# Dunlop Introduces the New Sportmax Q3 Sportbike Tire
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [May 22, 2013, 8:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764 "2013-05-22T08:01:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2013, 8:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/1 "2013-05-22T08:01:29Z")
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nqe1vT4gsE)
[http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/media-center/news/2013/05/22/dunlop-introduces-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/](http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/media-center/news/2013/05/22/dunlop-introduces-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/)
> [@Dunlop](#):
>
> Buffalo, NY: Dunlop proudly introduces the new Sportmax® Q3, the next-generation successor to the highly praised Sportmax® Q2®. The Sportmax Q3 delivers next-generation sportbike tire performance by incorporating Dunlop’s new Carbon Fiber Technology (CFT), and it also represents an outstanding value, which makes it a winner twice over.
>
> “Our Sportmax Q2 tire just recently took on all of the other tire brands in the category in the Sport Rider Magazine shootout and the Sportmax Q2 won hands down,” said Mike Manning, General Manager, Marketing. “And here we are introducing the Sportmax Q3—an even better tire than the Q2—that will set new standards in the high-performance sport tire category.”
>
> Dunlop’s new Carbon Fiber Technology (CFT) incorporates a carbon fiber reinforcement element in the Sportmax Q3 tire sidewalls. The many attributes of carbon fiber—high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion—make it a great match for application in the Sportmax Q3.
>
> In addition, the success Dunlop has earned with the Sportmax® D211™ GP-A in AMA Pro Road Racing has led directly to many of the performance advantages in the Sportmax Q3. There’s the new tread pattern on the Q3, a planned outgrowth of the GP-A tread pattern, featuring fewer grooves that are longer in length to help route water away more effectively in wet conditions. The Sportmax Q3 also features Dunlop’s Intuitive Response Profile™ (IRP) design for phenomenal steering and handling characteristics, and MT Multi-Tread™ technology with a tough, cool-running long-wearing compound in the center of the tread plus lateral-grip compounds on the sides. In addition, Dunlop engineers worked to optimize tire carcass construction and tire compounds in the front and rear Sportmax Q3 tires.
>
> Extensive Dunlop testing shows that the Sportmax Q3 exhibits exceptional cornering stability especially at high lean angles, responsive and precise steering characteristics, and predictable and smooth transitional-steering performance for more confidence-inspiring handling.
>
> As the control tire supplier for AMA Pro Road Racing, Dunlop invested in new tire-producing machinery necessary to accommodate race tire production at our Buffalo, New York, manufacturing facility. These same high-tech machines are used to produce the all-new Sportmax Q3, so this serves as another example of how our investments in racing produce results that directly benefit the average street bike owner as well.
>
> The new Sportmax Q3 will be available at motorcycle dealers this June.
---
### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 8:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/2 "2013-05-23T08:39:44Z")
[http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/1/1622...irst-Look.aspx](http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/1/1622...irst-Look.aspx)
> [@motocycle-usa](#):
>
> Dunlop, America’s largest motorcycle tire supplier has released information on its latest road rubber: the Sportmax Q3. These new hoops are successors to the fantastic Q2—a versatile street and sportbike tire that won our 2010 Street Motorcycle Tire Comparison due to its class-leading performance and affordable price tag.
>
> Increasing the already high-level of grip and road handling is no easy to task so Dunlop tapped its road racing department utilizing information from involvement in AMA Pro Road Racing as the sole tire supplier in every class including SuperBike, Daytona SportBike and SuperSport.
>
> In addition to utilizing new machinery purchased specifically to build AMA-spec race tires, designers modified the shape of the tires and also tweaked the compounds inside. The Q3 continues to make use of multiple compound tread zones to give riders grip when leaned over in a corner and added stability and durability on straight roads. The tread pattern was also altered with the number of grooves decreasing but the length of each tread sipe increased allowing the tire to evacuate more water on rain soaked pavement.
>
> Dunlop says that the changes net added stability at lean and greater steering response and handling precision. Also of note is the use of carbon fiber in the sidewall designed to increase the tires strength without a significant weight penalty.
>
> Right now we’re in Huntsville, Alabama to sample the Q3 at Dunlop’s motorcycle tire proving grounds before it hits dealers later this spring. Stay tuned for the review and feel free to leave a comment in regards to the new tires and we’ll do our best to answer your question.
---
### Author:  [@Motocrossx23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Motocrossx23)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 8:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/3 "2013-05-23T08:44:40Z")
I wonder what the price point is compared to Pilot Pures.
Sounds like a nice tire.
---
### Author:  [@HouseS2K](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HouseS2K)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/4 "2013-05-23T08:46:23Z")
> [@Motocrossx23](#):
>
> I wonder what the price point is compared to Pilot Pures.
>
> Sounds like a nice tire.
