By the 90s, sports bikes were taking over the motorcycle industry. Standard bikes, on the other hand, had become ever more “standard” and their unimaginative designs did not resonate with consumers. All that changed with the launch of one particularly significant model. The Ducati Monster is widely accepted as the first genuine naked sport bike, a bike that single-handedly reshaped what a standard motorcycle should be.
Over the years, naked bikes have evolved into something quite different from the old Monster. It is a segment that now includes all kinds of motorcycles, but the one common theme is that all of them offer a blend of comfort and performance. The one we feel does it best, is a bike from another Italian manufacturer.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Aprilia. Whereas, the opinions are our own.
The City Bike That Rides Like A Premium Commuter Without The Price Tag Is The Aprilia Tuono
This motorcycle punches above its weight in urban commutes.
The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Is The Perfect Middle Ground Between Comfort And Chaos
MSRP: $11,499
After a couple of bites at the middleweight cherry, Aprilia finally got it right with the 660 platform. Although the previous V-twins were fun, they never sold particularly well, and Aprilia was forced to rethink this segment. This multi-platform lump has proven to be highly effective in each of the three bikes that make use of it. But, at this price point, the Tuono 660 Factory faces some stiff competition.
The list of competitors in this space is lengthy, but the only other European alternative that comes close in terms of specification is the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. While significantly more expensive, you do get an additional 20 horsepower, which is more than enough to compensate for the added weight. Kawasaki offers a more value-oriented alternative in the form of the Z900SE. It also has around 20 more horsepower, but is 70 pounds heavier than the Aprilia.
Technically, the Aprilia should be compared to the CB750 Hornet, but in terms of price, we need to compare it to the CB1000 Hornet SP, which is still $500 cheaper. Just like the other bikes, it comes with uprated suspension, but unlike the other bikes, it has a proper superbike engine. From the factory, it “only” has 129 horsepower, but the same engine makes 189 horsepower in the CBR1000RR. So the performance potential is impossible to ignore.
The Tuono 660 Factory Has A Versatile Parallel-Twin Mill
Power: 105 Horsepower
Aprilia launched the RS660 sports bike way back in 2020, introducing this new parallel-twin to the world. After that, the Tuono and then the Tuareg followed. While the Tuareg is in a more mild state of tune, the Tuono and the sports bike have around 100 horsepower. Like any multi-platform lump, it offers strong midrange performance and works incredibly well in the real world. All the kinks have long since been worked out, and like almost every modern parallel-twin currently on the market, it has proven to be mechanically reliable.
Half A V4, More Than Half The Fun
The design of this engine follows the same principles as the big sister V4. In some respects, it even looks like V4 has been cut in half, but there is obviously much more to it than that. This is a sophisticated, modern engine that complies with all the necessary emission regulations around the world. It was designed to compete in this busy middleweight class, and certainly brings a little Italian charm to the table.
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The Tuono 660 Factory Is A Feature-Rich Middleweight
Even though this is a middleweight, it packs a lot of features. You get fully adjustable Öhlins suspension, both front and rear – unlike the Japanese bikes that simply offer Öhlins shocks at the rear – Brembo brakes, lean-sensitive traction control, and cornering ABS. Like most premium bikes, it also features ride modes, a quickshifter, and cruise control. Suffice to say, this is a genuinely feature-rich naked bike.
An Ultra Light Chassis Makes All The Difference
On paper, this might be one of the least powerful options in this price range, but what the specs don’t tell you is how good its lightweight chassis really is. At 399 pounds, it offers an incredible power-to-weight ratio. Even though it has more tech than most of its rivals, it is still lighter. Its twin-spar aluminum chassis offers a great balance between rigidity, flex, and cost. On track, very few bikes can hold a candle to the Tuono 660 Factory, yet it is also equally capable out on a canyon road or simply handling the weekday commute.
10 Most Powerful Naked Bikes Under $10,000 In 2025
The most powerful motorcycle here is a Japanese streetfighter packing 123 horsepower.
This is not a bike you would go out and buy for its engine, but rather a bike you would buy for its chassis. It offers the kind of dynamic handling usually only associated with significantly more expensive sports bikes, yet is still comfortable enough – with the right suspension settings – to ride every day.
Chassis Specifications
| Chassis | Twin-spar aluminum |
| Front Suspension | 43 mm Öhlins USD fork, fully adjustable (4.3-in travel) |
| Rear Suspension | Öhlins monoshock, fully adjustable (5.1-in travel) |
| Weight | 399 lbs |