgrade. I've tried a Dunlop Sportmax in between but they were not yet there. The feedback these Conti's give in combination with the milage is superb. In my opinion the feedback is most important as I ride on the input of what I feel. If you don't require the max possible performance of either dry or wet conditions, this is the perfect all-purpose of street tires on sport bikes.
Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires
All Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires on Tire Reviews, ranked. The 22 tires in this category are scored using 107 owner reviews covering 464,973 miles of driving.
- 22tires in this category
- 107owner reviews
- 464,973 milescovered on them
The quick answer
| Pick | Tire | The evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Avon 3D Ultra Sport 7.8 | TR Score 7.8 / 10 limited data so far |
| Owners' favorite | Dunlop SportSmart MK3 | 88% from 3 owner reviews |
Best overall is the highest TR Score in the category; the owners' favorite is the highest rated by the drivers who run them. The full rankings and the evidence behind every pick are below.
The best Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires, ranked
The highest scoring tire in the category is the Avon 3D Ultra Sport, with a TR Score of 7.8 out of 10. 8 of the 22 tires here have earned a score; the rest are listed further down.
| # | Tire | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Avon 3D Ultra Sport
|
7.8 | 87% | 9 | 11,457 miles |
| 2 |
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier D209
|
7.7 | 84% | 11 | 40,075 miles |
| 3 |
Continental ContiSport Attack
Replaced by Continental ContiSportAttack 5
|
7.5 | 84% | 7 | 49,200 miles |
| 4 |
Michelin Power 5
|
6.8 | 79% | 16 | 40,006 miles |
| 5 |
Michelin Pilot Power
|
6.6 | 78% | 11 | 127,823 miles |
| 6 |
Pirelli Diablo Rosso
|
6.5 | 59% | 5 | 11,500 miles |
| 7 |
Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact
|
6.3 | 64% | 9 | 36,000 miles |
| 8 |
Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
|
6 | 76% | 18 | 69,112 miles |
TR Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, weighted by how much evidence backs them. Tires are only scored once enough data exists; discontinued tires are not ranked but remain in the complete record below.
What is a Ultra High Performance tire?
Ultra High Performance tires are the enthusiast's road tire - the fitment for hot hatches, performance saloons and fast estates. They prioritize steering response and grip, accepting a little more noise and wear than a touring tire.
Summer tires use compounds that work best in warm conditions, giving the strongest wet and dry grip of any season category when temperatures are mild or hot. Their performance falls away in the cold, which is where winter and all season tires take over.
The Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires owners rate highest
Rated purely by the people who drive on them, the top tire in the category is the Dunlop SportSmart MK3 - 88% from 3 owner reviews. 11 tires have enough reviews to qualify; this is the same ranking behind the category position shown on each tire's own page.
| # | Tire | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed | TR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Dunlop SportSmart MK3
|
88% | 3 | 9,500 miles | - |
| 2 |
Avon 3D Ultra Sport
|
87% | 9 | 11,457 miles | 7.8 |
| 3 |
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier D209
|
84% | 11 | 40,075 miles | 7.7 |
| 4 |
Continental ContiSport Attack
Replaced by Continental ContiSportAttack 5
|
84% | 7 | 49,200 miles | 7.5 |
| 5 |
Michelin Power 5
|
79% | 16 | 40,006 miles | 6.8 |
| 6 |
Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier RR
|
79% | 4 | 16,000 miles | - |
| 7 |
Michelin Pilot Power
|
78% | 11 | 127,823 miles | 6.6 |
| 8 |
Michelin Pilot Power 2CT
|
76% | 18 | 69,112 miles | 6 |
| 9 |
Michelin Power Pure
|
76% | 4 | 9,500 miles | - |
| 10 |
Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact
|
64% | 9 | 36,000 miles | 6.3 |
| 11 |
Pirelli Diablo Rosso
|
59% | 5 | 11,500 miles | 6.5 |
A tire needs at least 3 owner reviews to appear here. Owner ratings reward different things to tests - comfort, wear and value show up over thousands of miles, not on a test track.
What drivers say about Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires
The most recent owner reviews from this category, in their own words.
Have run these for 2yrs,my second year with the new set due to the hot weather my front is down to the wear bar on the edges, I do push the front on the cornerers, the rear is fine so I have now bought a power 6 to try while the 5 rear wears,see how the 6 performs !!
my go to tire on my last few bikes.. 04 R6 09 FZ1 20 Street Triple 765 . just ordered a set for my 24 Speed Twin 1200. generally ride in all weathers when time allows and all year round. thought about trying a different tire but while still available, cannot fault them
They have good traction and feel with low-displacement, low-horsepower bikes. From 600cc onwards, grip leaves much to be desired. I also had a rear tire with a manufacturing defect that wasn't recognized as such and no compensation was accepted. Customer service is truly poor...