Pilot pure were replaced by the power 3 and power one was replaced by the pilot cup
Sent from my iPhone 5
---
### Author:  [@Motocrossx23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Motocrossx23)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 8:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/5 "2013-05-23T08:49:52Z")
Oh wow, guess I’m kind of out of the loop now lol.
---
### Author:  [@XwalkerX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/XwalkerX)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 9:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/6 "2013-05-23T09:05:20Z")
> [@Motocrossx23](#):
>
> Oh wow, guess I’m kind of out of the loop now lol.
lol talk about out of the loop im running Continental Conti Motion Sport tires on my speedtriple…
---
### Author:  [@HouseS2K](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HouseS2K)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 10:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/7 "2013-05-23T10:03:49Z")
> [@XwalkerX](#):
>
> lol talk about out of the loop im running Continental Conti Motion Sport tires on my speedtriple…
The pilot cups come in race compounds now you can get them in either grade A ,B or C you can also just opt for the street compound which is slightly better than the power 3
Sent from my iPhone 5
---
### Author:  [@GV1390](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GV1390)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 10:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/8 "2013-05-23T10:17:05Z")
Thought the pure’s replaced the 2ct’s? Now I’m confused lol.
---
### Author:  [@HouseS2K](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HouseS2K)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/9 "2013-05-23T10:49:57Z")
> [@GV1390](#):
>
> Thought the pure’s replaced the 2ct’s? Now I’m confused lol.
Hhaha no bigs I got the catalog on my phone
Sent from my iPhone 5
---
### Author:  [@1QIKZ](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/1QIKZ)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 11:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/10 "2013-05-23T11:30:01Z")
How do these perform while riding wheelies in heavy traffic at 90 ?
---
### Author:  [@HouseS2K](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HouseS2K)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/11 "2013-05-23T13:52:04Z")
> [@1QIKZ](#):
>
> How do these perform while riding wheelies in heavy traffic at 90 ?
Not sure dont really ever do either
Sent from my iPhone 5
---
### Author:  [@benmtx5](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/benmtx5)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/12 "2013-05-23T21:09:14Z")
dunlops are great tires, i chew them up way to fast though
---
### Author:  [@slobaltss](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slobaltss)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/13 "2013-05-24T20:18:08Z")
go dunlop :tup:
---
### Author:  [@L8APEX1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/L8APEX1)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/14 "2013-05-25T05:46:00Z")
Yes please
---
### Author:  [@LXIFLYBY](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LXIFLYBY)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2013, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/15 "2013-05-25T09:33:39Z")
> [@benmtx5](#):
>
> dunlops are great tires, i chew them up way to fast though
Yeah they are rather soft/sticky. I usually get 2500 miles out of a rear, but i do an occasional burnout also. At least they are medium in price.
---
### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2013, 8:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/16 "2013-05-30T08:11:40Z")
[http://www.motorcycle.com/products/dunlop-q3-tire-review-91635.html](http://www.motorcycle.com/products/dunlop-q3-tire-review-91635.html)
> [@motorcycle.com](#):
>
> Marketing campaigns for tires are filled with catchy buzzwords touting their performance. So much so that we as journalists have started to ignore them. And no two buzzwords are more fashionable these days than “carbon fiber,” the light yet strong material so popular when it comes to performance materials.
>
> Now Dunlop is extolling the virtues of carbon fiber in its latest sport tire, the Q3, the successor to the Q2, itself a winner of numerous magazine tire tests and the tire of choice for many riding schools in the U.S. CFT, or Carbon Fiber Technology, is the buzzword acronym now and it stems from the use of carbon fiber filaments extruded into the rubber used to form the Q3’s sidewall.
>
> Multi Tread (MT) technology is Dunlop speak for dual compounds and the Q3 has them. A tough, cool-running, long-wearing compound in the center is flanked by softer compound rubber on the sides for traction at any lean angle. Two nylon carcass plies and two aramid reinforcing belts help the tire maintain composure during cornering and braking. In addition to these elements, the rear features a continuously wound Jointless Band (JLB) to keep the tire diameter from expanding at high speeds.
>
> Unlike other tires with quick warm-up abilities, however, the Q3 doesn’t utilize any silica in its design, says Mick Jackson, Manager of Product Development, who comes from Dunlop’s UK race team, having worked extensively in Grand Prix and World Superbike before joining Dunlop USA in Buffalo, New York. “Instead, the Q3 is all carbon black, infused with different polymers, which allow it to warm quickly and provide great grip.”
>
> Looking at the Q3’s tread pattern, it looks very similar to that of the D211 GP-A DOT race tire, however, with fewer, yet longer, center grooves. This allows for better water dispersal but with the same rubber to void ratio as the Q2.
