Riding A Fast Naked Bike...

[St0rmer66]

What's it like? Been looking at some naked bikes recently after I saw the Benelli TNT Cafe Racer (though it wouldn't be reliable or cheap enough for me at the moment seeing as I don't have a car) in the Ultimate Bikes thread. Also looked at the >2005 Triumph Speed Triple and new Street Triple (675 engine) and I like those a lot! Not sure if I like them enough over the '05/'06 636 I want but I'm considering it.

My only thought is with such a fast engine in a naked bike, doesn't it make it nearly impossible to go fast anyway? I know this is good from a "keeping your license" point of view, but everybody does some silly speeds every now and again on their favourite country roads! Surely you'd need neck muscles like a body builder just to keep upright? I just don't know if I would be able to deal with not being able to open it up fully every now and again. Also any dual carriageway/motorway riding is going to be virtually impossible and sometimes it's necessary even to get to good roads.

If I did get one I'd still want to ride it like a sportsbike, getting my knee down etc eventually and such, wearing full leathers blah blah blah.. which then makes me think "why not just get a sports bike?". Maybe I can be convinced by some owners of naked bikes! (Bendy with her Speed Triple and AndyC with the Speed Four springs to mind).

J-.
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:: Honda XR 125 L ('53) => Kawasaki GPZ 500S ('02) => Suzuki SV650S ('00) => Aprilia RSV-R ('51) ::

[colin1]

my tt600 with its fairings off is a essentially a speed 4

100mph was fine, and i dont go faster than that really
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[Andy C]

[chris-red]

I've had 140 on my s4 (private road officer) and aches alot, If you duck down behind the fly screen it's alright till about 120. It ain't good to sit at those speeds for your neck though, but tbh honest you shouldn't be doing roads speed for long on the road anyway.
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[steveh]

anyone else read this as "riding a fast bike naked"

no? just me then
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[Bendy]

I'm redeveloping my neck muscles at the moment, long atrophied from years of double-bubble comfort.

Up to about a ton, I don't really notice the wind. Over that and it starts to become harder work, but you do get used to it with time (and muscle build up!). Duck down a bit, hide behind the flyscreen and you should be seeing pretty sporty speeds. Sit upright and you'll be lifted out the seat by the chinstrap on your helmet. (there's a point, helmet seems to make a bigger difference on naked bikes than faired, I remember changing lids on my old CB5 and it made a world of difference to my comfort level).

Motorways and such are all do-able, it's just a little bit harder work physically as you can't just duck into the bubble and relax. Wouldn't recommend it if you slog the M roads every day, but it's not a problem for now-and-then use.

What I'm finding weirder, after years of riding a bike with clipons, is the bars / tank kinda thing. When hanging off round a corner, I've no idea what to do with my arms cos they don't neatly tuck against the tank any more. But I'll work it out. I'm riding it like a sportsbike cos that's how I know to ride, and it seems quite happy accepting that. Haven't got my knee down on it yet, but I will.

Your best bet - get a test ride on something naked and suitably muscley. Take a good route with a selection of road types and see how you feel.

[binge]

I know its not overly fast, but ive been riding the NC29 with no fairings on it recently, waiting for HC Race Tec to send my Race panels.

Once you get to about 120 it gets a bit uncomfortable!

[cestrian]

Depends on what you call fast. I've had the Bandit flat out a few times and It's easy to hold on without any neck strain at all.
If it could manage serious speeds like 170MPH+ I guess that might be a little uncomfortable or even difficult.

Regards

[Kal]

I went well over the ton on the CB500

You know you are doing it, but its no great strain to hang on. I wouldn't want to spend hours and hours at a time on it - that would be physically draining. The longest trp I did at speed was 2 hours on the motorway.



However I did go up a shirt size in my first couple of years.
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[Wave2k]

I rode a Harley V-rod 2 weekends ago, now its not really that much of a slow bike, infact it shifts, but it felt like i was gonna take off at over a ton, felt like someone was trying to pull my head off.
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[Kal]

Thats what happens when you spend too long riding a girls bike!!!
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[alexhornet]

on my hornet upto 100 is comfortable, 110 plus is a bit blustery and the one time i took the bike to max at 138 i had a head ache for 3 days afterwards where my helmet was pushing so hard on my forehead.

so i never really go above 110 now!!

