A motorcycle tire comprises: a toroidal carcass comprising two carcass plies of cords arranged at an angle of from 20 to 80 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction; and a band comprising at least one ply of at least one helically wound cord disposed radially outside the carcass. The band cord is made of steel filaments of 0.08 to 0.20 mm diameter twisted together into a L×M×N structure. The band cord has a low tensile elastic modulus range and a high tensile elastic modulus range, wherein an inflection point between the low tensile elastic modulus range and the high tensile elastic modulus range lies between 2% elongation and 7% elongation of the cord, and a tensile force required to cause 2% elongation of the band cord is not more than 60 Newton.