French tire manufacturer Dunlop presents its latest addition to its performance-oriented street bike tire range in the form of the Qualifier Core. The Qualifier Core is the successor to the famous Qualifier II, and it is available in a range of sizes to appeal to budget-conscious riders.
We don't always have to acquire the newest, most cutting-edge rubber on the market when it comes to being smart and frugal with tires. For spirited drives across the countryside or the occasional track day, the premium brands' so-called second lines usually suffice. This refers to tire styles that have been built expressly for budget-conscious riders without sacrificing safety or longevity. Despite the fact that they get cutting-edge features and compounds, they aren't exactly at the bleeding-edge of performance.
Dunlop’s Qualifier Core is just that: a budget-friendly sportbike tire that presents itself as a versatile set of tires, applicable to a variety of riding styles. Luca Davide Andreoni, Marketing Manager Dunlop Motorrad Europa, highlights what makes the Qualifier Core special: "Just like the other members of our hypersport tire family, the Qualifier Core also offers the typical genes of a hypersport tire: dynamic handling properties, excellent dry grip and very good feedback.”
The Qualifier II has been on the market since 2009, although other tires have now surpassed it in terms of price, performance, and durability. Because of advances in material science and production techniques, 13 years equates to multiple generations in the evolution of sports tires. For the 2022 season, the new Qualifier Core replaces the outgoing Qualifier and is positioned between the budget-friendly sport/street tire, the GPR-300, and the super sports tires in the Sportsmart series.
Dunlop's HC technology (Heat Control Technology) is also on board, which mixes a softer and harder rubber compound. The Qualifier Core uses layers of different rubber compositions rather than tread stripes like other tires. The softer compound rests beneath the harder one, allowing the tire to heat up faster and more thoroughly. With increased silica content, the tread rubber has been remixed and modified to perform even better in wet and cold situations.
Standard street sizes of 120/70 ZR 17 in the front, 160/60 ZR 17 and 180/55 ZR 17 in the back will be available. Dunlop plans to sell more sizes later this year, including 120/60 ZR 17 and 200/50 ZR 17, which were previously only available on specific supersport motorcycles. It will also be available in 190/50 ZR 17 sizes, which are designed for today's sport-touring machines. The popular hypersport dimension 190/55 ZR 17 will also be produced for those in the market for a value-for-money set of rubber for their superbikes.