>
> **Using sophisticated data acquisition instruments, Dunlop engineers determined the Q3 has 8% more drive grip, plus 5% more corner stability than its predecessor, allowing for a 0.5-second improvement in dry lap time around the 1.3-mile test track with Dunlop test rider Rich Conicelli at the controls. More impressive is the 1.4-second lap time improvement on the 0.5-mile wet course.**
>
> **Think about that: race teams are thrilled when they slash tenths of a second off lap times. To cut 1.4 seconds around a half-mile course, in the wet, is a huge amount. Again, using data acquisition, the Q3 recorded 8% better drive grip, 10% more braking stability and 15% more cornering stability compared to the Q2 in wet conditions around Dunlop’s test track.**
>
> Put Up Or Shut Up
>
> If the numbers are to be believed, then Dunlop has created one incredible tire. Of course claims like this deserve to be verified, and that’s why journalists were invited to the Dunlop Proving Grounds in Huntsville, Alabama. DPG is the only facility of its kind in the country, and possibly the world, dedicated solely to testing motorcycle tires, and where the above performance claims were recorded.
>
> Here the assembled journalists would be able to partake in a similar exercise Dunlop test riders like Conicelli use to evaluate tires. The test facility (it’s not a racetrack) features a narrow, 1.3-mile course with close walls and no runoff. It includes a series of tight switchbacks (which double back on itself), high-speed flicks, long-radius turns, long straights and heavy braking zones, perfect for dissecting a tire’s strengths and weaknesses quickly.
>
> For this test, the Q2 and Q3 were available for back-to-back testing on either a 2013 Suzuki GSX-R600 or Kawasaki ZX-6R 636. Unfortunately, wet testing wasn’t made available to us, so we’ll have to trust Dunlop’s word. I had spent a few sessions entirely on the new tire to acclimate myself to its characteristics. It seemed well enough; offering quick warm-up as advertised with good grip all the way to the edge. But it was difficult to put into context without comparing it to something else.
>
> The eye-opening moment for me was testing the Q3 back-to-back with its now discontinued predecessor, the Q2, all on board the ZX-6R. In virtually all aspects of performance, the Q3 is simply better, which is saying a lot considering how good the Q2 is.
>
> Using carbon fiber in promotional materials is sure to grab attention, but I’m happy to report CFT is more than just marketing fluff – these tires deliver. Under braking, the new tire feels more sure-footed with less squirm. Initial turn-in feels slightly quicker, with a minor, albeit noticeable difference in confidence and grip at full lean.
>
> I found myself applying the power on corner exits sooner and more aggressively lap after lap, and the rear never once protested. The Q2 deserves praise still, because even when it would disagree with my throttle hand, it simply whispered its unhappiness with a gentle wiggle, never shouting with a big slide.
>
> It’s difficult not to be anything less than highly impressed with the Dunlop Q3. It delivers confidence-inspiring grip just shy of a race tire. For the rider looking for a high performance street tire that will also handle hard lapping in the fast group at your next trackday, look no further.
>
> The Q3 will be available starting June 13 in popular sizes for most current sporty motorcycles. The smallest, and least expensive size, 120/60 ZR17, will set you back $165.73, while a 240/40 ZR18, the largest rear available, costs $290.51. As stated earlier, all prices are identical to the Q2 before it. Visit [http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/](http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/) for more information.
---
### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2013, 6:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/17 "2013-06-05T06:58:35Z")
[http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/545/16290/Motorcycle-Article/Dunlop-Sportmax-Q3-Motorcycle-Tire-Review.aspx](http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/545/16290/Motorcycle-Article/Dunlop-Sportmax-Q3-Motorcycle-Tire-Review.aspx)
> [@motorcycle-usa](#):
>
> [**_Click for video_**](http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/1627/Motorcycle-Video/2013-Dunlop-Sportmax-Q3-Motorcycle-Tire-Review-Video.aspx)
>
> Whether it’s iPhones or motorcycle tires, faster, lighter and better rules the market. And after establishing a new performance standard for sport riders with its outgoing Q2, Dunlop follows up with its new and improved Sportmax Q3. The Q3 is an all-purpose sport tire positioned between Big D’s more affordable Qualifier and race-grade GP-A tires.
>
> Considering the Q2’s phenomenal road handling (winner of the 2010 Street Motorcycle Tire Comparison), engineers didn’t want to reinvent the uh… tire. Instead it employs new manufacturing techniques and lessons learned during its five years of supplying competition tires for the AMA Pro Road Racing series.
>
> The underpinning and exterior profile of the front hoop (available in two sizes: 120/60-17 and 120/70-17) is similar to before and continues to employ twin nylon and aramid fiber carcass plies that make for a solid foot print regardless of speed. However, engineers tweaked the way the tire deforms under load by introducing carbon fiber into the sidewall. To do this, it mixes ground up pieces of carbon fiber with rubber and extrudes it into certain areas of sidewall, above the steel hex-shaped bead. This helps give favorable flex characteristics during braking, cornering and acceleration.
