Dunlop Sportmax Q4 Review

Dunlop's current Sportmax Q3 and Q3+ tires are good, but they aren't quite up to par with other options on the market. That's changed with the all-new Sportmax Q4. Aimed squarely at Pirelli and its racy Diablo Supercorsa SP V2, the Sportmax Q4 levels the playing field by incorporating more track-grade grip and feedback. Available only in America and in big-bike sizes for now, the Q4 borrows features from its competition slick, including Jointless Tread Technology—a manufacturing process in which rubber is printed in bands around the tire's carcass. A new, uniform compound solution performs in a wider range of temperatures, especially in sweltering, knee-puck-melting conditions.

Since it's a pure performance trackday option, tread is few and far between. Like the rest of the Dunlop Sportmax family, warm-up time is nearly instantaneous. Big D's shoes have a pleasing contour, and the taller 200/60-section rear made our YZF-R1 handle almost as nimbly as an R6. Edge grip is great, but not quite as solid as the Supercorsa SP V2. But what the Q4 misses in grip, it makes up for in rider feedback. Simply put, there isn't a street tire that's more communicative or that allows a rider to flirt as aggressively with the astounding cornering performance of a modern-day superbike. Power slides are easier to control, and the front hoop has just the right amount of flex for deep-trail braking. If you're the kind of rider who values feel over everything, you've found your next sport tire.