Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 SP review: Racey tyres that also work on the road

The Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyre has always been the fast road/trackday rider’s motorcycle tyre of choice, as well as standard equipment on the tastiest super nakeds and superbikes. It’s a hard act to follow but they’ve done it, in the round, sticky shape of the new fourth-generation Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 SP.

Working with new compounds, constructions and materials have allowed Pirelli to move the Supercorsa story on to give the tyres more grip, feel and longevity. That’s despite the challenges of it having to deal with ever more powerful motorcycles, controlled by electronic rider aids that put unique stresses through the tyres.

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa V4 SP 

• Tester: Michael Neeves
• Where: Pergusa circuit, Sicily
• When: Monday 10^th July 2023
• Bike: BMW S1000RR, Ducati Panigale V4
• Weather watch: Sunny. Temp: 35°C

The new V4 SP version of the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa sportsbike tyres has been in the works for the past four years and developed alongside their racing tyre department. Feedback flows from them to the road tyre testing team, but also the other way around and they claim that’s the secret to their success in both arenas.

They philosophy is to sell what they race, race what they sell and with Pirelli contracted to supply the Moto2 and Moto3 grid next year, as well as WSB and national championships like BSB, expect even more of their racing knowledge to flow into their road tyres in the future.

We’re testing the new Supercorsa V4 SP today on BMW’s 209bhp S1000RR and 213bhp Ducati Panigale V4 S at Pergusa in Sicily. It’s a three-mile circuit littered with chicanes and high speed Thruxton-like turns that pushes tyre grip and stability to the limit.

Like previous-generation Supercorsa SPs, the V4s warm up fast and within a lap out of the pits they’re good to go. They grip with the tenacity of a racing tyre and with so much feel, instil confidence when you’re trail braking hard into corners. The Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyres are stable at full lean and comfortably harness the full fury of a superbike on the way out.

They’re a step up in performance, especially the front tyre, but even more impressive is the Pirelli’s consistency. They’re barely marked after a full day’s riding and there’s minimum drop in performance throughout. That will be music to the ears and wallets of track day riders on anything with 17in wheels, from sporty A2 licence machines to superbikes.

Not only are they long lasting, the Supercorsa V4 SPs work in a wide temperature window, don’t need specific suspension adjustments, or tyre warmers. And with no warmers you won’t need stands, a power source, van or trailer.

For the first time the front Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyre is dual compound with a central silica compound strip for stability and modicum of wet weather performance and full carbon black SC3 race compound on the edges for maximum dry grip.

The new rear is also dual compound with SC3 shoulders and a new base layer to control the temperature in extreme conditions, like today with the track surface reaching 53 degrees. A new tread design gives the biggest slick footprint possible, distributes side force and drains water.

They’re also designed to give maximum performance running both road and lower track pressures, which Pirelli say isn’t easy compared to a tyre that only has to handle road or track.

The new Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyre V4 is also available in racing compounds: SC1, SC2, SC3.

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