Pirelli Diablo Rosso II Score
The Pirelli Diablo Rosso II remains a nostalgic powerhouse that performs best when the sun is out and the asphalt is hot. While it was a class-leader a decade ago, today it serves as a budget-friendly entry-level tire for riders who prioritize dry-weather performance and cost-effectiveness over all-weather versatility.
The Good
- Cheap
- Good grip level
The Bad
- Doesn't like wet roads
- Long warm-up time
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Grip Dry
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Grip Wet
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Warm-Up
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Handling
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Mileage
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Value for Money
When Pirelli released the Diablo Rosso II (more than 10 years ago), the motorcycle world was impressed by the tire’s sporty potential. Even today, Pirelli still produces the Rosso II as an affordable entry‑level tire in a huge range of sizes. Whether the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II is still worth buying is what we reveal in our full Pirelli Diablo Rosso II review.
Table of Contents
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II Review
In our Pirelli Diablo Rosso II review, we evaluate the Rosso 2’s riding characteristics from today’s perspective and tell you whether the tire is still a worthwhile budget option. We mounted the Rosso II on our CBR600RR and share how it performs on 600cc supersport machines. We also ran the Rosso II for a long period on a Yamaha MT‑03, giving us a complete picture of the tire across different motorcycles.
Grip on Dry Roads
On dry roads, the Diablo Rosso II delivers very respectable grip. On 600cc bikes, it’s difficult to push the Rosso 2 beyond its limits in terms of traction. The rear also provides more than enough grip in all situations. Only the limit zone felt a bit small — if you push the tire to its edge, you should know what you’re doing.
Warm‑up behavior, however, is not great. The tire needs quite some time before it feels good and shows its strengths. On cold days, the Rosso 2 feels “edgy” and harsh. It also cools down relatively quickly, which demands a consistently sporty riding style.
In hot conditions, the Rosso II feels much more at home. On the MT‑03, we rode it at around 35°C — and it performed noticeably better.
Grip on Wet Roads
On wet roads, the Rosso II did not convince us at all. The front felt extremely vague, and overall wet grip is far from good. We simply could not build trust in the Rosso II in the rain – this applied to both test bikes and even during warm summer rain.
Braking Characteristics
On dry roads and once warm, the Rosso II performs well under braking. It offers plenty of grip and reasonably good feedback. Braking performance is absolutely acceptable for a tire of this age.
Riding Comfort
The Pirelli Diablo Rosso II offers little inherent damping, so comfort is not its strong suit. Still, it handles country roads and poor asphalt surprisingly well. For a sport tire of its age, comfort is perfectly acceptable.
Tire Wear
The Pirelli Diablo Rosso II shows a good wear pattern and does not suffer excessively even under sporty riding. We have no complaints about wear. Even when extremely hot, the tire does not show excessive degradation.
Mileage
Depending on bike and riding style, the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II can deliver respectable mileage for its age. With very spirited riding (pure country roads), we achieved 2,100 km in our long‑term test. With a gentler throttle hand, up to 4,000 km is certainly possible.
On the lower‑powered Yamaha MT‑03, we achieved well over 4,000 km.
Riding Stability / Cornering Stability
The Diablo Rosso II is extremely stable in long high‑speed corners — exactly what you want from a sport tire. The Rosso 2 holds its line very precisely and can be directed accurately.
Agility / Turn‑in Behavior
In terms of agility, the Rosso II is perfectly fine. It is not nearly as nervous or hyper‑agile as the Rosso III, making it suitable for almost any motorcycle type.
However, we found turn‑in behavior in tight hairpins and switchbacks somewhat awkward. The tire needs to be “forced” into the radius, then tips in rather quickly. On the Yamaha MT‑03, the tire felt agile and confidence‑inspiring at the front; on the CBR600RR, we did not like the handling as much.
Uprighting Tendency
The Pirelli Diablo Rosso II behaves very neutrally at lean. Whether braking or accelerating, it barely stands up at all.
Tire Pressure
On our CBR600RR, we tested various pressures. Warm‑up behavior was best with slightly reduced pressures:
- Front: 2.3 bar
- Rear: 2.5 bar
On the Yamaha MT‑03, 2.0 bar front and rear worked well.
Pirelli Diablo Rosso II Experiences
The Diablo Rosso II was considered an excellent sport tire for many years. Considering today’s technology, however, the Rosso II is simply too unbalanced. It does not like wet or cold conditions and becomes stubborn in such situations.
On warm summer days and with sporty riding, it still shows impressive potential. A set of Diablo Rosso II often costs around €200 or less in 120/180 sizes — incredibly cheap. If you only ride in good weather and want to save money, the Rosso II is worth a closer look, especially for smaller bikes and older sport machines.
Alternatives to the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
Since the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II is now positioned as a budget entry‑level sport tire, the following alternatives make sense:
- Continental ContiSportAttack (direct competitor)
- Pirelli Diablo Rosso III (successor)
- Metzeler Sportec M7 RR
