GET NAKED

Japan keeps churning out bigger, faster and downright sexier super nakeds. Last month we tested the best Europe had to offer the sector, now here's the top guns from the land of the rising sun…

If you were lucky enough to get hold of a copy of last month’s Fast Bikes magazine, you would have no doubt seen part one of our ginormous eight bike super naked super test (if you weren’t lucky enough, it’s not too late – back issues are available online). Well, part two of our most extensive super naked test ever is finally here, and I expect the vast majority of you will have been camping outside WH Smiths in anticipation of the final instalment of this terrific test, so I will waste no time getting stuck in. After taking care of the European contingent of big sexy supers last month, we are all over Japan like a tramp on chips this issue, with another four 1,000cc bruisers.

At the value for money end of the price range the Suzuki GSX-S1000, which retails at £10,099, might not win any prizes for its looks or abundance of tech (which it doesn’t have), but we couldn’t wait to find out whether its rev-happy engine could put as big a smile on our faces as we remember.

Just about as technologically challenged, Team Green’s addition was to be the Kawasaki Z1000. Looking mean and menacing, despite its sparkly green paint job, we were eager to find out what the £10,299 Zed Thou’ would be like up against its Japanese rivals.

Honda’s CB1000R+ was the only ‘new-for-2018’ entry and the dearest Jap bike we had on test at £12,299. We enjoyed riding it on the launch in Spain earlier this year but did the ‘Neon Café-racer’ have what it takes to best its sportier and more aggressive rivals?

And last but definitely not least was Yamaha’s £11,299, R1-engined MT-10. With the biggest power figures and an electronics suite matched only by the more expensive Honda (as far as the Jap bikes go, anyway) the smart money would have been on the MT-10 to come out on top.

But putting spec sheets and price tags aside, we wanted to find out which of these four Japanese monsters was the fastest, the best handling, most wellmannered wheelie machine available. So as before we put in the road miles, did lap after lap around Bruntingthorpe’s handling track and popped many, many wheelies – to find the very best super naked sportsbike money can buy today.