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Stark Naked
Hmmmm, how do we test these nakedbikes? Here's an idea, let's take them to a runway, a racetrack and on a road ride or two...
Story: Sam MacLachlan
Photos: Phil Smith and Helmut Mueller
From the outside looking in, these three bikes -
Aprilia Tuono, Ducati Monster S4 and Triumph Speed Triple - appear to
be mild-mannered nakedbikes. Uniquely-styled they are, but they're
'just' nakedbikes all the same, right? Wrong.
Have a gander at what each of these bikes
originated from. The 'newcomer' Tuono? Basically a stripped-down RSV
Mille - one hard-edged sportsbike.
The Monster? A full-fairing-free version of the
sportsbike that tipped the motorcycle world on its ear nearly ten years
ago, the Ducati 916. And last but not least, the Speed Triple is
descended from the potent Daytona sportsbike - grunty, fuel-injected
955cc engine included.
What I'm getting at is this: while these are
nakedbikes, two V-twins and a triple, they behave like out-and-out
sportsbikes, with ample grunt, nimble handling, outstanding brakes -
and impressive top speeds.
So, we figured, if each was going to behave like a
sportsbike, we'd bloody well treat them that way. We fired them down a
three-kilometre runway at a radar, thrashed 'em 'round a racetrack, and
took them on a lengthy road ride.
The bikes not only soaked up all of the above abuse
with disdain, they also produced some surprising results. How's a
genuine 264kmh top speed from a nakedbike sound? Yeah, we thought so
too...
MID-RANGE MUSCLE
It's often the case that a bike's engine is the centre piece of the
riding experience, and this naked group is no exception. Each boasts an
engine that will bring a smile to your dial, though they all do it in
very different ways.
Driving hard off a slow turn is a reward in itself
aboard the Tuono, the 60¡ V-twin punching through the mid-range with
all the subtlety of a sledgehammer in a china shop, a deep bellow
accompanying the rapidly lightening front wheel until the tiny red
shift light winks on, and it's time to do it all again.
During the track session at Motorcycling Victoria's
Broadford complex, the Aprilia was wheelstanding on the power exiting
the right hander at the end of the back straight. That's impressive..
That mid-range is very useable on public roads too,
though the torque does hit harder than on the Ducati or Triumph. You
have to be wary on the throttle mid-corner as 9.4kg-m of torque is
prone to unhook the Aprilia's rear tyre if you get too hasty, such is
the engine's eagerness to get on with hurling you at the horizon.
Luckily, on the two occasions at Broadford I did
get over-excited, I was backed up by the grippy Michelin Pilot Sport
hoop which, though it needs a bit more heat than some other tyres to
start working properly, helped keep things shiny side up.
MOBILE MECHANIC
The Ducati's mill feels leisurely through the rev range by comparison,
but that's mostly just a trick. A quick glance at the speedo reveals
you're travelling faster than it feels, but it all sounds more relaxed
when compared to the harder-edged Aprilia.
Mind you, the Tuono is pumping out 12 more neddies
(113ps to 101ps at the rear wheel), so it's always going to feel a
little more lively.
The Ducati's 90-degree V-twin is a sweet one
none-the-less - even if it doesn't sound that sweet at idle. In fact it
sounds like somebody shaking a bag full of chisels. Simon reckons
pedestrians were stopping him in traffic to point out the bike was in
dire need of an overhaul!
For people in the know however, that's all part of
the Ducati charm, and it isn't anything a throaty set of end cans
wouldn't fix - a louder V-twin burble would shut out the metallic
carry-on of the desmodromic valve gear and dry clutch.
The Triumph was the only one of the testbikes to
turn up at the AMCN bunker with a non-standard muffler - both the
Aprilia and Ducati end cans are the standard items, the Speed Triple
sporting a Triumph Carbon Wrap muffler (priced at $850). Needless to
say the prize for the best exhaust note goes to the Triple, admittedly
unfairly.
Some similarly muffled Triumphs that have winged
AMCN's way have done nothing more than annoy with a bizarre, piercing
drone at highway speeds, but the Speed Triple sounded great.
WHAT FLAT SPOT?
Flat spot? Not this bike. The in-line triple's musical wail is sweet
all the way through, as is the power delivery. The reason? The bike's
fuel injection system had been enhanced with the Hinckley (UK)
factory's latest 'tune' or map - the 15th such upgrade. It works.
When AMCN last tested the Speed Triple (Vol 52 No
4) I was not alone in my criticism of the bike's chronically lean state
of tune, and subsequent flat spot, which made city riding a pain in the
arse.
With this latest tune that flat spot, running from
4000rpm to 5000rpm, has disappeared completely. Throttle response is
also much improved, to the point where it's the best of this bunch.