>
> Like before, the Q3 incorporates separate rubber compounds designed to give the best of both worlds: Acceptable mileage and wear resistance on straight roads and enhanced grip and road holding at lean through corners. It does this by using a tough section of rubber at the center that’s sandwiched between tackier mixtures on either side. The Q3 also benefits from a new tread design that closely mimics the GP-A race tire. This improves grip on dry roads without sacrificing wet weather performance. Although there is fewer tread grooves, each one is longer in length and placed strategically to evacuate water on wet asphalt. To prove it Dunlop soaked down a portion of the track with its sprinkler system. While the tires don’t have the surefootedness of a purpose-built rain- or sport-touring tire they do offer plenty of grip to keep you rolling if the skies open up on you during a ride.
>
> Aside from the updated tread design and inclusion of carbon fiber filament in certain areas of the tire’s sidewall, the shape of the 180/55-17 and 190/55-17 rear tires was modified to enhanced steering precision while yielding a bigger contact patch. Specifically, the 180 is narrower, which contributes to quicker handling. The 190/55 version is taller at the center and has a more triangulated profile akin to the AMA-spec race rubber. Also of note is the availability of a 200/50-17 for fitment on the newest liter-class sportbikes (Aprilia RSV4 and Ducati 1199 Panigale) and a 240/40-18 for stretched and slammed drag racing-style sport motorcycles like Suzuki’s Hayabusa or Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-14R.
>
> To experience Dunlop’s newest Sportmax, we were invited us to Dunlop’s testing center in Huntsville, Alabama. Although the proving grounds were originally built for car-tire testing it has since morphed into a motorcycle-only facility where Big D evaluates all of its on- and off-road motorcycle tires. We sampled its fresh shoes on a 2011-2013 spec Suzuki GSX-R600 in standard sizes (120/70-17 front, 180/55-17 rear). Since we were riding exclusively on track, Dunlop lowered tire air pressures from the OE setting (36 psi front/42 psi rear) to 32 psi in the front and 30 psi in the rear—as this was the most optimum setting based on previous testing.
>
> Typically track day outings necessitate the use of tire warmers so that the rubber is pre-heated and ready to adhere to pavement as soon as wheels turn on track. But with the Q3s warmers are almost irrelevant. The rubber compounding generates heat quickly, allowing the rider to begin exploiting the performance of his or her motorcycle right away. Of course some caution should be exercised to avoid a cold tire crash, but the Dunlops warm up so quickly that it’s easy to pick up the pace by the second lap or after a few minutes of riding.
>
> The Q3s continue to have a more rigid-feeling carcass than other road tires in this segment. This gives the rider the feel he or she needs to be assertive with the controls during acceleration and braking. Yet the tires still soak up bumps and deliver a controlled ride that isn’t harsh. You’d be hard pressed to find a tire that offers a better compromise between that solid race-tire feel and everyday comfort over chop and rough pavement.
>
> Considering the tire’s stiffer construction, both steering precision and stability is at lofty level. Not only do the Q3s boost the handling accuracy of a modern sportbike like the GSX-R we rode, they do so without compromising stability. We encountered not even a hint of headshake or handlebar wiggle during full throttle acceleration. In fact the Q3’s made the Suzuki handle so much more responsively that it takes some time to get used to. It was actually challenging to find the sweet spot in terms of rider steering input (too much and you’re clipping the apex), but the bottom line is the tires will allow you to put the motorcycle anywhere on track with laser-like precision. You just have to get your brain acclimated to how quickly it will arrive there.
>
> Outright grip continues to be astounding for a street tire. The Q3 delivers such a high degree of adhesion that exploring its true potential on public roadways will prove difficult due to typical road hazards (traffic, guard rails, animals, etc.) Still it’s nice to know that if you come across an open stretch of tarmac that you know well, you’ll have all the traction needed to put a grin on your face. The Q3 can achieve impressive lean angles and, as mentioned before, stability near maximum lean is incredible. Dunlop’s latest Sportmax gives more authentic track-grade performance than any other street tire we know of.
>
> Given the class-leading performance of the outgoing Q2 it could have been easy for Dunlop to simply keep producing it. Instead, through a series of careful refinements born in AMA racing, it has designed a tire that enables sport riders to explore the outrageous performance of their motorcycles with added control. But not cost, as the Q3 is priced the same as the Q2. Never mind value, if you’re seeking a versatile high-performance sport tire the Q3 is it.
---
### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/18 "2013-06-14T06:32:45Z")
[http://www.sportrider.com/gear/146\_13050\_dunlop\_sportmax\_q3\_sportbike\_tire\_review/](http://www.sportrider.com/gear/146_13050_dunlop_sportmax_q3_sportbike_tire_review/)
> [@sportrider](#):
>
> After being thoroughly impressed with Dunlop’s Sportmax Q2 sport tire in our last sport tire comparison, we figured that Dunlop wasn’t in a hurry to try and improve on it. The Q2’s performance was head and shoulders above the rest, and even more impressive was the fact that the tire was actually some three years old, having been in introduced way back in September 2009. Thus, when we received the news that Dunlop was ready to release the new Sportmax Q3 successor, we were a bit surprised…and couldn’t help but have a bit of skepticism regarding the new tire and its performance. How could Dunlop actually improve on the Q2?
