The middleweight naked category is one of the hottest and most competitive in the motorcycle industry, with some huge-selling models receiving constant updates and new offerings arriving every year.

With so many fantastic bikes available, it's hard to narrow things down to just 10, but in this list, I'm going to do my best to cover a wide variety of the very best naked motorcycles on the market in 2024.

So, what is a middleweight naked bike? Well, if you aren't sure - it's exactly what the name suggests, a fairing-less bike that sits squarely in the middle ground when it comes to power, performance and weight. These bikes aren't quite as hair-raising as a super naked like the Aprilia Tuono or BMW S 1000 R, but still pack a mean punch. They offer a great mix of exhilarating performance with practical everyday useability, which is just one of the things that have made these bikes so popular.

Now, without further delay, here are 10 of the very best middleweight naked motorcycles in 2024!

The MT-07 has been one of Yamaha’s top-selling motorcycles since it arrived in 2014. Now 10 years later, the 2024 MT-07 is still an outstanding budget-friendly option that will please new and experienced riders alike.

Both Alex and I have test-ridden the MT-07 in recent years and had a total blast on it. It skips over most of the fancy rider aids that are common in this category, there is no slipper clutch or traction control here, but the MT-07 is so well-built and smooth in its operation, that you don’t really miss any of it.

The engine is a 689cc liquid-cooled 2-cylinder with 72hp and 67Nm of torque peaking at 6,500rpm. The aggressive, readily available torque is one of the bike's key trademarks. As soon as you crank the throttle, the MT-07 is ready to go with an extremely fun hooligan ride style that is still relatively manageable.

The only real update on the latest model is a slightly larger 5” TFT display with smartphone connectivity via the free MyRide app. The old saying goes – if it isn’t broken don’t fix it, and I think it will be a tall order to find a bike that is more satisfying and more polished than this for a £7,500 entry price.

For all the details on the MT-07 check out our road test review!

• Tons of fun with its high torque and early acceleration
• Extremely well built and easy to ride
• Budget-friendly pricetag

• Hooligan ride style won’t be for everyone
• Not as much power as some of the other bikes here
• Lack of tech features (some may see that as a good thing)

Engine	689cc, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic dual disc, Ø298 mm Rear: Hydraulic single disc, Ø245 mm
Suspension	Front: Telescopic forks Rear: Swingarm
Seat height	805mm
Weight	184kg
Price	£7,500

The other brilliant budget-friendly naked, Triumph’s Trident 660 immediately gave the MT-07 a real run for its money when it was released in 2021. The latest 2024 model hasn’t seen any major changes either but remains an excellent model that feels far more premium than its £7,895 price tag would suggest.

Triumph is using one of their signature inline 3-cylinder engines (although not the same one used in the Street Triple) with 80hp and 64Nm of torque at 6,250rpm. The stat line kind of tells the story between the Trident and the MT, and having tested both, I can tell you they are almost like 2 sides of the same excellent coin, equal but opposite.

The Trident is a little more user-friendly, with a more laid-back torque delivery, it eases you into its power with a smooth roll on, but if you want to rev it hard, the power kicks in almost like a super sport around the 8k mark and has noticeably more pull in the high end than its chief rival.

The Trident also manages to pack in almost every bell and whistle you can think of, with rider modes, switchable traction control, pre-load adjustable Showa suspension with responsive Nissin brakes, and ride-by-wire technology. It is a plush package for such an appealing price point, so the real choice comes down to whether you are looking for a hooligan or something a bit more refined - you can’t go wrong.

For all the info on the Triumph Trident 660, check out my full road test review!

• Great suite of tech for this price range
• Huge amount of polish and is fun to ride
• Easy to manage acceleration 

• Not as powerful as some of the other models here
• Lacks the low end fun factor of the MT

Engine	660cc, liquid-cooled, 12-valve, DOHC, inline 3-cylinder
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Nissin two-piston sliding calipers, twin disc, Ø300 mm Rear: Nissin single piston sliding caliper, single disc Ø255 mm
Suspension	Front: Showa 41mm upside down separate function forks (SFF) Rear: Showa mono-shock RSU, with preload adjustment
Seat height	805mm
Weight	189kg
Price	£

One of our new entries in the budget department is Suzuki’s GSX-8S, a brand-new successor to their long-standing SV650, with a brand new engine and its own suite of tech features.

The SV650 was arguably one of the best beginner bikes of all time, but when I last test-rode one, it was starting to feel a little dated compared to some of its chief rivals. The GSX arrived in 2023 to remedy that, and despite losing the iconic V-Twin character, the new bike still fills a similar role in the category with a more modern design set-up.

