The Hankooks have a higher load rating and that design feature probably plays a big role in how stiff they are compared to these lower load-rated Michelins.
Also, I've found that Michelin, in particular, seems to be softer rubber than others when brand new, but get harder and noisier quicker compared to the Continental, Pirelli, Goodyear, etc I've had in the past for performance or highway tires. In fact, I've had problems in the past with a set of Michelins cracking pretty badly after 5 years (they were at the end of their life).
They're still good tires overall, and the Defenders have good reviews, so we'll see how they do!
So far the ride is noticeably more comfortable with these smaller wheels and Michelin rubber. That's changing two factors at once, so if you're looking for a BIG improvement in comfort, I hesitate to say just swapping from Hankooks to Michelins would do what you want. Just my opinion.
