Middleweight nakeds
The best mix of power and price for hooning about.
It’s a fact that the latest and greatest sportsbikes can sometimes be a little bit too fruity for Her Majesty’s highways, so there should be no shame in looking to a more manageable alternative that offers all the thrills with less risk of personal harm or a spell in a cell. That’s not to say middleweight nakeds are pussycats, hell no, but you’re likely to hold on to your licence and your limbs for a little while longer, should you cast-off down this largely sub-100bhp, model-rich route.
For the sake of science, a few laughs and some time out of the office we gathered together a cluster of naughty little nakeds that will neither break the bank nor pull your arms out of their sockets, but which are sure to put a smile on your face. Of the four bikes we settled on, the dearest of the lot was the Honda CB650F sporting the princely price tag of £6,799. Yamaha’s mega-selling, mega-value £6,349 MT-07 doesn’t, on this occasion, hold the bargain basement trump card, which is shared by the Suzuki SV650X and the Kawasaki Z650, both at £6,199.
With no fancy electronics to speak of and engine capacities the sensible side of 700cc, none of the bikes had particularly inspiring spec sheets but Boothy and I pushed aside our inhibitions in a bid to see what joys they could offer when you wrung their necks good and proper, over a two week period around more bends than you’ll find in a plumber’s merchant. Let’s just say that we had our eyes opened, exploring each of their inner virtues, hang-ups and confounding quirks, helping us to grasp why there’s more on offer than just a stepping stone through the world of A2 conformity or frugal frolicking on the daily commute. Just like puppies, these nano-nakeds proved themselves deserving of ownership long after Christmas. Here’s why…