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- Sport, endurance and swing !
- The supersport tire market
- A 100% brand new tire….
- On the (small) road!
- Pneumatic test
- Track tire test!
- Conclusions: For whom the MK 3 ?
- Availability / price
- Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 tire dimensions
Sport, endurance and swing !
At Dunlop, the Sportsmart 2 Max tire passes the torch to the all-new MK3 which arrives on the road supersport market with very big ambitions. We discovered it on the road and on the track, around Barcelona. We tell you everything and the rest about the new baby of the Montluçon manufacturer.
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3
The supersport tire market
The stakes are high. Indeed, the supersport market alone represents 250,000 tires per year, ie not far from a quarter of all sales combined! Very present in this segment, Dunlop has a very extensive range, which includes 4 or even 5 models for each specific use. At the top of this pyramid, we find the D 213 GP Pro, a pure tracker who competes in the Tourist Trophy, in the SuperSport category or in road races. Below, we have the D212 GP Racer, also exclusively intended for the track, but a little slower while being very enduring..
For amateur riders, Dunlop offers the Sportsmart TT, intended for 50% road, 50% track use, without electric blankets. Our hero of the day arrives just after, to serve 90% on the road. And 10% on the track. Finally, at the extreme limit of the sport segment, we find the Roadsmart3 which is at the same time at the top of the GT sport category..
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 Tire
The MK3 is intended for medium or large roadsters, but more of the ‘edgy’ type and sportswomen who will occasionally participate in track days. Here, the decor is set, let’s take a look at the guts of the youngest…
A 100% brand new tire….
For Dunlop, the idea was to broaden the spectrum of use of its hypersport, giving it greater versatility on a daily basis. Until then, this type of tire was somewhat overlooked in terms of mileage endurance and handling on wet roads, areas of predilection for GT sports. In hypersport, we took better care of the grip on a dry track. With the Mk3, we change the rules. Thanks to in-depth work on the carcass which has differentiated tension zones, associated with a belt with the JLB system (jointless belt) widely revised and new reinforcements on the sides, the deformations of the sidewalls as of the tread are reduced, which allows the casing to always stay as close as possible to the ideal contact zone with the ground. In fact, grip, endurance and handling are significantly improved..
The structure of the Sportsmart MK3 has been extensively revised
Added to this is a new mixture of gums with more silica which improves performance on cold or wet roads. In fact here (especially) no heating blanket. This tire is not made to work too hot. In addition to the traditional silica and carbon black, there is an anti-slip resin, which improves the grip of the rear tire by 20% compared to the Sportsmart 2 max (6% at the front), in the dry as in the wet.
The Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 is enriched with silica
Let us add further that the MK3 is a rear bigomme. The harder rubber of the central band passes below that of the shoulders, in order to stiffen it, but also with the aim of increasing the heat exchange surface between the two zones. The advantage is twofold. During prolonged driving in a straight line at high speed, the tread is cooled by the shoulders, which are for their part maintained at temperature in order to be fully operational when the time comes. Enough about his insides, if we looked now at what is in his stomach?
The rear Sportsmart MK3 is bigomme
On the (small) road!
To discover the MK3 on a daily basis, nothing like a little stroll in good company on the heights which dominate the surroundings of Barcelona. The roads are sometimes bumpy, often dusty, not very rough and winding to the point of making you dizzy. Welcome to real life! It should be remembered that an excellent playground for judging a tire intended mainly for road use. To stretch our rims, we have an army of BMWs and a few Yamaha.
Pneumatic test
I’m starting with an XSR 900 which has extraordinary mechanics, but suspensions which are much less so … In fact, on rutted asphalt, the ABS is triggered for lack of suspensions which do not keep the wheels on the ground. Apart from that, the Yamaha accommodates perfectly the new Dunlops. Despite a relative brutality on the go-around, the pair keeps up with the cadences imposed by the opener which opens the road as much as the throttle..
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 circuit tire test
This tire has a swing, the Yamaha swings easily, without resistance, whether it is the setting on the angle or a change of trajectory once the bike has entered the turn. The behavior is very natural and at no time is the tire falling.
In favor of a stop, I swap my mount against a BMW F800R. The German roadster has neither the ardor nor the sharp front of the Yam. The first few meters are a bit surprising, we have the impression that the front is floating, then very quickly we gain confidence. We wring the handle like a savage out of a curve and it never stalls. The better quality suspensions make it possible to delay braking without suffering the wrath of the ABS, proof that it is not the grip of the tire that was in question. On the way back, I abandon my roadster for its GT version, which is even more comfortable. We are now only three relentless to follow our opener who is having a great time. The angles are more and more strong, the delayed braking and the fast or slow sequences always pass with the same happiness, even at this very high rate. The MK3 maintains its composure and swing, swaying with remarkable ease from turn to turn. At times, we would have thought we were sculling on a ski slope as the turns were linked together so quickly. Pure happiness. Faster on the road would not have been reasonable, so we went for three sessions on the track to get a little closer to the limits of this troublemaker who claims to shake up the hierarchy of the road sport segment..
The Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 on the road
Track tire test!
It was on the dusty and all-terrain track of Castelolli, where we had tested the Ducati Hypermotard 821 that we were able to do battle with the Sporsmart MK3, on the handlebars of the Kawasaki Z900 and Ninja ZX-6R 636.
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 review on Kawasaki Z900
Three 12-minute sessions will be enough to convince us of the ability of this tire to put the wheels on the track, without complex. A seasoned motorcyclist like yours truly will find great value there. On the track too, it shows the same qualities as on the road. Precision, grip, stability, ease are found, even at very high speed or on strong angles. When approaching the limits, on dusty sections, the tire becomes attentive, always with good feedback. It is important the feedback; it’s a bit like a discussion between a couple. It is better that the current and the communication pass for this to work. A tire is the same. And in this case, the MK3 speaks very, very well. Very much to have fun on one or more days of driving with a correct level of driving.
To go further, it will be better to opt for a Sportsmart TT; if you want to stay in the Dunlop range. Not that at a very high rate the MK3 is becoming dangerous. For those who push it beyond its limits, the risk is not there. Indeed, downside of its qualities on cold and wet ground, the MK3 is not designed for extreme conditions which would make it overheat. At this little game, it resists valiantly, but will definitely lose its splendor once it returns to normal use. To take an image, it would be as overcooked and would see its basic properties degraded, in the rain and on a cold road. You have been warned.
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 review on Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
Too bad the weather was fine. No, we are not going to complain about having driven under the sun in ideal conditions, but suddenly we were not able to verify the full potential of the MK3 on wet ground. A simple small 8 on a wet stretch of track and heavy braking it was a bit short. However, we can trust the Montluçon manufacturer for having provided us with an adequate tool. When we know the potential of the TT in the rain when it was not announced for, we can only be confident … And we have never been disappointed with the behavior of the last Dunlops tested in the rain.
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 wet test
Conclusions: For whom the MK 3 ?
More than the worthy heir to the Sportsmart 2max, the MK3 does better than its predecessor in all areas. Its broad spectrum of use opens up new horizons in the field of sport tourism. Suddenly, it will find its place on big roadsters like sports cars and its buyers will certainly not regret it..
Strong points
- Versatility
- Maneuverability
- Dry road handling
- Ability to change course when cornering
- Feedback
- High speed stability
Weak points
- No dimension for Z650 / ER-6
- Comfort a firm hair
Availability / price
- Price: around 260 € per game in 120/180
- Immediate availability
Dunlop Sportsmart MK3 tire dimensions
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