Naked motorcycles sound sexy and look sexy. These ready-to-ride motorcycles are stripped sports bikes that offer more wind in your face. Naked bikes offer a raw experience and come in many forms. Often, they provide single-piece handlebars and a more upright riding position.
Naked motorcycles are thrill machines you should buy when interested in a sporty and street-focused experience. The middleweight segment has some of the best iterations on the market. Here are a few of the best naked bikes with great styling, price, and performance.
10 Honda CB650 R
The CB650 R helps bring back the middleweight section, filling in the gap between small engine beginner bikes and big engine iterations. Honda has made the CB650 R approachable, thus providing a gateway for novice riders and affordable performance for the seasoned.
The CB650 R has handsome neo-styling that has aged well since its introduction. In addition, it offers the highest performance of its class with its 81-hp and 43-lb-ft 649cc inline-four engine. The inline-four has a lovely sound and makes the CB650 R a gem by allowing riders to get the peak power explosion high into the rev range.
9 Aprilia Tuono 660
While the Tuono 660 didn’t create as much buzz as the RS variant, the Tuono remains one of the best middleweight naked offerings from the Italian brand. Aprilia created the 660 platform with a sports bike in mind. This rewards the Tuono with class-leading tech, a sprite engine, and eager dynamics.
The Tuono 660 features a 659cc parallel twin engine with a high compression ratio of 13:5:1. It offers a zesty 100 peak hp and 50 lb-ft of torque. This makes for a free-revving motorcycle with low and midrange grunt.
8 Triumph Trident
Triumph has been a long-standing motorcycle manufacturer. In recent years, the brand has been putting its best foot forward both in understanding the motorcycle industry's changing needs and developing motorcycles.
Triumph introduced the Trident in 2021 with a 660cc triple engine. The Trident offers a host of tech features and modern retro styling. While small cc bikes work best with beginners, the Trident offers more power and better handling to new riders. The Trident has a short wheelbase making it maneuverable in the urban environment and fun on twisty roads.
7 Yamaha MT-07
All Yamaha naked bikes are great, and they all deserve some recognition. The MT-07 is one of the brand's best naked bikes. It offers enough power for all riders and handles curvy roads with ease.
The MT-07 is available with a 689cc liquid-cooled CP2 engine with a six-speed manual transmission. The engine produced 74 hp, making the MT-07 approachable by any rider. This naked motorcycle is excellent for regular commutes, highway rides, and curvy canyon roads.
6 BMW F 900 R
The F 900 R is a more impressive bike than its predecessor in almost every way. Some radical changes include more power, torque, displacement, character, tech, and better looks. This excellent motorcycle uses an 895cc parallel twin engine producing 99 hp and 67 lb-ft of torque.
This puts the F 900 R in line with the Kawasaki Z900, Triumph Street Triple R, and Yamaha MT-09, the latter of which the brand singles out as competition. Even though BMW might have fewer ponies than the competition, it offers better technology and competitive pricing.
5 Kawasaki Z900
Kawasaki introduced the Z900 in 2017 as a replacement for the Z800 and Z1000. The brand aimed to deliver the best aspects of both motorcycles while adding better usability and performance. Kawasaki achieved this by offering a light iteration for the first generation while pumping out 125 hp.
Over the years, the 943cc engine has remained unchanged, with minor tweaks to the intake funnels in the air box. The Z900 has a trellis steel frame, an inline four-cylinder powerplant, and a flat handlebar that offers a comfortable riding position.
4 Yamaha MT-09
Yamaha’s entry into the middleweight motorcycle market has brought us some fantastic motorcycles. The MT-09 sits at the top of the middleweight range, and over the years, it has been a staple in the 800cc to 900cc class. Yamaha released this triple-cylinder bike in 2014 as the FZ-09, quickly becoming a favorite for many people worldwide.
Riders love the MT-09 for its maniac power delivery and affordable price. This loved triple has been through multiple iterations, with the latest version proving that it's indeed the Master of Torque. The MT-09 produces 115 hp and 65 lb-ft of torque, making it an energetic and playful bike.
3 KTM 890 Duke
The 890 is an extreme middleweight naked bike that further refines its predecessor, the 790 Duke. It offers impressive suspension and damping, an outstanding brake feel, and an aggressive riding position. The Duke is a functional motorcycle that loves big lean angles while allowing riders to carry massive corner speeds.
The motorcycle features an 889cc parallel-twin engine producing 120 hp and 73 lb-ft of torque. Its WP suspension components help make it a sportier and agile naked bike that experienced riders will love.
2 Triumph Street Triple
Even though the Street Triple lacks the classic styling of the Thruxton or Bonneville, it's one of the best motorcycles from the company. It helps bring the memory of Triumph’s Daytona to life. This naked counterpart is a handsome, well-engineered premium product with a sweet-sounding 765cc triple-cylinder engine.
The Street Triple is available in many variants, with the RS being the most powerful iteration. This bike has been in production since 2007 and is considered one of the pioneers of the naked bike segment. Besides its timeless naked sports bike styling, the Street Triple has a superb engine capable of producing 121 hp and 58 lb-ft of torque.
1 Ducati Monster
The new Monster brings the engine to the center stage by linking it to a front frame from the Panigale V4. It also features a 4.5 kg lighter aluminum engine than the predecessor, the 821 model. The Monster features reengineered designs to help put all riders at ease.
One striking design is the narrow sides of the bike that allow riders to put their feet easily on the ground. This makes for a comfortable riding position, allowing the rider to enjoy being in the saddle. Its pièce de resistance is the 937cc twin cylinder 111-hp engine providing enough power for all riders.