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The XSR900 ships from the factory on Bridgestone Battlax S22 tires (120/70ZR17 front, 180/55ZR17 rear) — a retro-styled naked bike with genuinely sporty underpinnings, so the right replacement spans everyday sport-touring rubber up to max-performance track tires depending on how the bike gets ridden.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22 | $180-$260 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23 | $200-$280 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Michelin Pilot Road 4 | $180-$260 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Dunlop Sportmax GPR300 | $150-$220 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Dunlop RoadSmart IV | $200-$260 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Michelin Road 6 | $210-$270 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Michelin Power 6 | $220-$290 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33 | $200-$260 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV | $200-$280 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 10 | Metzeler Racetec RR K3 | $250-$350 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 11 | Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE | $200-$260 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
| 12 | Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V2 | $260-$360 (pair) | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22
The XSR900’s original OEM tire — a safe factory-match replacement, though Bridgestone’s own current flagship in this slot is now the S23 below.
- 120/70ZR17 front, 180/55ZR17 rear (OEM XSR900 sizing)
- Hypersport street compound
- Good wet and dry grip balance
- Factory-fitted tire
- No fitment guesswork since it’s what the bike already wears from the factory
- Often cheaper than the newer S23 while stock lasts
- Superseded as Bridgestone’s flagship by the S23, which offers better dry grip and mileage
- Wears faster than a pure sport-touring tire under daily commuting use
Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23
Bridgestone’s current flagship hypersport tire, the direct successor to the S22 with an updated compound for better dry grip and roughly 47% more mileage than the outgoing generation offered.
- 120/70ZR17 front, 180/55ZR17 rear fitment
- Updated tread pattern and compound over the S22
- Improved dry grip and braking versus S22
- Current Bridgestone flagship hypersport tire
- The actual current-generation Bridgestone flagship, not the S22 it replaces at the top of the range
- Meaningfully better mileage than the S22 without giving up grip
- Costs more than the outgoing S22
- Newer in the market than the S22, so less long-term owner data exists yet
Michelin Pilot Road 4
A sport-touring tire prioritizing mileage and wet grip for XSR900 owners who ride it more as a daily/touring bike than a canyon-carver.
- Sport-touring tread compound
- 2CT dual-compound rear for mixed wear and grip
- Strong wet-weather grip rating
- Longer tread life than pure sport tires
- Best choice on this list if most of your riding is commuting or touring, not track days
- Noticeably longer tread life than the sportier options here
- Gives up some outright dry grip versus the Diablo Rosso IV or Supercorsa
- Less confidence-inspiring at aggressive lean angles than dedicated sport rubber
Dunlop Sportmax GPR300
A mid-tier sport tire aimed at spirited street and occasional track riding without the price or short lifespan of a full race compound.
- Sport street tread pattern
- Silica-enhanced compound for wet grip
- Radial construction
- Priced below premium sport tires
- Good value option between everyday street tires and full performance rubber
- Solid warm-up characteristics for street riding
- Outright grip trails the Diablo Rosso IV or Racetec RR at aggressive lean
- Less brand cachet among XSR900 owners than Michelin or Pirelli
Dunlop RoadSmart IV
Dunlop’s dedicated sport-touring tire, testing as the sportiest-turning of the current sport-touring crop with a pointier profile than its rivals.
- Sport-touring dual-compound tread
- Rounded, quick-turning profile
- Strong wet-weather grip
- Long tread life for a sport-capable tire
- Quicker, sportier turn-in than most sport-touring rivals in side-by-side tests
- Good middle ground between the Pilot Road 4’s mileage focus and a pure sport tire
- Not as track-capable as the Diablo Rosso IV or Racetec RR
- Pricier than the Sportmax GPR300
Michelin Road 6
Michelin’s newer sport-touring tire, factory-fitted on several current bikes, with a rounded profile for linear turn-in and long-lasting wear.
