10 Best Motorcycle Tires On The Market

All of us have been guilty of adding a bunch of accessories and mods to our motorcycles whenever we get some extra bucks saved. For a biker, it’s hard to ignore an exotic exhaust system, a modded suspension setup, or a bigger set of brakes. However, what we ignore the most is one of the most important performance upgrades for our motorcycle, and that is tires. Yes, the right set of tires can totally transform the way your motorcycle performs.

This brings us to our next logical question, what are the 10 best motorcycle tires on the market in 2023? Well, the answer to that depends on what type of terrain your motorcycle is to be driven on. For instance, for a black tie event, we prefer a tuxedo with a bow tie, for a casual night out, we choose jeans and a t-shirt, and for a ride, we use full-protection riding gear. The same is the case with motorcycle tires, for every different type of terrain, we have to use a different set of tires specially designed to excel at that type of terrain. Overall, there are three major types of tires on the market: on-road tires, 50/50 tires, and off-road tires. Let’s break it down and discuss the 10 best motorcycle tires available.

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10 Dunlop Q5 Sportmax Tires: On-Road Sport/Track Tire

If you are a sports bike rider and prefer to ride your bike on the track, Dunlop Q5 Sportmax tires are one of the best upgrades. Previously, Dunlop had the Q3 Plus Sportmax as their flagship sport/track tire, but the Q5 is a good successor and eases riders’ troubles as it does not require tire warmers to get itself up to the required riding temperature. It also has Dunlop’s proprietary racing-type fine carbon technology in its tread compound. Q5 has a long-wearing silica-infused compound in the center of the tread that makes the tire’s life longer. Comparatively, the Q5 has a much better life expectancy and gives up after an exceptional 4000 sporty miles.

9 Dunlop American Elite Tires: On-Road Street Tire

If you want to lay down some serious miles and want to have incredible tire longevity without making any performance sacrifices, American Elite tires are the ones you should go for. These tires are made and tested in America and are also found on Harley-Davidson’s flagship models. With its multi-tread compound, its center contact patch uses a harder compound that resists premature wear during long highway stretches. The sides of this tire have a softer compound that provides a grippy feel on the turns. Users of Dunlop American Elite tires claim to get an average of 12,000 to 15,000 miles.

8 Michelin Road 6 Tires: On-Road Touring Tire

Michelin Road 6 tires are one of the best all-around tires for street and sports touring, with a perfect combination of performance and longevity. Michelin Road 6 provides almost 15% more grip than the previous Michelin Road 5 tires in wet conditions. This is due to the silicon technology in the tread compound that gives this tire an impressive grip on the road. Although its name represents “Road” and is for street riding, do not underestimate its ability to handle aggressive riding and cornering on curvy canyons. This tire is easily available for wheel sizes from 17 to 19 inches to cater to a wide variety of motorcycle types. Most riders are able to extract 15,000 miles from these tires.

Related: The 10 Fastest Touring Bikes Under $20,000

7 Metzeler Cruisetec Tires: On-Road Cruiser Tire

As the name says it all, the Metzeler Cruisetec Tires are cruise tires and have impressive grip and cornering ability. If you enjoy spending most of your time riding in canyons with tight corners, the Metzeler Cruisetec is definitely made for you. These tires have redefined what it means to have total confidence on tight corners at high speed. However, its enormous grip comes at the expense of a shorter life span. Unlike other touring tires, the Cruisetec usually throws the curtain down at only 8000 to 12000 miles.

6 Continental Trail Attack 3 Tires: ADV Tire

ADV bikes have enough suspension travel to handle any terrain, plus they have the enormous power to tear through the trails. To handle extreme power and rough terrain, the Continental Trail Attack 3 Tires can be one of the best picks. These tires are the perfect combination of on-road commuting and weekend trail riding. Like other premium tires, Trail Attack 3 also has multi-compound technology that gives it an adventurous look and easily handles trail riding without compromising street ride quality. Plus, it is available in a wide range of sizes and can fit into most adventure motorcycles.

5 Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41 Tires: 50/50 ADV Tire

Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41 Tires are the true 50/50 ADV tires, they are more off-road oriented and have a pure motocross tread pattern. Comparing the Battlax with the Trail Attack 3, most dirt riders simply prefer the Battlax because its off-road tread gives a firm grip on loose surfaces. Whether on a casual trail or a serious enduro ride, this tire will perform best, plus it also doesn’t wear out too quickly, even on street riding. Surprisingly, Battlax has a good life expectancy and can last longer than many of its competitors. Another considerable equivalent of Battlax is the Continental TKC80, which also has a similar performance.

4 Pirelli Scorpion Rally Tires: Off-Road ADV Tire

If you spend most of your time off-roading on trails and doing enduro races, the Pirelli Scorpion Rally Tires are your best bet. Most ADV bikes are equipped with on-road tires from the manufacturer. However, if you consider your ADV motorcycle a big dirt bike, you need a good set of off-road tires that are capable of holding the heavyweight as well as performing great under distress. Pirelli Scorpion Rally Tires are designed to support heavy ADV motorcycles and really dig into the ground to provide maximum traction in loose gravel or sand. Whether on a straight line, a tight corner, or jumping over a tree log, this tire gives the rider the ultimate feeling of confidence.

3 Bridgestone M59 Tires: Off-Road Motocross Front Tire

Bridgestone M59 tires are designed to perform at the highest level of MX competition. This front tire is meant for soft to intermediate motocross course conditions and has been tested and preferred by many MX riders. Due to its softness, this tire is quite predictable and ultra-stable at high speeds. It has the perfect tread block style that enables self-cleaning on softer terrains, giving the front of the bike extra stability and traction in muddy or sandy areas. Its expected tread life is around 500 miles of extreme MX-style riding.

Related: 10 Best Dirt Bikes Money Can Buy

2 IRC VE-33S Tires: Off-Road Motocross Rear Tire

If you are looking for the best performance in the worst conditions, the IRC VE-33S tires are the ones you should go for in the rear. This motocross tire is capable of holding its own with only 4 psi, so it can wrap around rocks and roots to give MX riders the grippiest feel. It is made up of hybrid gummy compound technology with big motocross tread blocks. Plus, IRC VE-33S tires also last longer than most other motocross tires.

1 Dunlop MX Series Tires: Off-Road Motocross Tire

We saved the best off-road tire for last. The Dunlop MX Series Tires are praised all around the world for their exceptional performance on MX tracks. It isn’t a single tire, but a whole series of them, so you can choose the best variation according to your track style and terrain difficulty. The MX3S is the softest among the Dunlop MX Series. From here on, Dunlop goes up to the hardest tire for the rock-hard terrain. If you are not sure which setup you should go for, try to aim for a harder tire in the rear and a softer one in front.