The new engine is an 81hp, 776cc parallel twin with a maximum 78Nm of peak torque. It unquestionably packs in more power than the previous model, but it is also a bit on the heavy side still at 203kg. Similar to the SV before it, the GSX-8S offers a smooth and manageable character that should be a big hit with newer riders.

When it comes to features, the GSX-8S comes with a choice of ride modes, traction control, and an up / down quick shifter as standard but it also comes with a slightly more expensive entry price than its main rivals at £8,199.

• Smooth and planted ride that will be popular with new riders
• Great all-round performance for commuting and pleasure

• More expensive than other budget options
• Less aggressive character (again may be a positive depending on what you are after!)

Engine	776cc, liquid-cooled, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Nissin four-piston radial-mount calipers, twin disc, Ø296 mm Rear: Single piston caliper, single disc Ø240 mm
Suspension	Front: Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil dampened Rear: Link type, coil spring, oil dampened
Seat height	810mm
Weight	203kg
Price	£8,199

The new Hornet made waves at last year’s show season and is joined for 2024 by 1000cc and 500cc versions to complete the range. For this list I’m sticking with the CB750, as it fits in nicely among its middleweight rivals.

The two-horse race between the MT-07 and the Trident in the £7k price range was made a bit more interesting with the CB750’s arrival, boasting superior power to weight ratio than either and still packing in an impressive amount of tech.

The engine here is a 755cc liquid cooled parallel twin with 90hp and 74.4Nm peak torque at 7,000rpm. It still has its torque available a little higher than the MT, so it should be fairly easy to manage for newer riders, but the extra power is undeniable, especially with the lovely light 190kg wet weight (and that is including the larger 15.2L tank!).

When it comes to tech features, the Hornet has a lot, with selectable torque and wheelie control, throttle by wire, rider modes and even a customisable mode that allows you to adjust the power and engine braking! The CB750 Hornet comes with Nissin brakes and a Showa SFF front fork and for an extra £240 you can have an up /down quick shifter included. Starting at £7,200, this is some crazy value for money from Honda.

For the complete rundown on the Honda CB750 Hornet, check out the BikeMatters road test review!

• Excellent value for money
• Good power-to-weight ratio
• High spec in the tech department

• Still not as powerful as the top bikes here
• Not as visually striking as some of its rivals

Engine	755cc, liquid-cooled, OHC, 8-valve, parallel twin with 270 crank
Fuel tank	15.2L
Brakes	Front: Nissin four-piston radial-mount calipers, twin disc, Ø296 mm Rear: Single piston caliper, single disc Ø240 mm
Suspension	Front: Showa 41mm upside down separate function forks (SFF) Rear: Monoshock damper, Pro-Link swingarm, with 150mm travel
Seat height	795mm
Weight	190kg
Price	£7,200

Time to step things up a bit in power and spec with the latest 2024 Kawasaki Z900. This bike has been around for a while now, so it is tried and tested at this point. The engine was updated in 2020 for Euro 5 and the latest model remains mostly unchanged apart from the new black and red paint scheme, which does look pretty sweet.

The Z900 is powered by a 948cc in-line four with 124hp at 9,500rpm, for a relatively affordable middleweight, we are approaching super naked territory here. Kawasaki are aiming for a more linear power delivery with this motorcycle, with smooth acceleration and plenty of pull across all ranges, so despite the power, it isn’t quite as aggressive as some of the other hooligans on the list.

Usually, Kawasaki like to keep things basic in terms of rider aids, but the Z900 does get some ride modes including a low power mode that will reduce the power output of the bike by around 55%. Pretty nice when the weather is bad or if you simply want to build up your confidence before letting it off the leash. There is a slipper clutch as standard and a full colour TFT with smartphone connectivity.

If you want a bit more spec, the 2024 Z900 SE is coming later in the year, which takes the already great baseline and adds Brembo brakes, a fully adjustable Ohlins suspension and a unique livery for an extra 2 grand.

The Kawasaki Z900 starts at £9,799 and remains a top contender in this competitive market.

• Sharp Sugomi styling
• Reasonable price tag for the stat line and performance
• Reduced power mode and slightly less aggressive delivery make it a bit more accessible than some of the others
  
  

• Slightly lower in spec on the base model than some of the other top models

Engine	958cc, Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke In-Line Four
Fuel tank	17L
Brakes	Front: Dual semi-floating 300 mm petal discs Rear: Single 250 mm petal disc
Suspension	Front: 41 mm inverted fork with rebound damping, preload    adjustable Rear: Horizontal Back-link with rebound damping, preload  adjustable
Seat height	820mm
Weight	212kg
Price	£9,799

Time for a bit of a wildcard here, the Brutale 800 from MV Agusta has always been difficult to squeeze into these kinds of lists due to its 'boutique' nature. Make no mistake, this is a fantastic bike with crazy performance for the class, and when it comes to looks, there might not be anything cooler on the road. However, the colossal price tag has made it difficult to justify choosing the Brutale over one of its much cheaper rivals.

