Road to race: The best sportsbike tyres on the market right now

Updated: 24 September 2024

Before you can choose the best sportsbike tyres for you, it’s important to think about the kind of riding it is that you do. A set of the stickiest track rubber will suit a sunny day at Cadwell Park, for example, but will be a real let down on a drizzly autumn commute.

Related: Best motorbike tyres

The sportsbike you ride will also have a part to play in your decision-making process. A 47bhp A2 sportsbike has different requirements to a 120bhp middleweight or a 200bhp+ superbike – although some principles are universal.

Finally, there is an element of personal choice and subjectivity when it comes to choosing sportsbike tyres (or any tyres, in fact) – just look at the road racing grid for proof, where racers are generally split between Dunlop and Metzeler.

2023 Ducati Panigale V4R knee down on track rear

Best at a glance

Best for serious trackdays: Metzeler Racetec TD Slick
Best road-legal track tyre: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V4
Best for year-round riding: Metzeler Roadtec SE 01

So here are some of the best sportsbike tyres that we’ve used on various machinery and riding conditions and would recommend for your motorcycle.

Best sportsbike tyres

Continental ContiSportAttack 4

Price: From £286 per pair inc VAT (was £408.56)

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

Tried and tested by Dan Sutherland for five months and 4,000 miles

"Grippy from the outset and providing plenty of front-end feel, they allowed the Suzuki to feel planted and composed on track. They warmed up within two laps of Cadwell Park and wore well. This impressive performance then translated seamlessly to the road and, on a dry warm day, they allow you to take complete liberties on your favourite B-road."

"What’s more, despite having sport in the name, they’ve also worked well in wet conditions – meaning I’ve been able to continue my commute with confidence through autumnal downpours."

Pros

Grippy from the outset
Plenty of front end feel
Warm up quickly
Work well in all weather conditions

Cons

Not cheap

Quality

5.0
Value

4.0

Construction	Black Chili Hypersport Compound
Type	Sporty road tyre
Sizes	120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 160/60 ZR17 (69W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 180/55 ZR17 (73W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 190/50 ZR17 (73W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 190/55 ZR17 (75W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 200/55 ZR17 (78W)

Enhanced contact with larger footprint at extreme angles
Optimised for wet conditions
Suitable for track days without the need for tyre warmers

Michelin Power 6

Price: From £296.00 per pair

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

Tried and tested by Michael Neeves on track and road in and around Jerez, Spain

"So why would you fit Michelin Power 6 to your bike? For sporty Spring to Autumn riding, with the odd spirited trackday thrown in for good measure, they’re going to be bang on, but if you’re going to ride in less-than-ideal conditions a latest generation sports touring tyre will be the better choice."

Pros

Impressive grip
Light, neutral, and accurate steering

Cons

Ride quality wasn't remarkable

Construction	Silica, Radial-X EVO, and Aramid Shield Technologies
Type	Sports
Sizes available	110/70 x 17 (new), 120/70 x 17, 140/70 x 17 (new), 150/60 x 17 (new), 160/60 x 17, 180/55 x 17, 190/50 x 17, 190/55 x 17, 200/55 x 17, 240/45 x 17 (new).

Engineered for a responsive and agile ride
Michelin Silica Technology provides superb wet grip
Michelin Aramid Shield Technology strengthens the tyre to give a longer lifespan

Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa

Price: From £299.00 a pair incl VAT

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

Tested by Michael Neeves for six weeks

"My Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR comes on Pirelli’s Diablo Super Corsa SP tyres as standard. Aside from the Italian firm’s race rubber, the SPs are the stickiest hoops in their range. They’re superb for rapid road riding and even better on track, as I found out when I took my RR to Oulton earlier in the year. They’re decent in the wet and work fine in the cold, although below 10 degrees it’s tricky to keep heat in them. They wear well, too. I changed them after 2944 miles and the rear still looked good."

"Impressive stuff, but the Diablo Rosso IV Corsas I replaced them with are an even better high performance road tyre. They fit between the SP and Diablo Rosso IV in Pirelli’s range and are designed for fast road riding and trackdays. I can vouch for their grip on track, having ridden a BMW S1000RR on them at Mugello. Aside from slightly slower steering characteristics and a firmer ride, you’d be hard pushed to tell them apart from a Super Corsa SP. They never leave you wanting more on the road, either. 3000 of the miles I’ve covered on them were on a trip to the Pyrenees, enduring motorway miles, torrential rain and scorched mountain roads. They showed little wear when I changed them for their direct rival: Dunlop’s SportSmart TT."

