SUPER NAKEDS date back to bikes like the stripped-bare streetfighters that emerged from the smoking and crashed remains of the era’s top-flight superbikes.
Drop the fairings, whack on a chunky set of Renthal bars and stick on the most obnoxiously noisy end-can you can find and, bingo - a super naked was born! Pretty soon the marketing teams at most of the major manufacturers clocked on to this simple but effective method of creating a new model and diversifying their range. Fast forward to 2019, and the super naked genre is alive and kicking and giving the ADV and sportsbike market something to think about.
We at Visordown also love a big bonkers naked bike, so we thought we’d bring you our pick of the current crop of best super nakeds you can buy today.
10. Suzuki GSX-S1000 - £10,099 – 148hp
Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 joined the nudist motorcycle party in 2015 and borrowed heavily from Suzuki’s past (and now fairly out-dated) triumphs in the form of a 2005 GSX-R1000 as the machine's base. With nearly 150hp on tap, the GSX-S could never be described as slow, although it is fairly unrefined and more analogue than some of the competition.
But with the old-school tech you get a 2015 price tag also, with the big Suzuki undercutting (just!) all the big-bore competition and coming in at £10,099. And it’s still a handy scratcher, commuter, trackday tool or touring machine – with a few well-chosen mods!
9. BMW S1000R - £11,190 – 165hp
BMW’s S1000R is a stripped bare S1000RR sportsbike just with a slightly de-tuned engine but still (if you stump up the £1500 for the ‘R’ version) the same electronics suite and semi-active Marzocchi front and rear suspension. The BMW is probably one of the fastest super nakeds you can by today, although it’s that slick efficiency that’s preventing the BMW from placing further up this chart.
To me, a super naked should be bonkers! It should look like its just landed from another planet and sound like it’s just eaten your gran. And the BMW doesn’t, it’s refined, well mannered and stylish. You could easily ride one up to the door of a black-tie dinner and hand over the keys without anyone knowing you’d arrived and that is not the super naked way!
8. Ducati Diavel 1260S - £19,985 – 157hp
Pulling up at a black-tie event on this would definitely draw some attention as this is Ducati’s stunningly brutal Diavel 1260s. Like a cross between a cruiser and teleportation device, the Diavel range was Ducati’s first foray into the (Don’t call it a) cruiser segment. And to say it went well is an understatement, the bikers on the continent bloody love these things!
With state of the art Öhlins suspension, bags of riding modes, and IMU controlling cornering ABS and traction control, the burly Ducati is about as tech laden as any top flight superbike, and its nearly as quick. With a massive 240 section rear tyre, it’s no surprise to hear that the Diavel 1260 is no Moto3 bike in the twisties, but this big beast can definitely get its boogie on when required!
7. MV Agusta Brutale 800 RC - £17,375 – 150hp
While the MV’s displacement may not seem to scream ‘super naked’, it’s road and track performance and power-output are more than enough to ensure its inclusion on this list! Based around the F3 800 sportsbike, the Brutale 800 RC (which stands for Reparto Corse – MV’s racing division) is about as scalpel-like and accurate as a super naked can get.
It’s not cheap and could be viewed as a tad fragile, but when it comes to riding experiences and humiliating sportsbike on track; few machines can match the diminutive Brutale – Until the Brutale 1000 lands later this year that is!
6. Indian FTR1200 S - £12,999 – 120hp
While the FTR1200 S doesn’t immediately standout as a super naked, 120hp makes it the least powerful bike here and flat-track styling isn’t the norm, the low-gearing and 231kg kerb weight make for an exciting combination.
If you’re looking for a bike that’ll fire you from one apex to another, with all the bar-shaking fury of a race-bred flat-track machine – the FTR 1200 S really is the only machine currently available. It also brings a slice of the hipster lifestyle to the super naked category, and that can’t be a bad thing.
Head to page two for the top five >>>