>
> The biggest change with the new Q3 tire is the use of carbon fiber in its construction. We know what you’re thinking: “Oh geez, another marketing gimmick.” Nothing could be further from the truth in this case. Everyone knows the benefits of the carbon fiber—high rigidity and tensile strength, ultra-light weight, high tolerance of chemical and temperature extremes, including low thermal expansion—just the characteristics you want for use in a tire casing.
>
> Where Dunlop made use of carbon fiber is in the tire’s sidewall as a reinforcement element. Dunlop North America’s association with Goodyear (the company is majority-owned by the well-known automobile tire manufacturer in association with Sumitomo Rubber Industries in Japan) led to the idea of using it in the sidewall, as Goodyear is famous for the same design element with its Eagle F1 performance automobile tires. By incorporating a carbon fiber reinforcement band into the Q3 sidewalls, Dunlop was looking to improve cornering stability, handling, and steering response.
>
> The Q3 keeps its predecessor’s IRP (Intuitive Response Profile) that is designed to steer and handle quicker while providing a larger contact patch when cornering, as well as the MT (Multi-Tread) technology that utilizes a longer-wearing compound in the center of the tread along with softer, grippier compounds on the sides for cornering traction. The front Q3 maintains the cross-ply “cut-breaker” radial construction with two nylon plies and two aramid belts, while the rear continues with a true zero-degree radial construction with one nylon ply and a continuously wound circumferential aramid JLB (Jointless Belt) layer to prevent tire growth.
>
> In a twist from previous tire press launches we’ve attended, Dunlop decided to forego doing the usual rental of a known racetrack, and hold its Q3 launch at the company’s own Huntsville Proving Grounds in Alabama. An 80-acre compound that is the world’s only motorcycle-only tire test facility, the HPG includes a road course, a wet test track, multiple supercross and motocross tracks, and a recently expanded off-road course. The 1.5-mile road course features a unique layout that runs over itself, so each journalist took to the course by himself to allay any danger; a side benefit was that it allowed us to concentrate on the tires without any distractions.
>
> Dunlop reps let us ride on both the Q2 and Q3 back-to-back (a Suzuki GSX-R600 and Kawasaki ZX-6R 636, as well as a ZX-10R outfitted with datalogging equipment were on hand), which allowed us to see how much difference there was between the two tires. We mostly stayed on the GSX-R600, as its familiar handling capabilities would allow us to really feel the differences between the two tires.
>
> The verdict? If you thought the Q2 was good, the Q3 will leave you shaking your head and spouting superlatives. The biggest advantage with the new Q3 is stability over the Q2 (and the Q2 wasn’t exactly an unstable tire if you read our tire comparison results). For instance, the Q3 is noticeably more stable under hard braking, with much less tread squirm; that also translated to easier steering under trail braking into the corner. The Q3 was also more stable in transitions, with less of tendency to “settle” into the corner before turning as with many other sport tires—the Q3 would simply slam to full lean and immediately carve toward your intended apex with impressive precision and neutrality. Even edge grip with the Q3 was slightly improved, and the Q3’s slides seemed smoother and more controlled.
>
> And the best part in all this? The new Dunlop Q3 will retail for the exact same price as the Q2 (which definitely wasn’t the most expensive tire on the market) in all sizes. And that includes a 200/50ZR-17 size for the latest literbikes such as the Ducati 1199 Panigale and Aprilia RSV4, and a monster 240/40ZR-18 to fit the slammed/stretched ‘Busas and ZX-14Rs out there.
>
> We’ll be getting a few sets to test on our own roads and racetracks for a more extensive evaluation, but we can say from our day spent on the new Q3 that Dunlop has raised the bar once again. The competition has some serious work to do.
---
### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dunlop-introduces-the-new-sportmax-q3-sportbike-tire/230764/19 "2013-07-17T07:46:15Z")
> **[These aren't the droids you're looking for...](https://superbikeplanet.com/2013/Jul/130702dunlopq3.htm)**
>
> These aren't the droids you're looking for...
> [@superbikeplanet](#):
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> My phone rings and the voice on the other end asks what my plans are next week. No plans. “Good,” says the editor of Soup. “Put your leathers in your suitcase. I want you to fly out to Dunlop’s proving grounds in Huntsville, Alabama and try out their new Q3 Sportmax tires. A travel agent will be calling you.”
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> Soon enough I am trying to check my helmet, boots and leathers at the airport and then I am on a plane.
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> Your first question must be this: who the hell is this guy and why should I care that he’s trying to check an gi-normous bag through to Alabama?