- Sport-touring tread compound
- Rounded profile for linear turn-in
- Strong wet and dry grip
- Long tread life, often 8,000+ miles per owner reports
- Newer generation than the Pilot Road 4, with a more modern compound
- OEM-fitted on several current motorcycles, a sign of manufacturer confidence
- Pricier than the older Pilot Road 4
- Less outright sport bite than the Michelin Power 6
Michelin Power 6
Michelin’s current hypersport tire, using a dual-layer 2CT+ construction for sharp handling with better mileage than a pure track tire.
- 2CT+ dual-layer compound construction
- MotoGP-derived development
- Hypersport-focused handling and feedback
- Better mileage than a pure race compound
- Sharper handling feedback than the touring-focused Road 6 or Pilot Road 4
- Newer generation than most hypersport rivals, launched for the current model cycle
- Shorter tread life than the Road 6 given its sportier focus
- Overkill if most of your riding is commuting rather than spirited riding
Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T33
Bridgestone’s premium sport-touring tire, holding the T32’s confident wet/dry grip while improving mileage by roughly 47% over that predecessor.
- Sport-touring tread compound
- Improved mileage over the T32 it replaces
- Strong wet and dry grip
- Confidence-inspiring, predictable handling
- Big mileage improvement over its own predecessor while keeping the same grip reputation
- A genuine alternative to the Michelin Road 6 or Dunlop RoadSmart IV in this segment
- Not as sharp-turning as the Dunlop RoadSmart IV in direct comparisons
- Sport-touring focus means less outright grip than the Diablo Rosso IV
Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV
A street-focused sport tire built with World Superbike-derived tech, a step up in outright grip from the Sportmax GPR300 for aggressive street riding.
- Dual-compound front, bi/tri-compound rear
- 100% silica center compound
- Derived from World Superbike technology
- Strong wet-grip rating for a sport tire
- Sharper dry and wet grip than more mileage-focused options
- Popular upgrade choice specifically among naked/streetfighter owners
- Shorter tread life than the Pilot Road 4 or GPR300
- Pricier than the Dunlop option
Metzeler Racetec RR K3
A trackday-oriented tire for XSR900 owners who take the bike on track and want race-derived grip without going to full slicks.
- Trackday/race-derived compound
- Bi-compound construction for edge grip
- Fast warm-up characteristics
- DOT-legal for street and track use
- Best outright grip on this list for track sessions
- Fast warm-up matters if you’re doing multiple track sessions in a day
- Shortest street tread life of anything on this list
- Overkill and expensive for pure daily commuting
Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE
Metzeler’s sport-touring evolution aimed specifically at supersport and naked bikes like the XSR900, balancing handling with wet-weather performance and mileage.
- Sport-touring compound tuned for naked/supersport bikes
- Strong wet-weather grip
- Balanced mileage and handling
- Evolution of Metzeler’s Roadtec touring line
- Tuned specifically for naked/supersport bikes rather than a generic touring platform
- Well-regarded wet grip among sport-touring options
- Less outright track capability than the Racetec RR K3
- Smaller North American following than Michelin or Dunlop’s touring lines
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V2
A max-performance street/track tire, one step below a full slick, for XSR900 owners pushing the bike hardest at track days.
- Max-performance dual/tri-compound design
- Race-derived carcass construction
- DOT-legal for street and track
- Strong edge grip at extreme lean angles
- Among the grippiest DOT-legal tires available, on par with the Racetec RR
- Carries over confidence from Pirelli’s SBK/MotoGP-adjacent tire program
- Very short tread life if ridden hard on the street
- Needs proper tire warmers or careful warm-up for max grip on track
Buying tips
- Match the tire to how you actually ride: Pilot Road 4, RoadSmart IV, Road 6, T33, or Roadtec 01 SE for commuting/touring, Diablo Rosso IV or Power 6 for aggressive street riding, and Racetec RR or Supercorsa SP for track days.
- Confirm your exact XSR900 model year’s tire size before ordering — the stock fitment is 120/70-17 front and 180/55-17 rear, and sizing can shift slightly between production years.
- If you’re replacing the OEM S22, check whether the S23 is worth the upcharge — Bridgestone’s own data shows better dry grip and roughly 47% more mileage from the newer tire.
- A track-focused tire (Racetec RR, Supercorsa SP) needs a proper warm-up before it grips well; don’t push hard on cold tires straight out of the pits.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.