I've only use it in the summer (all dry and hot), rear tire only . Sub 4000km till it reach the twi on the side. 10/10 tire till it reach 80% wear, then the tire feel a bit indecisive, with decent lost of performance coming out of corners.
Tracer 9 2016 (33psi front cold, 36 psi rear cold)
Tracer 9 2016 (33psi front cold, 36 psi rear cold)
Very good grip, especially on the dry and good handling, but the back tire wears quickly. 5000 miles and your almost on the mark..
Drive them for 2 years (~15 000km) on Bandit GSF650. I am very confident with those tires because the feedback is excellent. When the tires are cold, you can feel the on/off grip but they are very predictable. When the tires get warmer the grip is very good for big angel and emergency braking. For those 2 years I had only 3-4 danger situations when the road surface is bad (bad and polished asphalt). The wear is very good(I am riding alone without passenger) in Bulgaria, Romania and Greece with 5-35 Celsius temperatures.
Never mind that the tires are old and 60-70% wore out, If the road surface is good, I still can be confident for fast corners and sporty driving.
The wet handling is also good but not so good as dry(which is normal...). I will buy another set for my future trips.
Brilliant tires.i ride 2018 fireblade. Dry n wet riding no problems, bike goes n stays were you want it to. Ride it hard at times. Just starting to flatten of after 8k miles so still mileage left in them. Will definitely use them again. K Hodgson.
180/55 zr17 power 5 on a Triumph Speed Tripple 1050.
Great all around tire. Wet or dry. Tips in to the corners with confidence. change line mid corner no problem. Starting to square of at 6,500-ish miles. They warm up fast. One of the best tires (in my opinion) for mileage to grip ratio. Sudden downpour ,standing water is no problem. Not a track day tire and thats ok. If you are a typical Sport bike rider with average or better than average riding skill these tires wont let you down. I am replacing my rear tire next week. Frontm still looks great. Expecting a 2 to 1 tire ratio.
All Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires on Tire Reviews
The complete record, including discontinued tires and tires with too little evidence to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. The most researched this month: Michelin Pilot Power 2CT, Dunlop Sportsmart MK4, Michelin Power 5.
| Tire | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin Pilot Power 2CT | 6 | 76% | 18 | 69,112 miles |
| Michelin Power 5 | 6.8 | 79% | 16 | 40,006 miles |
| Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier D209 | 7.7 | 84% | 11 | 40,075 miles |
| Michelin Pilot Power | 6.6 | 78% | 11 | 127,823 miles |
| Avon 3D Ultra Sport | 7.8 | 87% | 9 | 11,457 miles |
| Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact | 6.3 | 64% | 9 | 36,000 miles |
| Continental ContiSport Attack Replaced by Continental ContiSportAttack 5 | 7.5 | 84% | 7 | 49,200 miles |
| Pirelli Diablo Rosso | 6.5 | 59% | 5 | 11,500 miles |
| Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier RR | - | 79% | 4 | 16,000 miles |
| Michelin Power Pure | - | 76% | 4 | 9,500 miles |
| Dunlop SportSmart MK3 | - | 88% | 3 | 9,500 miles |
| Avon Viper Sport AV60 | - | 82% | 2 | 2,000 miles |
| Michelin PilotSport | - | 74% | 2 | 21,100 miles |
| Sava Sportforce | - | 69% | 2 | 8,200 miles |
| Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier II Replaced by Dunlop Qualifier Core | - | 87% | 2 | 5,000 miles |
| Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier HR | - | 70% | 1 | 2,000 miles |
| Continental SportAttack 4 | - | 89% | 1 | 6,500 miles |
5 more tires in this category have no reviews yet
Dunlop SportSmart 3, Dunlop Sportsmart MK4, Michelin Power 6, Michelin Power GP2, Pirelli Supercorsa SP V4
Run Motorcycle Summer Ultra High Performance Tires?
Review your tires and help the next driver choose. It takes about five minutes, and every rating on this page came from a driver who took them.
Where this data comes from
Rankings combine independent test results with owner reviews submitted through this site, each naming the car, the tire, the size and the distance covered. Reviews are checked by hand before publication, and the page rebuilds automatically as new evidence arrives.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, weighted by how much evidence backs them.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.