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> Allow me to introduce myself; I’m Willy Ivins. I’ve been riding motorcycles—legally, at least—since I was 15, which was some time ago. Does that time pre-date disco? When the cassette tape was the medium of choice for my pirated music collection? Maybe. Since then I’ve always had at least one streetbike and try to ride daily. My current “main” set of wheels is a 2008 CBR1000RR—it has 51,000 miles on it and I’ve lost count how many sets of tires I have spooned in it over the years—probably more than ten. It wore Dunlop Q2s most recently. I use it as my main two-wheeled transportation—I’ve ridden it for days at a time traveling in every cardinal direction of the compass (except West—I live in California), I run around in the canyons on it on weekends and I know the volume of groceries—down to the last bag of pistachios—I can buy without toppling its tank bag.
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> I began roadracing in 1986 on a RZ350 at Willow Springs and am still racing today. I’ve raced again a variety of bikes over the years—and at tracks all over the US—Daytona, Grattan, Roebling Road and the rest. Primarily I’ve raced small two strokes—much of it with the AFM, USGPRU (formerly the GPRA), CCS, the now defunct WSMC, and currently the MWGP. My current steed of sanctioned high velocity is a 1996 Honda RS125R (affectionately referred to as ‘The Angry Leaf Blower’) that I started racing on the east coast in '99, but I’ve raced a variety of bikes over the years and am up for just about any kind of two wheeled adventure, be it supermoto, off-road or just scooters on the beach in Daytona.
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> In short, I am probably a lot like you. I enjoy motorcycles, riding them as much as I can. I like to ride at a good pace on the street and regularly hone my ‘red mist’ skills with race days and track days at various closed circuit venues in SoCal. Additionally, I’m sort of a tire nerd when it comes to my bikes—I have my own tire mounting machine, and probably own as many tire spoons as I have silverware spoons in my bachelor kitchen. Really.
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> Enough about me.
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> Some Dunlop backstory: Dunlop brought their revolutionary Sportmax Q2 tires to the sportbike market back in 2009. Since then, the Q2 has been the tire of choice for legions of high-performance motorcycle riders who frequent their favorite roads, track day venues, and even commuter routes. I think the Q2 was largely considered the best street tire for most applications, and the fact that you see them on race bikes, race school bikes and a multitude of bikes on the street speaks more for the Q2 tire than what I could say. Nearly four years after its introduction, the Q2 continues to come out on top in most sportbike tire comparisons, and in that light, honestly, it would have been well understood if Dunlop let the Q2 run another year or more in the marketplace. Dunlop, however, is aware of the perils of resting on its laurels, and they set about producing a suitable successor to the Q2. It’s good to be king, but it’s also a precarious position to be in, with that bullseye placed squarely on your back, courtesy of all sportbike tire shootouts Dunlop have won. As a guy who has paid for a bunch of Q2s with my own hard earned cash, my question was in light of the successes of the Q2, what could Dunlop possibly do to make the best even better?
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> Dunlop went to work on the Q3 knowing that, while today’s riders still hold absolute performance as priority number one, current economic conditions mean that the bang-for-the-buck factor is now nearly equal, unlike before, when price was a little bit less of a concern. So they had to make a better tire that would sell for generally the same price. Good luck with that.
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> With the successful Q2 as the foundation for the Q3, many of its features were carried over, so carcass layout and materials are familiar, as is the rear tire’s multi-tread and jointless belt technology. Dunlop’s latest experience in the road racing environment means that the rubber compounds have received tweaks. The rear tire’s center width is a longer-wearing, cooler-running compound, while the side sections feature a compound from the GP-A DOT racing tire.
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> For the Q3, however, a new material—carbon fiber—has been added to stiffen the sidewalls. Yes, carbon fiber tires—isn’t it great to be alive today? Carbon’s use in tires is new to the motorcycle world, but it is fairly common in the car world. For example, Dunlop’s parent company, Goodyear, uses carbon fiber in its Eagle F1 performance car tires.
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> Carbon fiber’s properties of stiffness, light weight, resistance to chemicals, and thermal stability make it an ideal material to add stiffness to a motorcycle’s sidewall. This is an area of the tire that bears huge loads in braking and cornering, and it has a direct influence on stability and steering precision. The lightweight aspect also helps make the added material’s impact on unsprung mass almost immeasurable. However, the carbon fiber is not in the form of a woven cloth, as I had imagined. It is, instead, carbon atoms bonded together into crystals, and laid out in a semi-aligned manner along the circumference just above the bead.
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> The Q2’s intuitive response profile, which provides a taller profile with an aggressive taper leading to the sidewall, is also utilized in the Q3. On the newest Sportmax, it has been refined to be even more aggressively tapered to the sidewall, which provides a larger contact patch at full lean.
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> Keen observers will notice changes to the tread pattern. Dunlop’s cosecant groove design is used, albeit with adjustments to placement and a longer length. Appearance-wise, the tire bears closer similarity to the D211 GP-A than to the Q2. Dunlop’s Huntsville crew experimented exhaustively with hand-grooved tires to find an optimum tread design for wet-weather performance, and they say that success has been achieved.
