Comparison test of naked bikes from Italy

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Comparison test of naked bikes from Italy

Italo naked bikes

The finest aesthetics meet brutal driving dynamics: four Italian women, one of which is more noble, classy and fiery than the other. Welcome to a world of very different, entertaining engine concepts. But where one thing always has to be right: the style.

It is typically Italian, this ?? i ?? Finally: Benelli, Ducati, Moto Morini and MV Agusti. Okay, kidding aside. But in the land of spaghetti, Chianti and Berlusconi, even the typical supplier parts sound like an opera by Verdi:

Pirelli, Marchesini and Termignoni. Names that live. Installed in four mechanical sculptures of the purest water, all suitable for living rooms. Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo, Ducati Streetfighter S, Moto Morini Corsaro 1200 Veloce and MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR. Art objects that are admired every half year. Do disdainful public roads even deserve such noble and expensive motorcycles? No matter where the Infernal Quadriga appears, there is a full alarm in no time. Rows of heads turn to the eye openers, mouths remain open. The variety of motor skills alone is simply wonderful. Two V2 engines, one in-line three and one four-cylinder. The air vibrates when this quartet roars through a tunnel. What they all have in common are stainless steel exhaust systems, a steel mesh tube frame and fully adjustable upside-down forks. And all four rely on the proven four-piston stoppers from Brembi ?? Sorry, Brembo of course. SECTION? In Italy people apparently prefer to rely on the Holy Madonna, there is no anti-blocking device for money or good words. But grippy tires, of course from Pirelli? TnT alone is a bit out of line with its Michelin Pilot Power.

Comparison test of naked bikes from Italy

Italo naked bikes

Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo. The front of the headlight looks as if Darth Vader has been crossed with the Grim Reaper and the genes of a praying mantis. She looks grim, grimly she pushes. Her grumpy three-cylinder still grinds like grandmother’s coffee grinder when idling. But woe if the Benelli let go. Then it sounds like an old, air-cooled 911 Porsche, blow drying the cilia. In doing so, she pushes with vehemence that the language stays away. Torque never below 90 Newton meters, driving pleasure never below 120 percent. Every turn a kick in the pit of the stomach. Straight to the twelve. The high front wheel load keeps the front on the ground even when turning the triple out. And the mood is high. The seating position? Combative. Deep inside, feet far forward, handlebars wide. But be careful, if you stroll leisurely, the fun gets a hole. Domes are a case for Klitschko & Co., the throttle response from the push mode rough-digital. Standing at the traffic lights behind the TnT is torture, it smells vulgar. The sooty silencer at the outlet opening and 6.8 liters of minimum consumption (!) Indicate poor combustion efficiency.

After all the years of construction, some of the detailed solutions for the machine, which costs around 14,000 euros, still seem a little improvised. Shirt-sleeved, like the whole motorcycle. A laid-back, cultured predator who prefers a fluid, brisk gait. Then the 1130 scurries wonderfully through the fastest changing curves. The stability is impressive at all times. At least with flat tar. Steering precision and comfort suffer quite a bit from the weakly damped suspension on rugged terrain. The latest Italian naked bike, the Ducati Streetfighter, doesn’t work better on mogul slopes either. Even in the noble, almost 19,000 euro expensive "S" version with forged wheels and Ohlins spring elements. A crouched appearance. Its front looks like an insect, right up to sensor-like mirrors. The appearance of the fiery red Signora is aggressive, technocratic and yet elegant. A super sports car without disguise. And with a striking asymmetry. On the right, elegantly stacked rear silencers and the work of art made up of tangled elbows as thick as an arm dominate. Carbon covers over the two toothed belt slots make the right side of the engine look tidy. On the left, however, a single-sided swing arm and a tangle of hoses and cables catch the eye. The switches are fiddly, the tiny LCD cockpit with 1000 functions is highly informative.

