Dunlop Refines the Roadsmart IV Series

[darrell]

A little more than a year after bringing its Roadsmart IV tire line to market, Dunlop is now refining its touring-oriented series, creating two sub-lines.

When introduced in August of 2020, the Roadsmart IV tires came in with a two-compound design on the tire’s exterior, which enables the tires to last longer on the highway straights while still retaining grip on the shoulders for aggressive cornering. Then, there’s a third compound beneath the tires’ surface, intended to help them get to peak operating speed more quickly. The Roadsmart IV line also came to market with the usual talk of improved tread and tire profile offering heightened performance. Originally, the tire came in 17-inch and 18-inch front sizes. Rear tires were only available in 17-inch sizes.

A little over a year later, Dunlop is tweaking the Roadsmart IV:

In the most popular sizes (120/70ZR17 front; 180/55ZR17 and 190/55ZR17 rear) Dunlop has developed two distinct versions of the RoadSmart IV. The SP variant is optimised for lighter and sportier road machines, whereas the GT variant is tuned to bring greater handling prowess to larger touring bikes.

Dunlop says the Roadsmart IV is designed to fit 17 of Europe’s 20 top-selling bikes, including the BMW R1250 GS as well as crossover touring machines like the Yamaha Tracer. While obviously not a dirt-oriented tire, it would be a possible option for road-biased travelers, particularly now that there’s a version developed that’s intended for heavier machines. Presumable, the tires intended for heavier bikes have a slightly different compound and beefier carcass, although they may look the same.

The updated design joins the Mutant, the street-legal K950 trials tire and the reintroduced D605 dual-sport tire in Dunlop’s US lineup. Despite COVID supply chain issues, Dunlop seems keep its touring/ADV/dirt/dual sport lines healthy.