Pirelli tyres have always been associated with high performance motorcycles on the road and track. However, one glaring void is the range of tyres for cruisers. As such, the Pirelli Diablo Powercruiser tyres have been launched at the recent Daytona Bike Week.

Building tyres to suit high-speed, high-performance motorcycles is one thing, but cruisers produce lots more torque at lower speeds and weigh much more. Slapping on a set of Diablo Super Corsa or Rosso Corsa IV will see them destroyed in short order, not to mention being dangerous.

Consequently, Pirelli drew on their supersport expertise in creating these new Pirelli Diablo Powercruiser tyres. They need to handle higher dynamic stress, both when leaning and when braking and accelerating, while providing high levels of grip in any condition.

The rear radial sizes are a dual-compound design, enriched with silica (great for wet grip and mileage), and combined with Cap & Base technology which provides a softer lateral compound. Like some of the other products in the Pirelli range, the tyre deforms and changes in relation to how the bike is being ridden, meaning it is claimed to react appropriately to the speed of the bike providing more grip when needed.

To improve the handling dynamics, the new Powercruiser tyres are more triangulated than some other products, a design feature that Pirelli claims increases the speed of quick changes of direction, while the flatter shoulder should offer increased levels of grip when cornering.

However, as you can see from the table below, the highest speed rating is “V” for a maximum speed of 240 km/h (at maximum pressure and load).

Sizes cover rim sizes from 16 to 21 inches for the front wheel, and from 16 to 18 inches for the rear wheel. The rear tyre width in the new hoops covers 150 to 260 section rims.