Put to the test

Artist

A motorcycle like a cut diamond. The beautiful noble bike is also impressive in terms of driving.

The 159 hp Superbike L-Twin rattles, stamps and roars on the test bench. From 4000 tours he always balances more than 100 Newton meters, under 3000 he makes a little unmotivated. The tight clutch and the seating position that takes getting used to? Butt up, handlebar ends cranked down strangely with a lot of weight on the wrists? do the rest to spoil city trips. And social transport is a case for Amnesty International. A typical Ducati, exhausting from the first few meters. But also fiery and sensual. It’s crazy how it reacts to gas commands, how it marches. Stoically stable at top speed (250 km / h) as when braking. Brembo’s monoblocs grab relentlessly, but too aggressively on delicate surfaces. When cornering, the Streetfighter naturally strives to the outside and demands constant pressure on the handlebars. Neutral is different.

Nothing works here by itself. The Duc is only fully in its element on the finest (racetrack) asphalt, impressing with unpredictable lean angles and an incomparable driving experience. In the rough reality of traffic alone, however, it seems a little out of place. The Moto Morini Corsaro 1200 also seems to have been born for a world without manhole covers, frost cracks and potholes. And that even though the 14 045 Euro Veloce version has a high-quality Marzochi fork and an Ohlins shock absorber. But on bumps that follow quickly, these spring elements appear stiff-legged. It stutters in the front, it stomps a little in the back. Even if you turn up the overly heavy rebound damping. So what? The engine characteristics make up for everything. What the two gigantic pistons, measuring 107 millimeters, do in the unconventional cylinders, which are spread by 87 degrees, is simply sensational. Even hardened testers can hardly believe what is happening at 4500 rpm.

Hammering and drumming

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Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo, Ducati Streetfighter S, Moto Morini Corsaro Veloce and MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR have a common motto: play, fun, excitement, power naked bike.

Does the world turn faster when you fully voltage the cable? In any case, endorphins flow like crazy. Unfortunately, so is fuel. At a moderate speed, 6.5 liters flow through the injection nozzles, but only slightly more when driving fast on the motorway. The sound for it? Pure rock ?? not ?? Roll. Hard hammering from the airbox complements the drumming from the extremely communicative Termignoni pots in the rear. These are the third feature of the "Veloce". You can even forgive the difficult gear changes on the test copy. And that the gear lever kills the left top of the boot without rubber. On the other hand, the clutch power is still reasonably bearable compared to the Duati. And the upright, raised, albeit not very variable seating position is the most comfortable of the entire quartet. Incidentally, this also applies to passengers. The high, wide handlebar conceals the inherently stiff chassis when handling. Italo drivers with touring ambitions cannot ignore the Corsaro in this test field. The best for last. With all due respect, the MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR is probably the most formally honed machine in this comparison. Just to kneel down. But no misunderstanding. The 18,700 euro, naked MV was born to drive, not just to look at!

And how. It is Lucifer’s favorite toy. Stands into the curves like a peregrine falcon swooping. From 6000 tours the four-cylinder brings hell on earth. What the short translation of the extremely tightly sprung MV is not uninvolved. Six seconds from 60 to 140 km / h. In sixth gear. Any questions? Munchausen couldn’t have felt more extreme during his ride on the cannonball. He didn’t have to worry about the delayed, hard use of power if you wanted to apply the previously closed gas again. Sensitive metering of performance at the apex of the curve? Not to make. All or nothing is the motto. This also applies to the sitting posture. If you switch from the TnT to the ultra-compact MV, you initially think you are on a 250. Ideal for jockeys. Big drivers, on the other hand, struggle to accommodate their bones. The knee angle is acute, the bench is thin. Comfort? What for. In her way, the beautiful Brutale stands even more for Amore and Ars vivendi, Passione and Competizione than the three other Latin lovers. All four are definitely the icing on the cake.