I haven't been a fan of Triumph's fuel injection on
its sports models, the Daytona's initial tune one of the most
disappointing, but there's no denying Triumph has got it all sussed out
now.
With that niggle sorted, the Triumph's engine is
not only the most powerful, as it was in the past, but it's also the
most civil of the trio.
You can rev it all the way to the 10,000rpm redline
in fang mode, or just grunt your way around the bottom reaches of the
tacho - the engine does it all without snatching, hesitating or
complaining.
The Tuono on the other hand, isn't as flexible. The
engine is more abrupt to the point of feeling almost peaky - for a
V-twin anyway - and definitely has the 'racier' feel of the two. It
doesn't roll into the mid- and top-end rev ranges so much as snap into
them. This isn't a negative point - it just depends how you like to
ride your motorcycles.
The Monster feels flatter, but it's only in press-on mode that the power deficit becomes really apparent.
LOOKING GOOD
Looks-wise, all three of these bikes are pleasing to the eye, which led
to many passionate discussions amongst the AMCN crew as to which was
the best looking. In the end, we couldn't reach a unanimous decision -
it is, after all, a personal thing.
Simon remains loyal to the Monster's shape, despite
my protestations its styling has reached its use by date, the young 'un
insisting the Duke's lines look as sharp today as they ever have.
Myself, Adam and the esteemed Ed opted for the Triumph's streetfighter
look.
The bottom line is, all three designs stick out
like a dog's proverbials when parked amongst a sea of plastic-coated
sportsbikes. For the rider looking for something a bit different, any
of these three should do the job.
SITTING PRETTY
Ergonomically, the three are chalk and cheese. The Aprilia seemingly
towers over the others, whose statures are relatively compact.
The Tuono's super-wide 'bars just accentuate this
feeling, as does the location of the instruments, which are mounted in
the same position as on the RSV Mille donor bike.
With the pronounced 'sit up and beg' riding
position, the trick Aprilia LCD speedo and analogue tacho arrangement
seems a mile away, whereas on the Mille, the racer crouch places the
clocks in your face.
The speedo has always been hard to read in direct
sunlight, and now it's even harder, but the tacho and idiot lights are
still visible.
It is the bike taller riders will feel more
comfortable on, backed up by the Woosebag who, at 187cm tall (and
perhaps around the gut...) gravitated towards the Aprilia whenever he
thought he could get away with it.
Simon preferred the Tuono's ride position too,
despite his 178cm height matching mine. He enjoyed the leverage those
wide 'bars offer.
For me, it's the Triumph. My knees slotted in
around the tank nicely, and the 'bars, while still wide, don't spread
my arms as much as the Monster and Tuono - something I find
uncomfortable.
Seats on all three bikes are wide and flat,
especially the Tuono and Speed Triple, but the padding is fairly
minimal. There's not much in it, but common consensus is the Monster
wins out in this respect.
BE FIRM
On the road, there isn't much between the trio handling-wise. This
changed on the racetrack (see the separate panel for all the low-down)
but the bikes are evenly matched in real world conditions, though once
again they go about it in different ways.
All hold a line well, though the Speed Triple handles bumpy corners slightly better than the other two.
The Tuono's ride is the firmest, but not by much,
and it has the best ground clearance. Even with that grunty mid-range
working its magic, the bike's front end remains stable and twitch-free
in this environment.
The Monster is prone to the odd wiggle of the 'bars
in bumpy going. Nothing scary, just enough to let you know you're
alive, but its ride is definitely the most 'comfortable' of the group,
albeit only just.
THE VERDICT
By the end of two weeks' commuting, a day ride or two, and a day and a
half at a racetrack and airstrip, a winner was becoming clear.
Opinion was divided at the start of play, Simon
wavering between the Tuono and Monster, with my goodself camped in the
Triumph's corner, but those opinions began to change as the test wound
on.
The $18,495 Monster S4 is a fast, competent and
practical package, but it's showing its age now, especially since
Triumph got its fuel injection even better and that 'other' Italian
V-twin manufacturer has arrived with a flashy new offering. How about a
999-based Monster, Ducati? That 998cc Testastretta engine might square
the ledger...
The Tuono was consistently quick around Broadford
lap after lap, which is probably why on the road it feels narrow
focused and hard edged. But at $21,990, it is priced well above the
other bikes, particularly the $16,490 Speed Triple.
The Tuono offers a lot of bike for the cash, but in the end, it's hard to beat the Triumph for value for money.
The Speed Triple scored the fastest lap at the
bumpy and gnarly Broadford circuit, is more versatile on public roads,
and is $5500 cheaper than the Tuono.
The 2002 Speed Triple came up trumps in AMCN's most
recent nakedbike comparo (Vol 52 No 4), and it's now improved, thanks
to the latest injection tune.
It's close, but it's the Triumph I'd park in the garage - and my workmates agree.
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