Benelli TNT 1130R

 

The Benelli TNT 1130R is the Italian bike maker’s most powerful naked motorcycle. Part of what makes the Benelli so appealing is the manner in which it exploits the design possibilities that a street naked offers — It’s edgy, manic and muscular in a way only Italian motorcycles can be. Big, bulging tank shrouds, underseat exhaust pipes and a scalpel-cut fuel tank will prompt more rubbernecking than you can handle. The bike gets a 1131cc, liquid cooled 3-cylinder motor, which puts out 156 bhp with 12 kgm of torque. Cubically, the Benelli does have an advantage over its rivals, and at 202 kg it’s also much lighter than other premium, high performance street bikes such as the Kawasaki Z1000. Keeping these factors in mind, the Benelli TNT is one of the best priced triples out there.

 

Price: Rs 12.14 lakh (Ex-Mumbai)

 

 

Kawasaki Z1000

 

It’s hard to say no to a bike like that looks like the new Kawasaki Z1000. The twin LED headlamps, bikini fairing and bulbous exhaust pipes all point toward something wild and sinister. It packs 140 bhp of power and is an extremely agile and reactive motorcycle, requiring very little input. A robust, 1043cc, in-line four motor sits underneath that gorgeous fuel tank — a rev happy, wheelie friendly motor. The Z1000 is quite the diva. It’s as fast, exotic and temperamental as its looks would suggest, so it might be a handful as far as everyday riding is concerned.

 

Price: Rs 12.8 lakh (Ex-Mumbai)

 

 

Honda CB1000R

 

The Honda CB1000R is the friendliest of the nakeds, which is remarkable given that it has a Fireblade-derived motor. Though sharp and angular, its styling is relatively understated. Nimble and quick to turn into corners, the CB1000R puts out around 123 bhp — much less than its more contemporary rivals, but all of this power is tantalisingly useable. Honda was practically the first motorcycle manufacturer to start the ‘Naked’ craze, way back in 1969 with the CB750, so in a lot of ways, they are ahead of the curve, even though the CB1000R could use a serious upgrade given how wildly sophisticated and edgy the competition has become.

 

Price: Rs 14.42 lakh (Ex-Mumbai)

 

 

Suzuki GSX-S1000

 

Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 is forever draped in legend. One of the world’s greatest superbikes ever, its DNA is the cornerstone

 

that Suzuki builds its motorcycles around. It’s only fitting then that a naked Gixxer be given to us — in fact, they’ve given us

 

two variants, one of which (GSX-S1000F) is fully faired. The GSX-S1000 gets the same 999cc liquid-cooled engine, along with an advanced, lightweight chassis and a switchable 3-mode traction control system to rein in 144 bhp of in-line four fury, should the circumstances require it.

 

Price: Rs 12.25 lakh (Ex-Mumbai)