Technical data: Italian

Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo
Three-cylinder in-line engine, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, displacement 1131 cm3, rated power 95.0 kW (129 hp) at 8500 rpm, max. Torque 110 Nm at 5250 rpm, bridge frame made of steel and aluminum. Tires 120/65 ZR 17; 190/55 ZR 17, seat height * 810 mm, weight with a full tank * 221 kg, payload * 179 kg, tank capacity / reserve 16.0 / 5.0 liters. Price test motorcycle 13990 euros, additional costs around 250 euros

Ducati Streetfighter S
Two-cylinder 90-degree V engine, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, displacement 1099 cm3, rated output 109.0 kW (148 PS) at 9500 rpm, max.
Torque 115 Nm at 9500 rpm, tubular steel frame. Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/55 ZR 17, seat height * 825 mm, weight with a full tank * 198 kg, payload * 192 kg, tank capacity 16.5 liters, price of test motorcycle 18,700 euros, additional costs around 255 euros.

Moto Morini Corsaro Veloce
Two-cylinder 87-degree V-engine, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, displacement 1187 cm3, rated output 103.0 kW (140 PS) at 8500 rpm, max. Torque 123 Nm at 6500 rpm, tubular steel frame. Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17, seat height * 810 mm, weight with a full tank * 219 kg, load * 166 kg, tank capacity / reserve 18.0 / 3.0 liters. Price test motorcycle 13,795 euros, additional costs around 250 euros.

MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR
Four-cylinder in-line engine, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, displacement 1078 cm3, rated output 108.0 kW (147 PS) at 10950 / min, max. Torque 115 Nm at 7800 rpm, tubular steel frame. Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/55 ZR 17, seat height * 830 mm, weight with a full tank * 210 kg, load * 160 kg, tank capacity / reserve 19.0 / 4.0 liters. Price test motorcycle 18,450 euros, additional costs around 250 euros.

MOTORCYCLE – Test Result – Italian Naked Bikes

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Sublime moments on the Streetfighter S does not mean the crouched seating position, but the concentrated power of 159 hp at less than 200 kilograms.

1st place: Ducati Streetfighter S.

2nd place: Moto Morini Corsaro Veloce

3rd place: Benelli TnT 1130 Sport Evo

4th place: MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR

Anyone who defines driving fun through the chassis will enjoy the Benelli, Morini and MV more than the Ducati. It is pretty idiosyncratic and exhausting. Nevertheless, the Streetfighter S collects the most points thanks to its powerful V2 and low inspection and fuel costs.

Winner Italian: Ducati Streetfighter S – You’ll be happy with this bike, if …

Partied nights, promenade lined with lounges ?? You and your best buddies wear Kevlar jeans and skimpy leather jackets and are just as open-minded towards Ibiza as the special crunch training offers at your fitness center. When the song? My sacrifice ?? is announced by Creed on the mp3-compatible radio of your Audi RS4 convertible, turn it up. But don’t sing along. You are familiar with the term notoriously polygamous and you are thievingly happy about new colors in the Calvin Klein boxer shorts product tidy. Instead of a book, you read? Stern View? or go to the gala in the dentist’s waiting room. You think three espressos in 15 minutes are healthy. You have a soft spot for Steve McQueen, Giselle Bundchen and Dieter Bohlen’s biography and try to delay the aging process by applying creams.

MOTORCYCLE – How to scoring

engine
The golden mean, that’s what Benelli’s powerful and thirsty three-cylinder stands for. Pulling power, acceleration, top speed, he’s always at the forefront of music without ever setting the best marks. The bottom line is simply great. The gentle load changes of the Ducati are noticeable at the level of maturity in Bologna, which are now complex programmed maps for ignition and injection. The clutch is extremely tight and difficult to dose, as on the MV. From overrun, it only accelerates with a hard and annoying delay, as if the throttle valves were stuck in their housings. Without tendinitis, the extremely brawny Moto Morini can be moved in the long run. However, the gear changes on the test specimen were extremely tough.
Winner engine: Benelli