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> I was summoned to verify the veracity of their claim where the tire was developed, the Dunlop Proving Grounds in Huntsville, Alabama. This is where, er, the rubber meets the road. It’s a motorcycle-only, dry-and wet-testing facility—the only one of its kind in the U.S. The wet-testing feature is used by many AMA Pro Road Racing teams to test and refine their wet-weather setups. The course layout has 4 total miles of pavement: the short, handling, and wet course is a half-mile long, while the long course is 1.3 miles. Despite the long course’s relatively short overall distance, the straightaway is sufficiently long enough to see just over an indicated 150 mph before slowing for the second-gear left/right chicane.
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> Q3s mounted, tech briefing over, my first laps were taken aboard a Kawasaki ZX-6R, with Dunlop’s test rider, ex- AMA Pro racer Rich Conicelli, leading for a couple of laps to familiarize me with the layout. After learning the course, I was able to turn up the wick to find out what the Q3 is all about. After a 15-minute session, I came in drenched in sweat despite the mild 80 degrees showing on the thermometer. In California, 80 degrees is darn near long sleeve weather, due to the almost complete lack of any moisture in the air. In Huntsville, the relative humidity numbers don’t stray too far from the air temp numbers. So, while rehydrating with some much-needed water, I wrote in my notebook “no drama”. The tires were amazingly capable and I simply rode as fast as I dared to and found basically no weak points in that environment.
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> As I waited for my next session—the track layout overlaps, so only one rider at a time can be on course—I contemplated my lack of data collection. My second session was on a Suzuki GSX-R600 and, while I was more comfortable and fluid on course. The one thing that I struggled with a bit with the idea that the Q3 has a stiffer sidewall than my old familiar Q2s, as I felt no bumps of any significance in either session. I asked if the track is actually that smooth, and the reply was simply a wry grin, and a “Hold that thought” comment from Dunlop’s Rich Conicelli.
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> This must have been anticipated because, next, the bikes were fitted with the older version Q2 tires. I went out on the ZX-6R again, and I was mentally scratching my helmet from the first corner on, wondering what in the word had just transpired. With the older Q2s mounted there was a lot of nervousness on the brakes and a harshness in the ride quality that I didn’t experience in the first two sessions. Was that bump there before? Am I crossing that transition in a different spot? What the hell is going on here? Finding the apex and maintaining a line required much more mental focus than earlier sessions. Initial traction levels seemed the same, though, and warmup on sticker tires wasn’t a concern, but I was almost worn out trying to lap fast on a tire that I’d recommended to numerous friends when they wondered which tire to put on their bike. What just happened?
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> Perspective is an important thing. After all the journalists got their sessions on the Q2, the bikes were re-fitted with Q3s again. After I completed the first lap on the Q3-mounted GSX-R600, the light bulb came on…like a torch. The Q2 is a brilliant tire, with lofty capabilities, but the Q3 completely trumps it in every measure of performance I can think of. The bumps again disappeared. The set & forget behavior for following my line through a corner returned, and, despite occasionally lifting the rear wheel when braking, both middleweights tracked true and without drama. I trail brake, heavily at times, and ride the front end quite hard. The Q3s ate it up, not once wavering from my intended line. Hard acceleration gave the same advantage of increased stability and precise behavior over the Q2. My comparison between the tires has centered on what I’ve felt from the bikes, but the difference between the Q3 and Q2 is, in my opinion, undeniably measurable. In fact, Dunlop _did_ measure and quantify the superiority of the Q3 over the Q2, beyond what I was reporting. I was shown lap traces from their data collection bike that recorded lap times a half-second quicker during the 1.3-mile dry lap, and a 1.4-second quicker lap on the half-mile wet course. That theoretically would equate to a full second quicker lap in the dry, and a massive 6 seconds quicker in wet conditions at Barber Motorsports Park. The Q3 does more of what the rider asks of it, all with reduced effort from the rider. Reduced effort used correcting and shepherding the bike’s line can now be directed towards the mental aspect of finding a way to go faster, at the same level of effort. All through the Q3 sessions, I would note the tire wear as other riders came in. Even after two sessions each for the four riders, all without a shred of mechanical sympathy, the Q3s showed almost no wear, they hadn’t even broken a sweat.
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> Someone mention wet conditions? Then it was time to turn on the sprinklers, and I don’t mean for the purpose of watering the grass. These east coast types are serious about irrigation, even the asphalt gets watered out here. As the track neared its proper, standing-water condition, Rich came into the garage where we were enjoying the air conditioning, and he asked, “Who wants to go first?” All my years in the Marines did not save me from that impulse to be the first volunteer. “I’ll go!” I blurted out. Why? I’d had a certain wide-eyed curiosity—even excitement—about the tread design to see if it was indeed as good as Dunlop said it was. Dunlop had some riding celebs on hand for the press intro and 1993 500cc world champion Kevin Schwantz must have seen it in my face. As I strapped on my helmet, Kevin came over to me and locked eyes with me while he said, “Stay off the paint!” When a World Champion gives you simple instructions like that, your only response is “Roger that.”
