Best Motorcycle Tires: Great Choices to Improve Handling and Performance

If you want something that can handle spirited riding when the mood strikes, as well as your daily commute, then look no further than the Michelin Road 5 Tires. Deep, water-evacuating sipes are spread throughout the areas on this tire that see the most use during everyday riding. It's more efficient siping when compared to the previous model too, as this model uses Michelin's XST Evo siping design. This design is trapezoidal, so as you wear down the tires they'll still provide excellent wet-weather grip.

The front tire uses Michelin's 2CT compound, which means it has harder rubber at the center for improved longevity. If you look to the edges, you'll find the smooth, soft, uninterrupted rubber that you want when riding aggressively on a dry road. This model uses Michelin's patented ACT casing technology to prevent the tire from tucking in when it's on its edge. This provides plenty of feedback to the rider, and should result in a more confidence-inspiring feeling at high lean angles. 

The Dunlop Road Sport 2 Tires are a great value option for anyone who commutes on their bike but wants a tire that they can push on backroads every weekend. The tire warms up quickly and offers predictable, confidence-inspiring traction. Although this isn't a tire I'd recommend for track days, it provides nimble handling and enough grip for spirited weekend rides.

As mentioned, this tire shines in terms of its year-round commuting capabilities. It offers good wet weather traction thanks to its multi-width tread siping. This feature aims to improve wet-weather traction without reducing traction when riding in dry conditions. If your budget doesn't stretch to the best overall pick, this tire is a great option.

The Pirelli Diablo Rosso III Tires are a great choice for motorcyclists who mainly see dry weather miles and enjoy sporty road-riding, within legal limits, of course. They are W-rated for speeds over 168 mph and have large contact patches throughout the surface. High-performance silica compounds improve grip across a wide range of temperatures, and the bi-compound design offers plenty of grip from a mid-lean angle.

Although there are slightly better choices for the track, these tires won't leave most riders wanting on track days. Once they're warmed up, they have excellent grip, and for sports-orientated tires, the tread life is good. The only real issue with these tires is that they don't have great traction in wet conditions, as the siping is relatively minimal. Like many new tires, you'll need to be extra cautious when breaking these in, as they'll be slippery.

The Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V3 Tires are as close as you'll get to slicks on the road. These tires are more or less intended to be ridden to on a track or on the twistiest roads that you can find. There's minimal siping on this model, which has only a 4-percent tread void. So, you'll have more of your tire in contact with the road's surface when compared to practically any other DOT-certified tire. Unfortunately, that also means the angular 'flash' tread pattern won't disperse much water if the heavens open up.

The tubeless tires are (W)-rated for speeds of over 168 mph and should be an easy choice for track fiends, thanks to the confidence they inspire upon corner entry. When compared to the previous generation, there's more grip at all lean angles thanks to larger steel cords and a wider angle at the shoulders. These tires are sold at one of the highest price points, but if you can afford them, you'll have all the dry grip you can handle. But be warned, you'll need to curb your enthusiasm if you're riding in the wet. 

If you're as likely to see wet pavement as dry, then the Continental Road Attack 3 Tires are for you. The compound is optimized for wet grip, and the tread pattern is one of the best on the market for drainage in wet conditions. If you're buying a tire to combat the wet weather you're facing, the last thing you want to worry about is breaking it in while riding. Thanks to this model's TractionSkin mold release-free manufacturing process, meaning it's basically ready to roll with almost no break-in time.

Just because this tire shines in the wet doesn't mean it'll let you down on a dry road. It's not a multi-compound tire, but the MultiGrip temperature controlled curing process during production creates a relatively hard center but keeps the sides soft and grippy. Continental claims that its wet grip has improved by 15-percent and that it's 10-percent better on dry roads when compared to the previous iteration. So you're getting a tire that's capable of commuting year-round that has plenty of life and will be the best for anyone who regularly rides in wet conditions.

If you push your adventure bike to its limits, you'll need suitably high-performance tires, and you'll find them in the Continental Twinduro TKC 80 Dual Sport Tires. Make no mistake about it, these are for serious off-road adventures, and you should opt for the TKC 70 tires if your bike spends most of its time on the road. Continental describes this model as 40-percent on-road and 60-percent off-road.

The block tread pattern provides tons of grip when accelerating and turning on dirt and sand. You'll also have plenty of traction while braking on a wide range of off-road surfaces. Unfortunately, this type of block tread pattern means that you will probably feel some wiggle while cornering on asphalt. But, as long as you're not hoping to replicate Rossi in his heyday, you should be fine. Another big selling point for these tires is that they'll fit most BMW and KTM adventure bikes.

If your pride and joy is a heavy-duty cruiser, there's arguably no better rubber to pair it with than the Michelin Commander III Touring tires. When I say heavy-duty, I mean it, if you're riding a lighter cruiser, like a Sportster, then you should consider the Commander III Cruiser tires. These tires are perfect for anyone who's eyeballing their next big adventure, as when tested on a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, they covered up to 25,000 miles. Unlike the Cruiser version, the Touring tires don't have siping that extends all the way to the sidewall. The difference in the design is to improve stability for the heavy bikes that the Cruiser version is intended to work with.

When compared to the previous iteration, this model has a more rounded profile, which improves stability when cornering. The silica compound has also been improved on the latest version to provide better traction in wet conditions and prevent uneven tire wear.