In 2024, the current Brutale R has changed that somewhat with a more manageable power level and only a slightly unreasonable entry price. For those with unlimited budgets looking for that boutique option, the 140hp Brutale RR is still the bike to go for, but now MV has managed to produce a version that is actually more in line with the rest of the market.

The Brutale R uses a 798cc, 3-cylinder engine with a maximum of 112hp at 11,000rpm and 85Nm of torque at 8,500rpm. You can see from the stats that this is still a high-revving bike with a sportier character compared to some of its hooligan rivals that prefer to go hard at the low end. It’s still packing some competitive performance with as much tech included as possible, with multiple rider modes, switchable traction control, Bosch ABS, and quick shifter. It also still looks drop-dead gorgeous.

With all this being said, the bike is still one of the most expensive on the list at £13,800, but compared to the 17 grand you would normally spend on one of these, it is definitely worth considering.

• Unmatched visual styling
• High on spec and features

• High entry price for the category

Engine	798cc, Three cylinder, 4 stroke, 12 valve
Fuel tank	16.5L
Brakes	Front: Brembo radial 4 piston Double floating disc Ø 320 mm Rear: Brembo 2 piston Single steel disc Ø 220 mm
Suspension	Front: USD Telescopic fork rebound-compression damping and spring preload external and separate adjustment Rear: Progressive Sachs, single shock absorber with rebound and compression damping and spring preload adjustment
Seat height	830mm
Weight	175kg (dry)
Price	£13,800

The Ducati Monster was redesigned a couple of years back in order to keep up with the stiff competition and is all the better for it. The latest model offers the premium features and styling you would expect from a modern Ducati, without sacrificing any of its Monster character.

Ducati may have done away with the iconic trellis frame, but this is still very much a Monster in its visual design. It oozes Italian style and manages to still somehow look as muscular as ever, despite actually being more compact and narrower to improve overall agility.

The engine inside is the latest Euro 5, 937cc Testastretta 11° engine with desmodromic timing. In plain English, the engine uses a complex valve timing system to improve performance and efficiency. This is a system Ducati have been using for years to great effect, and one of the keys to their engineering success. This V-Twin can put out 111hp with 93Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. With a relatively light 188kg wet weight, the Monster can compete with the best in the category, and the smooth power delivery makes it ideal on the road.

The standard suite of rider aids include cornering ABS and traction control, as well as wheelie control that can all be adjusted across multiple levels. There is an up / down quick shifter, multiple ride modes and high-quality components across the board.

The only weakness here, is that as with all Italian fashion statements, you have to pay for it. The 2024 Monster starts at £11,295 which is close to a grand more than some of the equally high spec alternatives here. Still, if you have the budget, it’s a fabulous bike with the added street cred of a Ducati badge.

• Gorgeous Ducati styling
• Meticulously engineered with smooth performance

• Higher end of the budget despite similar spec to rivals

Engine	937cc, Testastretta 11°, Liquid-cooled, V2, Desmodromic valve train
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Brembo M4.32 monobloc radial 4 piston calipers, Double semi-floating disc Ø 320 mm Rear: Brembo 2 piston floating caliper, Single-disc Ø 245 mm
Suspension	Front: 43mm USD fork Rear: Preload adjustable monoshock, aluminium double sided swingarm
Seat height	820mm
Weight	188kg
Price	£11,295

For 2024, KTM’s 890 DUKE makes way for the all-new 990 DUKE, which in their own words, is ‘’the lightest, sharpest, most performance focused mid-class naked motorcycle to ever wear the DUKE nameplate’’. That is something to be excited about.

The most immediate thing to notice is the new, more compact visuals. I always felt the 890 with its longer and slimmer proportions kind of missed the mark, whereas the rest of the Duke range all held true to their Super Duke inspired design. That has been fully rectified here with its squat, beefy proportions, aggressive angles and cool new front headlight set-up. This thing looks amazing in my book.

Inside the all-new frame is a powerful 948cc, LC8c parallel-twin engine with a claimed 123hp and a whopping 103Nm of peak torque. With a lighter wet weight of 190kg, the 990 DUKE is the new power-to-weight ratio king of this category and the performance is going to be impressive. The new model will be arriving in February so we still have to wait a bit longer to find out the bike’s character, but if the new Super Duke inspired styling is an indicator, we could have a real hooligan on our hands.

As usual with KTM, there is high-quality components and features all around on this new motorcycle. Ride modes, smart phone connectivity, lean sensitive traction control and adjustable suspension are becoming pretty standard for the premium end of this category and the 990 will have it all. Interestingly, the Supermoto mode disengages some of these rider aids in case you want to lift the front wheel or slide the rear about. Conversely, the Track mode gives extra options like the Launch Control, for the fastest possible starts off the line.

