What that means is that we're dealing with an exposed engine, as the ride was basically stripped of all unnecessary body elements in a bid to make it faster and easier to control. A rather upright seating position and generally higher handlebars are also common traits among naked bikes.
But, as usual, when it comes to everything in the motorcycle world, there's more to a naked bike than meets the eye.
Naked bikes can trace their roots to the 1950s and 1960s when strapped-for-cash youngsters started making their own affordable motorcycles to use as they hopped from one coffee place to another. Of course, they didn't call their bikes naked, but café racers, but they do remain in some sense the precursor of the machines we're here to discuss today.
Technically speaking though the modern-day naked bike wasn't born until the late 1980s. It came as a response to people crashing their rides and not having enough money to replace the body parts – so they simply took off the damaged body parts, and didn't replace them with anything. Leaving the motorcycle as is was also a way for riders to show off their adventures on the road.
Just like it did with café racers, the motorcycle industry took note of the trend, and started making its own, factory naked motorcycles. The industry tends to agree that the Ducati Monster 900 was the first production naked bike when it surfaced back in the early 1990s, but the family has grown so wide and diverse that it matters little now which one started it all.
Today there is almost not a single bike maker that doesn't do naked bikes. They've grown so popular that they now also have subgenres, like super naked, hyper naked, sports naked, and even super sports naked.
Below you will find a list of 15 naked motorcycles we here at autoevolution believe to be the best ones to be had this early in 2024.
Arch 1s
One of these rides is called the 1s, and it's a sport cruiser by trade that can easily put other naked bikes to shame, because it's more like a custom bike than a production one.
Made with plenty of carbon fiber parts and featuring Arch's first-ever production single-sided billet aluminum swingarm, it puts the rider in a very aggressive position thanks to the rear-mid-mounted foot controls.
That aggressiveness is not only for show, as the bike has in its frame one of the largest engines the industry has to offer. We're talking about a 124ci (2,032cc) powerplant sourced from S&S and usually used on custom motorcycles.
The powerplant develops 122 horsepower and 122 Nm of torque in this application, which is more than enough for a motorcycle that weighs just 563 pounds (255 kg).
Because the 1s is most of the time a personal affair, meaning customers can have it made in a variety of ways, the price is highly prohibitive and places the bike well outside the realm of all other naked machines you'll read about here: $128,000.
Moto Guzzi V7
The bike as we know it today is much younger than a few decades, having been introduced into the world in 2021. The bike in its current incarnation is powered by an 850cc transverse 90-degree engine, which can develop a total of 65 horsepower and 73 Nm of torque.
The same specs hold across the range, and in the case of the V7 we're talking about quite an extensive one: there are no less than five variants on the table: V7 Special, V7 Stone Corsa, V7 Stone, V7 Stone Centenario, and V7 Special Edition.
Despite being Italian-made, and with quite the legacy behind them, the V7s are not expensive bikes to buy, as they sell from around $9,000.
Moto Morini Seiemmezzo STR
The model is one of just three currently being offered by the company, and its name is meant to stand for the displacement of the bike's engine – Seiemmezzo stands for "six and a half," and it honors the 649cc inline-twin engine sitting in the frame, exposed to the elements.
The powerplant is not particularly powerful, as it delivers only 61 horsepower and almost 40 lb-ft of torque, but it gets the job done of moving its rider along the road in style.
Because it's a product of such a niche bike maker, the Moto Morini Seiemmezzo STR is one of the cheapest motorcycles on our list. In the United States it sells for just $6,099, making it quite a solid proposition in the naked segment.
Kawasaki Z650
That's because in this bike "aggressive meets supernaked" in a way one rarely gets to see. Short and mean, the Z650 looks like it's made to zoom past all others.
This bike too has a rather small engine in its frame, displacing just 649cc. Don't let its size fool you, though, as it cranks out more than enough power (67 hp and 66 Nm of torque) for 421 pounds (191 kg) of body.
In its 2024 incarnation the model is offered with or without ABS, and a series of appointments that make it more than a great naked proposition when taking into account its price: LED headlight, TFT color instrumentation, smartphone connectivity, and a set of Dunlop tires.
