‘IS A NAKED BIKE THE BIKE FOR ME?’
When is it time to get naked? We sent ardent sportsbike fan Rob out on some big, sexy, modern super-nakeds to find out exactly that…
Have you heard of the 40 Year Old Virgin? Well as far as naked bikes are concerned, Rob Boston is just that. Well actually he is 41 and he has been riding bikes since he was six years old, but up until last week he had never ever ridden a naked (apart from that fat bird behind the bus shelter, but don’t tell anyone about that). We didn’t think this would do at all, so we invited him along to sample some of the best super-naked bikes money can buy to see if they have got what it takes to tempt him away from fairings and clip-ons. To get an idea of what sort of rider Rob is, we asked him about the kind of bikes he has ridden during his 30-odd years riding motorcycles.
“Well I started riding bikes when I was a kid in my dad’s yard but as soon as I was 17 I did my test and got a proper bike on the road. Since I passed my test I have never not had a bike, and they have always been sportsbikes. At the moment I have got an Aprilia Mille, before that I had a couple of R6s, I’ve had all sorts really but always sportsbikes. I think I went down that route because I liked the way they look, now it’s just what I’m used to, and it’s the scene that I’ve become more involved with.”
But even though Rob is an ardent sportsbike fan, he told us he is open to the idea of trying something a little bit less extreme,
“I’m trying to come into it with an open mind. I’ve never really fancied a naked bike but I think it would be the most natural progression from sportsbikes as most are directly derived from the sportsbike – it’s almost the same thing just without the fairing and a different riding position. And I know they don’t tend to have the same power as their faired counterparts, but let’s be honest about it – when do you really use all of an RSV4’s 201bhp?
“The first naked bike I rode was the BMW and I was pleasantly surprised by just how comfortable it was. But I did think it was a strange bike to ride, as I’m also not used to riding bikes that are so modern.
Hopping between the bikes I soon realised that all of them were quite comfortable, certainly by sportsbike standards anyway, but not all of them had quite the same mega modern feel as the BMW. For commuting, I think they would be ideal. I don’t use my bike for commuting, it’s for pleasure only, whether it’s a 100 mile blast in the evening after work or a big trip round Europe for a week, but after having ridden them I can see how they could handle that too. When we went to Scotland for the first time by Mille absolutely ruined me – I wasn’t used to riding that distance, I’m a bit more used to it now but I think if I had have been on a naked it wouldn’t have been so bad.”
Keen to know how Rob would fare on a trip to Scotland, we sent him up and the Aprilia Tuono up to Moffatt to see what he made of the bike on a long distance journey.
“I really enjoyed my trip to Scotland, and I did end up falling for the Tuono a bit. It did have a little screen on it but you still feel really open to the elements and the buffeting of the wind which wasn’t the best for comfort but it does help you keep your speed down because it’s dead easy to accidentally creep over the speed limit on a full-fat sportsbike. Up to 70mph you’re okay but much more and you get battered a bit. But you do seem a bit higher up so you can see a little bit more, it was nice in that respect.
“You feel a bit more in command of the road. We also found rucksacks a lot more comfortable on the naked bikes; I think it’s because of the fact that you are sat so much more upright. If I’d have been on a sportsbike I would have had to use a tail pack for a trip up to Scotland but the rucksack was fine.”
So the million dollar question is this: did the naked bikes that Rob rode charm his pants and socks off or will he be a steadfast sportsbike fan until the day he dies? Is he ready to get naked?
“I loved riding the naked bikes, and I know I’m fast approaching the age where my head and body will start telling me I need to get something a little bit more sensible. I think sportsbikes will always have a special place in my heart but now I have had chance to try a few out, a naked bike would be something that I seriously consider – realistically they are more than enough for the road. If you’re a massive fan of trackdays or you’re racing then I still think you would be better off on a sportsbike, even though most nakeds could probably hold their own with a half decent rider on anyway.
“For some people, choosing a bike comes down to taste and I get that if you like sportsbikes the naked equivalent might not be up your street, but I think if you have ridden the naked then you would seriously consider going for it. In fact I enjoyed the Tuono so much that I have been looking at them online and trying to work out where I’m going to get the pennies together to buy one. I’m not ready to give up my sportsbikes just yet but I have definitely had my horizons broadened. There might just be a naked bike on my radar next time I’m in the market for a new bike.”
So there you have – it a life-long sportsbike man teetering on the edge of nakedness. And we reckon as soon as he gets a few quid together he will be on the lookout for a Tuono. If you would like to help Rob, please send any cash donations to Boothy’s Desk,
Fast Bikes Office. I will see that he receives it – less costs incurred.