Read the full Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa review

Pros

Provide a good level of sticky grip
Hard pushed to tell them apart from the Super Corsa SP
Warm up quickly so no need for tyre warmers

Cons

Slightly slower steering characteristic

Quality

5.0
Value

4.0

Construction	Dual compound with Pirelli Stiff Chord Technology
Type	Sporty road and track
Sizes	120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 150/60 ZR17 (66W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 180/55 ZR17 (73W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 180/60 ZR17 (75W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 190/50 ZR17 (73W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 190/55 ZR17 (75W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 200/55 ZR17 (78W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 200/60 ZR17 (80W)

Wide slick areas on the shoulders of the tyre
Reduced lateral grooves for better handling ability
Pirelli FLASH Groove to improve severe condition capability

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V4

Best for riding to a trackday

Price: £343 (was £490) per pair

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

Pirelli's flagship Supercorsa SPs are the gold standard in track tyres you can use on the road. They are sticky and plush but still operate in cooler temperatures or the rain. The dual compound design means they'll withstand a certain amount of road duties without squaring off, too.

Pros

Road legal
Work at normal temperatures

Cons

Won't last long compared to a less sporty option

Metzeler M9 Sportec RR

Price: £257 (was £367.14)

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

Tried and tested by Dan Sutherland for 4,000 miles on two bikes

"I’ve used Metzeler’s M9RRs on my long-term KTM 1290 Super Duke GT and Aprilia RS660 test bikes. They were impressive on the GT, but really excelled on the lighter and less powerful Aprilia – providing confidence-inspiring wet weather grip from the get-go during our soaking first outing."

"They also heat up faster than the rival Bridgestone Battlax S22 and provide more feel through a corner offering seriously impressive performance during back-road blasts at the weekend in the cool late summer and early autumn. Although a road-focused sports tyre, they encouraged the bike to tip into a bend quickly, with enough bite at the back end to keep things firmly in line."

"I wouldn’t hesitate to use these tyres on a trackday next year. My only real regret is not fitting them sooner."

Read/watch our full Metzeler Sportec M9 RR review.

Pros

Great on the road
Last longer than track tyres
Cope with poor conditions

Cons

Less performance than a track tyre

Metzler Racetec RR K3

Price: From £342 per pair inc VAT ( was £488.58)

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

Tried and tested by Ben Clarke for three months and 4,000 miles

"One of the new tyre’s first duties, unfortunately, was to transport me in a near dead-straight line from Norfolk to the Czech Republic. As guilty as I felt wasting such sporty tyres on the Autobahn, they actually handled the trip really well. And once I got to the intricate Czech twisties, they really came alive."

The difference between the M9RRs and the Racetecs is subtle, but you can certainly feel it. You get the same plush feeling, smooth turn in and confidence inspiring edge grip but everything is turned up a little more. Hitting the throttle as you leave roundabouts or tight turns is more likely to result in a lift of the front wheel than a traction control intervention and you can brake slightly harder before the ABS shows an interest, too."

"If anything, the Racetec is more tyre than you really need on an FTR. The bike isn’t capable of getting beyond the limits of grip unless you really take the proverbial. And although they’ve squared off a little now, I wouldn’t feel hard done by to get over 4000 miles from a tyre this soft."

Pros

More grip most riders need
Confidence inspiring edge grip
Handled long distance well

Quality

5.0
Value

4.0

Construction	Rayon fiber, polymers and resins
Type	Sport to track tyre
Sizes	120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 160/60 ZR17 (69W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 180/55 ZR17 (73W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 190/50 ZR17 (73W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 190/55 ZR17 (75W)<br>120/70 ZR17 (58W) - 200/55 ZR17 (78W)

Racing performance with ultimate grip
Racetec RR was the winner in the 2014 Supersport TT Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
Corner with precision and maintain high-speed stability

Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE

Best for year-round riding

Price: £287 (was £389.17) per pair

www.demon-tweeks.com

View Offer

If you use your sportsbike year-round or for commuting, a sports-touring tyre like the Metzeler Roadtec SE 01 would be a great fit. They have great wet weather performance and enough sportiness to enjoy when you get a dry spell in winter. They will also last longer than a sportier option.

Read our full Metzeler Roadtec SE 01 review.

Pros

Grip from cold
Incredible wet weather performance

Cons

Slightly unsettled by bumpy, fast corners

Things to keep in mind

Tyres are only as good as the care you give them so looking after your motorbike’s rubber is important. Invest in a pressure gauge to make sure you are running the correct PSI as this will help with grip and longevity. You’ll want to run lower pressures on rack due to the higher temperatures reached, too.

If you’re on a budget, it’s best to consider trying to find a previous generation of a reputable tyre than scouring the web for deals on spurious brands you’ve never heard of. Many of the previous generations of the tyres listed here can still be bought from trustworthy outlets for low prices and are still perfectly good options.

Another way to save money is to invest in some home tyre changing kit. Even if you just buy the stands you need to remove the wheels and take them to a fitter it can make the job cheaper than taking the whole bike.

- Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.

By MCN

The voice of motorcycling since 1955

BMW S1000RR on track

Continental ContiSportAttck 4 tyres