Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart II-Dunlop's sporty

We couldn’t have asked for more ideal conditions to put to the test Dunlop’s claims of the tire’s ability to handle the wet; I came away content the Roadsmart was a capable wet-weather tire. Unfortunately for the Roadsmart, that day’s deluge left no real opportunity for getting a sense of the tire’s dry grip performance.
Now we’ve come full circle, from a rain-soaked tire evaluation ride nearly four years ago, to a rain-free (albeit brisk!) day of riding during the recent launch of the new Roadsmart II.

Sport-Touring Tires: The Swiss Army Knife of Motorcycle Rubber

Developing a tire for the sport-touring crowd presents a tough set of parameters for tire manufacturers. A modern S-T sled, like Kawasaki’s Concours 14, brings the challenges of weight (688 lbs wet sans rider, passenger or loaded saddlebags), sportbike-levels of rear-wheel horsepower and torque, and handling performance that can mean footpeg-grinding lean angles. Salting the wounds are the S-T rider’s demands of high-speed stability, reliable grip in the wet and thousands upon thousands of miles of durability. A sportbike tire is easy by comparison: warm up as fast as possible, and sacrifice virtually all other qualities for Super Glue levels of grip.

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