Speaking of price, the ABS-equipped Z650 is selling for pennies, really, as the Japanese are asking just $8,649 for one. Quite a far cry from the Arch 1s, right?
Honda CB1000R
Aptly named Black Edition, the CB1000R stays true to its legacy. Inside the frame, the bike holds a 998cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder four-stroke engine, which pumps out a total of 143 horsepower controlled by means of a close-ratio six-speed transmission. A four-into-one exhaust system handles the breathing.
The street bike was announced at the start of the year together with a bunch of other returning models for the simple reason Honda didn't make all that many changes to it – except, perhaps, from reducing the number of trim levels to one.
The CB1000R can be had new for prices starting at $12,999. Seeing how there are virtually no upgrades that can be made to it from the factory floor, that's pretty much the end price as well.
Suzuki GSX-S750Z
Playing in a combination of segments (standard, street, and in some sense even sport), the model has been around in one form or another since 2015, and has always been a perfect choice for new riders, both from a specs standpoint, but also when it comes to how much it costs.
The ride packs one of the smallest displacement engines on this list, namely 749cc. It's a four-cylinder, fuel-injected engine that generates 112 horsepower and 81 Nm of torque, with a 6-speed constant mesh transmission on deck to handle them all.
Suzuki has not updated the range for the 2024 model year yet, but you can still have the 2023 version, complete with ABS, at last year's pricing: $9,149.
Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen
The refresh is not just another operation of this kind, but brings with it the biggest changes to the range since 2018. We bundled the two models together because when you really get down to it, the two Arrows are technically the same machine. Setting them apart pretty much comes down to the riding position.
The updates made for the 2024 model year include the fitting of a completely new steel trellis frame that makes the two bikes slightly longer than before (unclear by how much). The height of the seat has been revised, and there are new handlebars up front.
As far as the engine is concerned, we're not talking a single unit, but of an entire lineup. That's because each of the Arrows comes in several versions: two Vitpilens (401 and 125) and three Svartpilens (401, 250, and 125). The nomenclature reveals names ranging in displacement from 125cc (15 hp) to 399cc (45 horsepower).
Exact pricing for the range can only be learned after getting in touch with a dealer and expressing interest in buying one of these naked machines.
Indian FTR
It's a quite large powerplant, with a displacement of 1,203cc, and more than suitably powerful for its size: 120 horsepower and 118 Nm of torque. A six-speed transmission is on deck to handle the power in a controlled fashion.
A favorite base for custom projects, many of them backed by Indian itself, the FTR looks and feels impressive in stock form as well. Helping with that are the fully adjustable front suspension, the aggressive riding position, and the Brembo braking hardware attached to the wheels.
On the American market the model is selling from $13,499, but a long list of accessories will most definitely take the price much higher than that.
Aprilia Tuono V4 1100
The bike is actually a hypernaked by trade, playing in the sport bike segment, and not a naked in the purest sense. That's because it does come with a fairing, a double one in fact, inspired by the design of another Aprilia model, the RS 660.
Even so, its makers describe it as the "most extraordinary sports bike you can buy, with performance and finishes which are second to none."
The model was offered in two versions at the time of writing: Tuono V4 Factory 1100 and Tuono V4 1100. The former was built as the "ultimate adrenalin machine," while the latter is more touring-oriented.
Regardless of variant, the Tuono V4 is equipped with the same 1,100cc four-cylinder narrow 65-degree V engine, something only this kind of two-wheeler is equipped with. The unit is a very potent one, giving riders control over 175 horsepower and 121 Nm of torque.
The two bikes are among the most expensive on our list, with pricing for the V4 1100 starting at $16,199. The Factory version is significantly more expensive, at $19,599.
BMW S 1000 R
We chose the S 1000 R for the purposes of this piece because one rarely gets such an extraordinary combination of roadster and superbike.
On the market since 2014, the model has continuously evolved and has even spawned the first-ever Bavarian motorcycle handled by BMW's M performance division.
The ride is a monster of a machine, rocking in its frame a 999cc engine capable of delivering a massive troop of 165 horsepower. That's huge by any motorcycle standards, but the number becomes even more impressive when you consider the fact that they move a motorcycle that can weigh just 432 pounds (196 kg).
