The tread pattern of the Pirelli Diablo Rosso rear tire features no tread on the very shoulder of the tire.
Next up in our street motorcycle tire comparison is the
Pirelli Diablo Rosso. The Rosso is the base sport tire in the Italian company’s line-up. Similar to most things Italian and related to motorcycles, the Rosso carries a hefty price.
At a cost of $284.98 for the pair on
Motorcycle-Superstore.com these tires are toward the upper end of the cost spectrum. In fact they are the most expensive in its class (Group B) and greater than or equal to two models in Group A (Dunlop Q2 and Bridgestone BT-003RS).
On our scale, the front hoop weighed 9 lb 8.1 oz which placed it at the very back of Group B. Even still it was lighter than two Group A tires (Q2 and Avon VP2). We measured the back tire at 13 lb 10.1 oz. which placed it ahead of the others in its class but still heavier than all but one tire (Avon) in the A tier.
The shape of the tires is similar to the other mid-level rubber. Steering was neutral and felt almost identical to the Michelins and Bridgestones. The tires heated up slightly faster than the Powers but not quite as quickly as the class-leading BT-016.
The Rosso’s are the only tire in the class to use a uniform rubber compound throughout the tire and overall feel when cranked over on the edge wasn’t nearly as plentiful as the multi-compound versions. However, they felt planted and didn’t move around excessively.
Overall the carcass of the tires felt soft but still slightly stiffer than both the French and Japanese rubber, but it wasn’t so much that it effected overall ride quality. Bump absorption was good and generally delivered a pleasing ride. Similar to the Group C’s Shinko Advance tires caution needs to be exercised during the initial part of heavy braking as the front tire can’t accept an instant load as well as the others.
At the Streets the Rossos netted a best lap time of 1’28.44 which place it at the back of the group. For perspective it was just over a second behind the Powers and less than two seconds behind the BT-016. At the big track where high-speed stability is important, the Rossos closed the gap to just under a second from the Japanese rubber which proves their sure footedness on a track with fast bends.
Waheed doing work at the Streets aboard our Honda CBR1000RR tire test bike. The Pirelli Diablo Rossos provide good grip but they don't offer a lot of feel.
In terms of outright traction, side grip was on par with the Michelin but still was lacking as compared to the Bridgestone. Where the French rubber had a tendency to squirm under heavy acceleration the Rossos felt like they would grip a bit better. Sure they’d still spin but they just felt like they hooked up better.
All said and done, we were pleased with the Rossos versatile performance. They offer neutral and predictability handling, get to operating temperature within reason, are very stable and offer sound grip. Only problem is their lofty price makes them not the best option for a sport motorcyclist on a budget.
RIDER NOTES:
“The Rossos took some extra time to get up to operating temperature. All points of turn-in were predictable and the tires steered well. Very predictable. Side grip was close to Michelin but down against the Bridgestone. Both tire’s construction felt like they offered some flex but still felt more rigid than the other B tires. Feel from both ends was vague but the rear tire hooked up really well off the corner. High-speed stability was also very high.”
The
Pirelli Diablo Rosso is available at
Motorcycle Superstore.
Front Tire MSRP: $161.95 - $179.95
Rear Tire MSRP: $199.95 - $264.95
