There’s a quirky beast out there at the moment called the Yamaha XSR700, what Yamaha call a "sport heritage" machine, and it’s fitted with Pirelli Phantoms. Recognise the tread? The XSR wears a 120/10-17 and 180/55-17 73V pair of Pirelli Phantom Sportscomps.
These tyres are now available in response to the big trend in specials/customs that field wheels in that size range. Pirelli says these tyres give the look of a classic tyre with all the advantages of a modern tyre as well as good durability. The Sportscomp is also available in 100/90-18 front and 150/70-17 rear and in the XSR’s sizes but with a W-speed rating for older, slower machines.
The original Pirelli Phantom first saw light of day in the late 1970s and was developed through the 1980s and revised into the 2000s. Today’s Phantom features zero-degree steel belt radial technology, a rounded profile (compared to the older ‘flat’ Phantoms) and silica-rich compounds with a sporty, retro-tread pattern, meaning they are perfect for all sorts of conditions. Check out your nearest tyre stockist for details.