Dunlop's Sportmax Q2 is impressive on the race track.

Having good grip to connect you to the road surface is vital for confidence when riding street bikes, with tyre manufacturers constantly striving to improve grip levels for riders of all levels.

For 2010, Dunlop has recently introduced the Sportmax Q2 tyres at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway in New South Wales, showing off its latest and greatest in the world of road and track rubber.

Featuring Dunlop’s Intuitive Response Profile (IRP) and MT Multi-Tread technology, the Sportmax Q2 incorporates many key race-tested advancements that add up to a vastly superior street-going tyre that is equally at home on the track according to Dunlop.

Sounds good to me, somebody who has transferred from racing on the best of the best in race tyres to switching back to street bikes and equally equipped tyres in the world of media road testing.

The new Sportmax Q2 draws upon Dunlop’s most sophisticated technology and construction advancements from the track, which were then refined specifically for street use.

With its new IRP technology in the rear tyre, the profile of the new Q2 expands line selection options for riders, putting down a larger ‘footprint’ at major lean angles – drastically improving side grip.

It also has Dunlop’s advanced Multi-Tread technology, which combines the benefits of a harder center compound for increased mileage with a ‘special lateral grip compound’ on each shoulder for superior cornering.

Dunlop engineers selected these specifically tuned lateral-grip and long-wearing compounds in the Sportmax Q2 to yield maximum sportbike performance.

Dunlop Sportmax Q2 front.

The lateral-grip compounds in the Sportmax Q2 are directly derived from Dunlop’s road race compounds. To produce higher levels of grip, ultra-fine carbon black (UFCB) and a proprietary resin bond together the compounds’ polymers.

Because UFCB has small-diameter particles with a very dense structure, the resulting bond is very tight, providing the added benefits of low warm-up time and optimal tread wear for a high performance tyre.

In addition to Dunlop’s IRP and MT technologies, the carcass construction of both front and rear tyres includes newly designed continuous hex beads that are both lighter and stronger to enhance steering response in the front tyre and increase cornering stability in both tyres.

Dunlop engineers worked to optimise tyre carcass construction in the front and rear tyres to maintain a more consistent contact patch that resisted the increased power, braking forces and cornering loads generated by modern 600cc and 1000cc motorcycles.

The cut-breaker radial construction of the front Sportmax Q2 parallels that of the Qualifier design it replaces, with two nylon carcass plies and two aramid reinforcing belts for increased cornering stability and enhanced braking at high loads, plus a sport-oriented carcass stiffness to enhance steering response.

In addition, continuous hex beads are both lighter and stronger to improve steering response and enhance cornering stability.

In the rear radial-construction Sportmax Q2, continuously wound Jointless Band (JLB) construction utilising a strong aramid belt assures consistent tyre diameter in all operating conditions. The aramid belt is a new design derived from racing to offer greater stiffness.

The JLB is wound onto the tyre with different tensions across the tyre – Dunlop’s Carcass Tension Control System (CTCS) – so the cured tyre has higher tension in the crown for stability and slightly less tension at the shoulders for grip compliance.

One nylon carcass ply and one aramid JLB belt typify construction of the 180/55ZR17, 190/50ZR17 and 190/55ZR17 sizes, while the larger 200/50ZR17 employs two nylon carcass plies and a single aramid JLB belt.

According to Dunlop, these constructions yield the best balance between a high level of tyre compliance for greater ride comfort and increased carcass stiffness for exemplary tyre stability and improved braking under high loads. The improved tyre bead also adds significantly to cornering stability and the feel riders get from the tyre while cornering.

The contruction of the Sportmax Q2 rear JLB aramid belt, nylon carcass ply and hex bead. The long-wearing compound is the yellow area, while the grey sides are the lateral-grip areas (MT Technology).

Furthermore, the rear tyre also features a newly-developed, stiffer version of the JLB construction, plus stiffer overall construction to meet high-performance demands and provide a more consistent contact patch.

As with all Dunlop Sportmax tyres, the Q2 features Dunlop’s proprietary cosecant-curve design to align tyre forces precisely with the tread grooves.

Compared with the Qualifier, the Q2 has a higher “land- to-sea” ratio to put as much rubber on the ground as possible. To maintain wet grip, new polymers have been incorporated into all compounds of the tyre.

The pattern design has a lower percent of grooved “void”area in the shoulders to maximise cornering performance, and the areas that are grooved are shorter to increase stiffness and minimize wear to the softer lateral grip compounds. The location of the grooved elements is spaced at varying intervals around the tyre to reduce frequency-generated noise and vibration.

In summary, the Sportmax Q2 is essentially a replacement tyre for the Qualifier that was released six years ago now after being developed by renowned tyre technician Mike Jackson.

Not content to rest on the achievements of the Qualifier in its position of best seller in the U.S, Dunlop has taken the latest lessons learned from the becnhmark N-Tec and Sportmax D211GP multi-compound racing tyres and have designed a worthy successor that offers substantially better performance.

Prototype testing at Dunlop’s Huntsville Proving Grounds in Alabama and many other tracks across America were carried out by Dunlop, with the Q2 having 15 percent more traction level grip, 15 percent more drive grip, it is five percent more responsive, and has a massive 25 percent more cornering stability.

Dunlop claims that in comparison to using the Qualifier, its test riders using the Sportmax Q2 were 2.81 seconds a lap faster (1:09.82 vs 1:12.63) at Virgina International Raceway’s 2.65 kilometre South Course, with data showing greater lean angles (52.3 vs 45.2 degrees) and higher lateral acceleration (1.3g vs 1.0g).

The rear tyre's profile of the Sportmax Q2 (red lines) and the Qualifier (blue lines).