[01dabreoo]

whats your budget / max cc?
https://www.motorcyclebloggers.com/images/angrybob/2005/sept/tuono_racing.jpg
https://www.motorcyclebloggers.com/images/angrybob/2005/sept/06tuono_r.jpg

[tony532]

took the hornet to 120 the other week and it felt like my head was going to be ripped off my shoulders.

any naked bike.. be it a z1000 or a gsx1400 e.t.c will be exactly the same.

as far as know just because they are not girly bikes doesnt make the howling wind treat them any differently!!!.
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bikes owned :-

aprilia rs125 - suzuki gsxr400rrsp 1990 - yamaha yzf600r thundercat - honda hornet 6

[Zimbo]

How fast do you want to go on the road???

Look at it from another aspect - sportsbikes are so efficient these days that they're no fun, even at illegal speeds. You need to push them so fast to get any feedback at all, on the public road there's no place for that, you'll end up dead or in jail.
Naked = more fun at lower speeds. On trackdays I run mine without even a flyscreen and find you simply don't notice the wind!

I loved my last faired bike, but it wouldn't go at speeds less than three digits, just didn't like it!!

[dabigginger]

I've owned my Hornet for a few months - it was completely standard when I got it. At 80mph, I really felt the wind in my stomach and I doubt it would have been very comfortable above 70mph for much time.

I fitted a flyscreen not long after purchasing which made a noticeable difference. On a normal ride with varied speeds, it's 100% comfortable. Bursts of upto 120mph are fine and it's quite comfy. Above that, I really do have to duck down. The Hornet would benefit from having a longer fuel tank for ducking down in my opinion.

However...

holding motorway speeds for prolonged periods can get quite tiring leaving you with an aching neck.

To sum it up, if you want to use it for general blasts and short commutes, you'll be fine and you'll be fine with a naked bike. It was fine without the flyscreen, but I do prefer it with one (mostly I prefer how it looks with it fitted).

If you spend hours on the motorway, or want to do a bit of touring, you'll need a neck like Arnie, or a 2 foot tall flyscreen.

I hope that helps!

[Louise]

70+ on the Bandit I have to duck under the screan. I took it off today - Looks better but I cant do more then 80 without hurting.

[Yoko]

I never realised the wind was so bad on unfaired bikes. I never ridden one before, I'll have to give it a go some time for the experience!
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[teampots]

have to say up to 90 on my Superfour is bearable but after the ton you have to duck down, took it to 120 (private roads mind) ducking down when i sat up i felt as though i was gonna come off
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Current - Fazer 600
Prev - Bandit x2 (Killed) CB400 (Superfour) CBR125
Currently Restoring - Kawasaki S1 250 Triple (Slowly but surely)

[keyser soze]

on the buell i've had 130 but 120 is comfortable. you just have to build up to it. get to 70 for a while then 90 then drop to 80 then 100. its just like going to the gym.

[.....]

I don't think a naked bike would slow me down - it would just make going faster a lot more uncomfortable.

[ColdInsomnia]

I ride my naked bandit to Uni every day, and that involves 15-20 minutes of 70mph A-roads, whilst carrying my (Big and heavy) laptop over my left shoulder...

Was tiring for the first few weeks, but after a while you really notice the muscle start to build! Don't even notice the wind or the laptop at all now.
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[froggeh]

Had 130 on the clock east lancs on my old Hornet(with flyscreen). No problem. Just get your head down. I had 120 having forgotten to put my visor down.

On my new one (hornet 2007), I haven't broken 180 knh (112ish), but then ban speed is waaaay lower, and they use helicopters here (sweden)


Sticking to the Speed limit is very comfortable. So. unless you're going a long way at high speed, I wou;dn't worry)

And of course the BIG advantage is the riding position...comfortable.

I doubt my wrists would last 10 minutes on a Ninja.
Sat on Trevs and felt them go without even riidng it... damn nice bike tho....

[hmmmnz]

im good to about 110 mph
then after that i have to ride with one hand and the other holding the chin piece on my helmet to stop the strap digging into my neck
only been upto 155mph (real speed) with the bike naked.
having a naked bike doesnt slow you down a hell of a lot in real riding situations.
and if you go faster than that, then you have to be creative
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[m0l0t0v]

On my Hornet I've gotten up to 105 indicated, down a hill admittedly (33BHP ) And it was fine, with my chin to the thank. I could ride it not putting my chin to the tank but it isn't comfortable. Otherwise I find it fine. Have never had a screen or faired bike though so I can't really compare.
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'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
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