That weight is possible when the M Package is fitted, something that was not offered before for this machine.
For 2024 BMW has two of these bikes on the table, the S 1000 R and S 1000 RR, which sell for $14,295 and $18,295, respectively.
Yamaha MT-09
At the end of last year Yamaha significantly refreshed the model as it plans to rely heavily on it during its second decade on the market.
With styling inspired by the YZ range of motocross bikes, the MT-09 in its 2024 incarnation packs the 890cc three-cylinder, liquid-cooled CP3 engine it used to impress riders for years. It cranks out about 117 hp and around 89 Nm of torque (a detuned version for A2 license holders is also available).
Most importantly, the model is for 2024 the first hyper naked to feature Yamaha's Smart Key System, which allows the bike to be started at the push of a button when a smart key is in the vicinity, but also controls the locking and unlocking of the fuel tank.
Yamaha is selling the hyper naked monster for $10,599, putting it well within the limits that define what is affordable for many of us.
Ducati Streetfighter V4
Technically a term that refers to muscle motorcycles powered by large displacement engines and featuring the telltale styling of naked bikes, it has become synonymous with a motorcycle made in Italy by Ducati.
Introduced in 2009, the model was so popular it grew to become an entire range of five distinct rides, with the V2 acting as an entry-level and the V4 Lamborghini at the top of the range. Our choice is somewhere in between the V4, and we picked it because it's so much more of a bike than the V2, and so much more affordable than the Lambo version ($68,000 for this one).
The V4 is a super sports naked which came to be, basically, after the Panigale V4 was stripped of the fairings. It was then equipped with the mighty Desmosedici Stradale engine that in this configuration cranks out 208 hp and 122 N of torque. That for a bike that barely weighs 392 pounds (178 kg).
All this mighty package does not come cheap. Ducati is asking around $22,000 for the ride, which is more than double that of many of the other naked bikes in this list.
KTM 1390 Super Duke R
The launch of the new 1390 Super Duke R was carefully planned to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Duke nameplate, and that means a lot of care and attention were exercised when putting this thing together.
Aside from the usual visual changes we get with each new model year refresh, the Super Duke R now boasts a modified engine. The LC8 got a bore increase to 110 mm, which took the displacement of the unit to 1,350cc.
Modifications made to the camshaft and cylinder heads allowed for the power output to grow to 190 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque, well above what most city cars in Europe are capable of doing.
The list of changes made to the motorcycle also includes the installation of a new WP Apex shock at the rear, an all-new LED headlight at the opposite end, and a number of styling touches.
As a top-of-the-range machine the Super Duke R does not come cheap, at least not compared to many of the other bikes listed here: the selling price of the motorcycle was set at $21,499.
MV Agusta Brutale
The range dates back only to the early 2000s but has established itself as the pinnacle of two-wheeled motoring in this segment, and the current incarnation of the bike stays true to that creed. In fact, we're not solely talking about a single Brutale model, but an entire range that varies greatly depending on the level of power desired and the size of the engine.
There are four Brutale on the table as I write this, namely the RR, 1000 RS, 1000 RR, and 1000 RR Assen. The first in the range is powered by a 798cc three-cylinder engine good for 140 horsepower, and the next three by the same 998cc, four-cylinder unit rated at 208 horsepower. On all bikes, true to the naked spirit, the engine is fully exposed to the elements.
The performance levels and the image these four machines bring with them do not come cheap. One can have an MV Agusta Brutale for around $30,000, which is more or less about as much as an entry-level muscle car.
Triumph Street Triple 765 RS
A quintessential streetfighter, the British bike came into this world at the end of the 2000s, and it now sells as the most powerful Street Triple ever. The title is owed to the liquid-cooled three-cylinder engine that displaces 765cc and is capable of developing 128 horsepower and 80 Nm of torque.
The engine is housed in an aluminum twin-spar frame. A twin-sided, cast aluminum alloy swingarm holds the rear end off the ground, while the same effect is achieved at the front courtesy of an upside-down fork. 17-ich wheels on both ends round up the look of this vicious naked.
The Triumph Street Triple 765 RS is not prohibitively expensive to own. On the American market the company making it is asking just $12,795 for one.