So now you know the specs, you know the results that Dunlop’s riders got out of the tyres overseas, so how do they stack up here in Australia on local soil (or tar?) at the Creek.

Surprisingly, these tyres are the best I’ve ever ridden on at the track at this point apart from full-spec race tyres. I say surprisingly because it’s so often that we receive hyped media kits regarding tyres and they don’t always quite live up to expectations.

The Dunlop Sportmax Q2 is a superb tyre, one that is confidence inspiring in its feel and is just as exceptional in the grip and wear patterns that it offers when put through the hard yards.

Quick heating is a very proud aspect for Dunlop with this tyre and I can attest to that, however since we were taking turns in the sessions throughout the day I couldn’t say I ever started off on completely cold rubber.

What I really like about the Sportmax Q2 tyres is the profile of them, the rear being narrower and taller, offering 20 percent more contact patch at full lean than the Qualifier.

In fact, the profile of the Q2 is exactly the same as Dunlop’s new Supersport tyre that will be released later this year, a compromise between race and street use with a particularly fast warm-up time.

It’s made in the USA and that’s the tyre that we’ll get in Australia, although keep in mind that there are tyres stemming from Japan and France that go by the name of the Qualifier 2 – although they look and are completely different tyres.

Bikes made available to me on the day kicked off with a Suzuki Hayabusa 1300, before working my way through the sessions on a Triumph Daytona 675, Yamaha YZF-R1, Honda CBR600RR and Suzuki GSX-R1000 respectively.

To be completely honest I had never ridden a ’Busa before and took a while to adapt to the bike within the one session, not really giving me the opportunity to put the tyres to the test.

The grip levels at full lean are much higher with the Q2 compared with the Qualifier.

Once I took to the track on a fleet of models that I’m very familiar with it was one of the most enjoyable days I’ve had lapping the Creek on street bikes since switching from racing to journalism in late 2005 – honestly!

The profile enables you to lean into the turns with confidence, trail-braking into the turns with confidence as the steeper lean angles enable you the turn the bike in faster, with a greater contact patch connecting you to the asphalt.

I first realised this trait on the sharp 675, with its tall rear-end matching the tyres perfectly, the rubber a real asset in extracting the strong points out of the flowing three-cylinder.

Once on the R1 I noticed the stability that the tyres provide under brakes, especially as the rear grips to the asphalt quite well under the heaviest of braking – something that I’ve previously had a few dramas with on other rubber.

The CBR600RR was dynamite with the Sportmax Q2 tyres fitted, incomparable in any way to the Qualifiers and even better than the more track-focused Qualifier RR tyres without testing them back-to-back.

You can let off the brakes and sweep through the corners at high speed without any fear of losing the front, while the rear comes into its element mid-turn as you snap the throttle on when riding the 600 as hard as you can.

It’s got the grip of a race tyre, most importantly wearing cleanly on each of the models on hand throughout the day – even three-time Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles admitted he was having trouble getting the ’Busa to spin up the rear tyre.

Once on the GSX-R1000 to wrap up the day in the final session as the cloud set in on an overcast day, it too surprised with its rear grip from mid-turn all the way until you’re full gas on the exit.

I experienced some pumping of the rear suspension as the grip from the tyre outweighed the standard settings, another surprise considering 1000cc bikes can usually spin the street tyres with ease if you’re pushing reasonable hard.

Another thing I experienced that would require some adjustments to the suspension was slight patter from the front-end, although only on the Triumph and Suzuki GSX-R1000 – not a huge concern or problem, just something I noticed.

Data proves the might of Dunlop's Sportmax Q2.

A few clicks of the suspension with a bit more time on each bike would easily fix this, proven by the exceptional feel and performance witnessed on the remaining rides.

They’re not quite up to race specification, and aren’t supposed to be, but the point is that they offer grip and a long life via all the technical advancements listed above.

The Sportmax Q2 tyres will be released in most sizes on 1 February, while other sizes will be available soon after, priced between $500-$510 per set and proving a tyre that you’ll certainly have to try for yourself to believe its performance.

Give them a go and I have no doubt that you’ll absolutely reap the rewards that they’ll give you on track – a great tyre to use if you’re planning to switch back and forth between road and track.

We’ll have to wait to see what they’re like in the real world or in the wet, but judging by their first test I bet they’ll pass with flying colours.

THE MAKING OF THE SPORTMAX Q2
A newly developed tyre profile also contributes significantly to the advanced design of the Sportmax Q2, with this Intuitive Response Profile (IRP) providing phenomenal steering and handling characteristics. When compared side by side with the previous-generation Qualifier, the front and rear Q2 display a taller profile along with sides that taper in more aggressively.

Cross-sectional analysis reveals the intent of this design – creation of a larger contact patch when cornering. To achieve this larger contact-patch, Dunlop engineers utilised three-dimensional computer modeling, FEA (finite element analysis), to scrutinize the many forces exerted on the Sportmax Q2 at varying lean angles.

Development is massive when it comes to sportsbike tyres.

Engineers used FEA to closely evaluate contact patch pressure distribution and the effect that different construction materials had on tyre stiffness, especially at full lean angles.

For different sets of variables, FEA was used to produce three- dimensional rolling simulations that yielded insights into projected contact patch behavior. Once these variables were identified, a number of working prototypes were tested on a sophisticated drum analyzer to study varying conditions, including different inflation pressures, vertical loads, lean angles and slip angles.

Throughout this testing, primary concern focused on the behavior of the tyre’s contact patch throughout the attitude variations of the tyre, from upright to maximum lean.

By the time actual testing of prototypes on real-world tracks commenced, the investment in computer modeling, FEA profile design and lab testing paid off for Dunlop – the Sportmax Q2 achieving significantly greater lean angles and higher cornering speeds than the original Qualifier.