Three naked superbikes go into the cage. Only one comes out.

An exciting trend is gaining traction, a movement owed much to the fat, smoking burnout laid down by the Cycle World Ten Best winning Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC ABS. Rumors of gnarly nakeds from multiple manufacturers have been brewing ever since the Italian brand raised the stakes with the debut of its RSV4-based super standard two years ago. Speculate no more, as this is the year of the naked, complete with all-new superbike standards leading the way.
Distilling this year’s bumper crop of top contenders has given us three very different engine configurations driving a common theme: red-hot performance tempered with a bit of real-world refinement and comfort.
Entering the cage for a heads-up bout with Aprilia’s 1,000cc V-4 is the inline-four-powered BMW S1000R and a booming 1,301cc V-twin KTM 1290 Super Duke R. Our combatants all weigh within 20 pounds of one another and produce about 150 rear-wheel horsepower. Each features comprehensive electronic rider aids with selectable power delivery modes, traction control, wheelie control, and sport-oriented ABS. BMW takes this a step further with cruise control and suspension featuring DDC (Dynamic Damping Control).
While each bike here packs a knockout punch and enough kicks to go around, there’s no split decision when it comes to title fights in Ten Best balloting. With this in mind, we planned a real-world test route full of mean streets and high mountain passes.

Joining me were the two Ryans, CW testers Ryan Dudek and Ryan Orr. Both are wicked fast on the street and also pro-level dirt riders, a perfect mix of all-around skill for bull-by-the-horns bikes like these. We saddled up and rode east toward California’s Lake Arrowhead in search of the perfect ride. You can’t get anywhere in Southern California without getting brutalized on the freeway. Having a sporty motorcycle that can cope with bumpy and menacing 14-lane-wide superslab is key to survival.
The KTM is the wild animal of the group and growls at you a bit for droning along at freeway cruise. Its engine pulse emits a hint of coarse vibration felt in the grips that, while not an irritant, contrasts with the silky smoothness of the other two. Ergo-wise, the Duke feels narrow, has a bit more leg room, and the shortest reach to the highest handlebar of the three. “The ergonomics are perfect for my 5-foot-10 frame with plenty of room from seat to peg,” Orr noted of the KTM. “The saddle fits well and has great foam to keep the butt alive on those long rides.” Dudek, a lankier 5-foot-11, countered with, “The saddle is wretched—don’t know if it’s the curvature or the forward slope that encourages wedgies.”
While the Aprilia’s firm saddle and rearset peg position make no apology for its superbike heritage (as is true with the others), we found the tapered-aluminum bar offers plenty of lower back relief, though the reach to the bar was farthest.
BMW offers the best of both worlds opined Dudek, who picked it as “the most well-rounded bike and also the most comfortable.” Orr agreed. “The ergos let you sit down into the bike, helping build that confidence that you are one with the road.”

It was a feeling that soon came into play as we took the off-ramp headed for the twisties. For all the miles of cabin-lined roads we traveled riding various paces and trading bikes, the real payoff came on a 5-mile ribbon between Crestline and Silverwood Lake. Repeated runs through this concentration of first-, second- and third-gear corners allowed for back-to-back impressions as we rotated through the bikes.
While KTM’s tractable delivery felt unrivaled with TC toggled off, the proliferation of electronics on these bikes has become the great equalizer. The benefit of a flexible and predictably responsive engine remains, however, as the booming twin delivers a broad spread of torque that nearly negates proper gear selection. “It feels like the rear tire grips the ground with every thump,” Dudek said. “I can be lazy with shifting and it still comes alive right off the bottom.” The flip side is when you let revs rise, and the KTM breathes fire on top.
The Super Duke is also very nimble in turns, nearly to a fault, as Orr discovered. “This bike’s chassis is very responsive to brake or throttle action. It will stand up in the turn on acceleration or tuck in with a hinge feel on braking,” Orr said. While I didn’t find the handling disconcerting, I pride myself in having a fluid technique. Of course, there’s also the softer throttle response of Street mode if needed.
Due to tall gearing and less torque output, the Tuono requires more frequent use of the gearbox. Not such a bad trait, though, since its soul-stirring exhaust note and slick quickshift action rival the exhilaration of squeezing off a clip of M16 rounds. Handling is sharp, precise, and fully track ready with its added degree of chassis tautness and stability, particularly at high speed. While the brakes lack initial bite, there’s plenty of power with a firm squeeze on the lever. The electronics were the most difficult to set quickly, but it’s worth pointing out the added level of adjustment the Tuono offers: eight-level TC, three-level wheelie control, and three-level ABS, each of which can be tweaked within the trio of power-delivery maps.

As the good roads unfolded and the miles piled up, the S1000R began to elicit a pleasant kind of confusion. “The BMW offers the luxury. Wait, I mean performance. Okay, maybe both,” Orr enthused. It’s not surprising, given that the S1000R borrows its sport-oriented tech from the stellar HP4. On-the-fly selection of four ride modes (Dynamic Pro, Dynamic, Road, and Rain) instantly affects throttle response, traction control, wheelie control, ABS/anti-rear-lift, and DDC. Another bar switch toggles among Hard, Normal, and Soft DDC settings.
On this particular stretch of road I liked a Dynamic Mode/Hard DDC combo. The direct throttle response combined with modest TC/anti-wheelie intervention allowed just enough corner-exit drama to make me feel like a hero without risk of taking it too far.
“This bike rocks!” Orr said. “It’s faster than heck, but you can use the power it has. The traction control is well dialed in, and in the right mode you can drop the hammer and it delivers that power straight to the ground.” Dudek picked it as his favorite as well, citing its superior comfort and handling. By the time I had descended the mountain on my final stint and spilled onto Interstate-15, the decision was unanimous. Giving the BMW two thumbs-up, I switched to Road Mode, Soft DDC, flicked on the heated grips to low, and set the cruise control for the smooth drone home.