landing gear
And Benelli advantage again. The oldest model in this comparison is more manageable and more precise than the other three. As confidently as the Ducati’s Ohlins spring elements cushion and spring, the Streetfighter stumbles in curves on bumpy asphalt. In general, the not very neutral Duc requires constant correction in an inclined position. The chassis of the Moto Morini feels pretty stiff, and you need to put a lot of effort into turning. But the Corsaro is best able to take a pillion passenger. The less comfortable Brutale, on the other hand, loses a good part of its driving characteristics with passengers. It’s amazing how steadily the oven of them run straight ahead. Everyone collects points equally through fully adjustable chassis.
Chassis winner: Benelli

everyday life
Head-to-head races: Ducati and Moto Morini give each other almost nothing in terms of points. And yet they set completely different priorities: Only on the Corsaro can driver and passenger travel reasonably comfortably over longer distances. The Ducati benefits from the standard traction control, the greatest range and payload as well as impeccable workmanship. The MV, which is otherwise rather weak in everyday life, is even more finely assembled. With the Benelli, which is still a little rustic, you drive from gas station to gas station. It’s a shame, because the crew is much better off on board the TnT than on Streetfighter and Brutale. In terms of light output and consideration in the mirrors, all four Italians still have some catching up to do.
Everyday winners: Ducati

security
Joy and sorrow. It’s amazing how powerful the Ducati and how well controlled the Benelli and MV brakes. In both disciplines, the Morini drops a bit, but is still lagging at a very high level. A sad chapter: ABS, or better: no ABS in Italy. The Corsaro stands up the least when braking in an inclined position, the Streetfighter the most. The steering damper prevents the front from fidgeting in the bud, while the Moto Morini likes to distribute it on bumps.
Winner safety: Ducati)

$ (text: b: costs
The Ducati is very cheap in terms of inspection costs and quite cheap in terms of fuel consumption. The Moto Morini scores with a three-year guarantee and lower maintenance costs. Maintenance of the MV and fuel costs of the TnT hit hard.
Winner cost: Ducati

Price-performance winner: Moto Morini
Everything is relative, even in the high-price segments: That’s why the Corsaro, which costs around 14,000 euros, takes a narrow victory here over the TnT, which costs only slightly more. Exorbitantly high: the prices of MV and Ducati. cost an exorbitant amount.

Conclusion – group winners

Three out of twelve ?? the group winners on points have been determined. And they also shine with very individual attributes. Because a powerful engine or a stable chassis alone does not make the difference between victory and defeat…

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Other countries other manners. Twelve naked bikes had to prove themselves in a comparison test.

The three winning bikes represent their own philosophy: BMW’s K 1300 R impresses not only with its powerful drive but also with its suitability for everyday use and equipment, while the powerful B-King pushes itself into the limelight thanks to its problem-free rideability. Honestly: Apart from the huge dimensions, could Suzuki advertise the King as an exemplary driving school machine? quasi the sheep in wolf’s clothing. The wolf in the wolf’s skin comes from Italy: The Ducati, a stripped super sports car, which is very stubborn and idiosyncratic to pilot, implements the original street fighter idea most consistently and typically Italian ?? uncompromising, tough, polarizing.

The latter seems to be the key stimulus that Europeans and Japanese are finally including in well-dosed form when planning their bikes. The Italian function-follows-form principle, according to which pragmatic technicians subordinate themselves to apparently detail-loving designers, is now also taking hold in the hoards of reason. How else can it be explained that a design study (B-King) is going into series production or that the white-and-blue 173 racehorses are sent outside without weather protection? All manufacturers have looked outside the box and, in times of greater demand for individuality, offer not only more performance but also more character. The bike is a figurehead and ultimately like a shoe: It should not only fit well, it should also look good. Whether BMW will ever offer stiletto-style hiking boots or Ducati comfortable pumps is questionable.

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