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> The wet course makes use of large, constant-radius corners, so you can easily settle into a line and experiment with the throttle or brakes. Again, Rich led me out for a couple of exploratory laps. As I navigated—an appropriate nautical term given the amount of water on the track—I noticed that the standing water was deep enough to create perfect, mirror-like reflections of the surroundings. Rich picked up speed, and I really wanted to keep pace, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to do it, at least not initially.
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> Again I am now a California rider. Riding in water that, to me, seemed deep enough to support aquatic life was difficult to process in just a few laps. I felt movement from both ends, but it was unlike anything I’d felt before, and I was unsure if the tires were warning me that I was about to be “that guy.” He slowed down and looked back, waiting for a thumbs-up, which I returned, and he pulled off. Plowing through the standing water, I continued to feel a short, sharp, slip/grip cycle from both ends, like a ratcheting movement. It didn’t upset the bike, there was no extra movement from the handlebars, and no “Oh, sh\*t!” moments. The far-end turn was wet, but lacked the standing water of the other turn, so the tire behaved as if the surface was dry. I did get my knee down in this turn and was able to brake and feed in throttle (in moderation) without any hysterics from the bike…or from me.
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> I needed to mull this situation over before venturing back out in the wet. I live in California and I’d be the first to tell you it never rains there, so this was a new experience for me. I hadn’t really ridden in deep standing water since I moved out of Florida several decades ago, and from Virginia a solid decade back. Rain riding is a perishable skill.
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> Also, being the first rider out, I didn’t want to push things and ruin the other testers opportunity to sample these conditions, so I pulled in, with a mind to ride another session. I told Rich the feedback I was getting, and he confirmed, “Yeah, that’s what they do. Just stay relaxed on the bike, and trust the tires.” Hmm, I figured he’d say something like that. Okay.
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> My second session was granted, and again the sprinklers dispensed their ‘acid test’. While the other riders and the Dunlop crew packed up, I cut more laps. Rich’s words “Trust the tires” ran through my mind in the voice of Obi-Wan, and my pace increased significantly. The tires continued to relate their ratcheting feedback, and while I was certainly off Conicelli’s pace, I was satisfied that I’d adequately sampled the Q3’s wet-weather capabilities. My confidence in both ends increased considerably, and with time I’m sure I could have become as smooth and confident as Rich in those conditions-well, close anyway. With Rich on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 data bike, he got his knee down in the wet but I was probably at least one more session - okay, two - away from being that confident in myself to use the full strength of the Q3 in the wet. I could rest easy tonight, after my self redemption.
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> The latest evolution of Dunlop’s cosecant curve tread design is the sole reason for the Q3’s water borne heroics. During the morning tech briefing, I’d asked about the presence of silica in the rubber compound, since it hadn’t been mentioned and seemed widely used in other tires to improve wet weather performance. The engineers told us that silica, while being beneficial to wet performance for some tires, was determined to be unnecessary for this application because of the tread design’s ability to quickly channel water away from the contact patch. In this instance, silica would only add cost, but no benefit. I heard one of the Dunlop engineers say that the Q3 is so good that it could conceivably be used as an intermediate wet tire during an AMA Pro Road Racing event. That would not surprise me at all.
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> The Q3 is manufactured at the Buffalo, NY, plant, avoiding expensive transportation costs of bringing in tires manufactured in England or Japan (the sidewall even sports a very cool molded-in, made-in-the-USA label), using the same new machines that produce Dunlop’s AMA Pro Road Racing tires. This ensures a cutting-edge product, and the dual tasking of the equipment also cuts down on production costs. Seems to me that Dunlop has managed to reduce material costs, and the Q3 has inherited the Q2’s pricing structure. Applause from guys like me that buy at least three sets of tires a year.
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> The new Sportmax Q3 is a clear improvement over the previous Sportmax Q2 in every way. I requested a set to take home and mount on my streetbike to see what they are like in street conditions (I sense they will be great and will report back after I put on some miles). I’d like to chronicle durability and profile degradation in my street riding. But, even if tire life on the street for the Q3 is the same Q2, the purchaser of these tires is getting a significant boost in their bang for the buck. In talking with the various Dunlop staff at the launch, I can assure you, the reader, that what they accomplished was anything but easy. Pushing a successful product like the Q2 to the next level, bringing new technology, delivering higher performance at effectively lower cost is a manufacturing coup de gras. The tire is better in every way that is important to people like us—people who like to go ride motorcycles quickly.
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> With the exception of the discontinued 170/60-17, the Q3s are available now in the usual sizes.
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> ENDS