When the full details are released, I’ll update this entry and we may even see it catapult to the top of the list. For now, we can be confident of an impressive premium offering on the way and the initial price given is £12,999.

• Aggressive new styling looks great
• High spec and ferocious performance

• We have to wait till February to get the true picture of this bike's performance

Engine	947cc, Liquid-cooled, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, parallel twin
Fuel tank	14.8L
Brakes	Front: 2x radially mounted 4 piston caliper 300mm Rear: 2-piston caliper,  240mm brake disc
Suspension	Front: WP APEX 43 Rear: WP APEX Monoshock
Seat height	825mm
Weight	179kg
Price	£

The original MT-09 pretty much turned this category on its head when it first arrived back in 2013. Yamaha introduced a new breed of aggressive hyper-naked that proved to be such a huge hit, it caused a chain reaction throughout the industry with everyone stepping up their game to provide new models that could compete with it. In 2024 the outstanding MT-09 gets a big update to make it more competitive than ever!

The 2024 model gets a brand-new look with a redesigned front covering for its light setup and more minimalistic tank and bodywork. The bars have been lowered slightly to give a more aggressive riding stance, although they are two-way adjustable so you can find your own sweet spot. On top of the new visuals, we also get a new electronic package with an improved dash and switch gear, smart connectivity, customisable ride modes, cruise control, back slip regulator and quick shifter as standard. Finally, a fully adjustable suspension and new Brembo master cylinder for sharper braking at the front end complete the new additions.

The only thing that remains unchanged for 2024 is the engine, and considering what a great job it has done so far, that isn’t really a big surprise. An 847cc liquid cooled 3-cylinder is at the heart of the 09 with 117hp on command and the character defining 93Nm of torque that reaches peak as low as 7,000rpm. This is a true hooligan naked, and its aggressive pull won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but its ability to put a smile on your face is hard to match.

The standard MT-09 starts at £10,100 and considering its high spec and excellent character, it is one of the best value options on the market. For an extra £1,700 you can upgrade to the SP version which comes with its own paint scheme, updated rider modes, upgraded Brembo Stylema calipers, DLC-coated 41 mm KYB gold front forks and a fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock.

I expect the MT-09 to remain one of the top dogs of this category for years to come.

• A huge package of tech features
• Excellent performance
• High value for money

• Aggressive torque and style aren’t for everyone

Engine	847cc, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic dual disc, Ø298 mm Rear: Hydraulic single disc, Ø245 mm
Suspension	Front: 41mm USD telescopic fork Rear: link-suspension, swingarm
Seat height	820mm
Weight	193kg
Price	£10,100

Triumph's beloved Street Triple R has been one of the gems of this category for as long as I can remember, and it received a major overhaul in 2023 to help it compete with some of its key rivals. The result is a naked street bike that once again sits at the top of the pile.

The latest Street Triple 765 R has everything you could wish for in a middleweight naked, with high spec, quality components, high-tech rider aids, and a beautifully updated visual design. Let’s start with the engine, as one of the defining elements of the Street Triple. As the name suggests, the Triple features a 765cc in-line 3-cylinder with an impressive 118hp and 80Nm of torque. Combined with an 189kg wet weight, we have one of the best power-to-weight ratios in the class. Triumph has poured all of its Moto2 knowledge into this new engine and it shows.

The suite of rider aids included is equally impressive considering the R is the ‘base’ model. There are ride modes for every situation, including a fully customisable mode, switchable lean-angle sensitive traction control, a slip and assist clutch with an up / down quick shifter, you name it – the Street Triple 765 R is packing it. Add to that Brembo brakes and an adjustable Showa suspension and we have an amazingly high spec for the price point.

The road-focused Street Triple 765 R starts at £9,595 and ticks pretty much every box. If you want to push things even further with more power and even more gadgetry, the RS version turns the Street Triple into a sporty track weapon for an extra £1,800.

• Very high spec, performance, and features at a surprisingly low price point
• Lovely new visual design
• Triumph build quality and reliability

• A bit more sport-focused than some of the others

Engine	765cc, Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Fuel tank	15L
Brakes	Front: Twin 310 mm floating discs, Brembo M4.32 4-piston radial monobloc calipers Rear: Single 220 mm disc, Brembo single-piston caliper
Suspension	Front: Showa 41 mm upside down separate function big piston forks (SF-BPF) Rear: Showa piggyback reservoir monoshock
Seat height	826mm
Weight	189kg
Price	£9,595

So there you have it! Here are my top 10 middleweight naked bikes ready to take 2024 by storm...

Last but not least, if you have your very own naked motorcycle and are in need of insurance, make sure to get a motorcycle insurance quotation direct from Lexham!