One of the hottest and most exciting areas in motorcycles right now is the middleweight naked category. In fact, it's been this way for years, with amazing new bikes coming out in a steady stream!

With so many great bikes on offer, it's hard to pick just 10 stand-out models but in this blog, I'm going to do my best to cover a wide variety of the very best naked motorcycles on the market in 2020.

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 super nakeds like the Aprilia Tuono or BMW S 1000 R but still pack a mean punch and offer more exhilarating performance than their lightweight counterparts like the MT-03 from Yamaha or the 390 Duke from KTM.

So with the intro out of the way, here are 10 of the very best middleweight naked motorcycles in 2020!

Well, why not start with a bang? 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 torquey hyper-naked that proved to be such a huge hit, that it caused a chain reaction throughout the industry with everyone stepping up their game to provide new models that could compete with it.

In 2020 there are now 2 variations to choose from with the MT-09 SP being the deluxe, definitive edition. It basically takes the already outstanding base model and adds a shed load of features on top: Ohlins rear shock, quick shifter, assist and slipper clutch, traction control, ride modes, and a tasty new paint job to name a few.

The best thing about this MT-09 SP is that despite the upgrades, it still only comes in at a grand more than the original - £9,745.

Definitely one for more experienced riders, the 113hp performance is no joke, especially with its 87.5Nm of torque at 8,500 rpm. If you are looking for a true hooligan bike that can put a smile on your face, this is one of the best out there, able to wheelie in second gear but still with plenty of luxury and quality of life elements. This is a bike that has it all - looks, performance, fun factor, and reliability.

Engine	847cc, 84.6kW, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic dual disc, Ø298mm Rear: Hydraulic single disc, Ø245mm
Suspension	Front: Telescopic forks Rear: Coil spring/Gas-hydraulic damper
Seat height	820mm
Weight	193kg (wet)
Price	£9,745

The Kawasaki Z900 has been given its first update for 2020 and introduces some key new features, including switchable traction control and rider modes. The visuals have also been given a slight update with the Z Sugomi styling looking better than ever and now a complete set of LED lights. The final addition is a new full-colour TFT instrument panel to help you keep track of some of these new features.

One thing that hasn't changed is the engine - the same 948cc in-line four powers this beast and with 124hp it is approaching super naked territory. What keeps this motorcycle in the middleweight category is its linear power delivery which aims to provide smooth acceleration across the rev ranges, meaning it's actually less of a hooligan than some of the other bikes here despite them being smaller on paper.

I mentioned earlier the new ride modes added, one of them being a low power mode. Another feature that keeps this in the middleweight category, this mode 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.

The Kawasaki Z900 starts at £8,899 and makes for a top contender in this competitive market.

Engine	948cc, 92.2kw, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke In-Line Four
Fuel tank	17L
Brakes	Front: Dual semi-floating 300 mm petal discs Rear: Single 250mm petal disc
Suspension	Front: 41mm inverted fork with rebound damping, preload adjustable Rear: Horizontal Back-link with rebound damping, preload adjustable
Seat height	820mm
Weight	212kg (wet)
Price	£8,899

Triumph's beloved Street Triple R has just been freshly updated for 2020 and gets a new two-way quickshifter, improved aggressive styling with an LED headlight setup and comes fully Euro5 compliant without sacrificing any of its 116hp performance.

Despite the improvements, the big news is that this bike is actually cheaper than the previous version! That's right, the Street Triple R comes in at £8,900 and is every bit as good or better than before. The way Triumph has managed this feat is by cutting costs on parts like the full colour TFT screen which has now reverted to a more traditional LCD panel. According to them, market research showed bikers would rather focus on the actual performance of the bike and save money than have some luxury gadgets!

The Street Triple R retains its high-quality components with Brembo breaks and fully adjustable Showa suspension, it also still boasts one of the best power to weight ratios in the class with its 166-kilo dry weight. For the vertically challenged among us, there is now a Street Triple R Low version with a 780mm seat height as well.

Engine	765cc, 86.8kW, liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder
Fuel tank	17.4L
Brakes	Front: Twin 310mm floating discs, Brembo M4.32 4-piston radial monobloc calipers Rear: Twin 310mm floating discs, Brembo M4.32 4-piston radial monobloc calipers
Suspension	Front: Showa 41mm upside down separate function big piston forks (SF-BPF), Adjustable compression damping, rebound damping and preload adjustment Rear: Showa piggyback reservoir monoshock, Adjustable compression and rebound damping and preload adjustment
Seat height	Standard: 825mm Low version: 780mm
Weight	168kg
Price	£8,900

KTM unveiled their 790 Duke in 2018, nicknamed the scalpel for its razor-sharp handling and torquey performance, two years later they bring us the 'super scalpel'. In KTM's words, it takes everything riders loved about the 790 Duke and ''turns it up to 11''.

The idea is to provide a true middleweight Duke experience and this bike delivers. Firstly the new 890cc engine puts out 121hp and an enormous 99Nm of torque and when combined with its new lower weight of 166 kilos (dry) this thing is going to fly!

On top of the increased power, the 890 Duke also adds in all the luxury components to help it compete with the other premium bikes in the category. There is now fully adjustable suspension, traction control, Bosch ABS and Brembo brakes as well as the slipper clutch, ride-by-wire, full-colour TFT display and ride modes.

With all these improvements the price has also climbed up to £10,399 which puts it in direct competition with the likes of the Street Triple RS Yamaha MT-09 SP. This one is still brand new and definitely another one for experienced riders but it will be interesting to see how it performs in the showrooms!

If you love the style of this bike but are looking for something a bit less intimidating, the 790 version is still available and a very good bike too!

Engine	890cc, 89kW, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, parallel-twin
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: 2 x Brembo Stylema Monobloc four piston, radially mounted caliper 320mm Rear: Brembo single-piston floating calliper, brake disc 240mm
Suspension	Front: WP APEX 43 Rear: WP APEX Monoshock
Seat height	834mm
Weight	166kg
Price	£10,399

BMW has produced some very popular motorcycles over the last few years but most of them occupy the high capacity market. I have always wondered why they didn't produce some kind of middleweight version of their S 1000 R for example and it seems the time is now.

The German manufacturer has made it no secret that they are after a slice of Yamaha's pie but the F 900 R does things in a very different way to the MT-09. For starters, we can see from the bike's stats the impressive maximum torque is available much lower in the rev ranges - 92Nm at 6,500 rpm. The idea is to create a bike with a smooth and constant power delivery resulting in a motorcycle that is less of a hooligan and a bit more accessible than some of its rivals.

The engine is an 895cc in-line 2 cylinder with a maximum power output of 105hp so despite it lacking some of the aggression of its top rivals, there is still plenty of power and performance on offer. It comes down to basically what type of ride you are looking for. A smoother bike with steady delivery that can still reach impressive top speeds or a bike with a little bit more mischief that will keep you on your toes!

As it's a BMW you can expect some premium features such as ride modes, LED lights, automatic stability control, ABS, adjustable rear suspension and the same full-colour TFT screen with multimedia connectivity as the S 1000 R. There is also a deluxe SE version available with even more gadgetry. The starting price for the BMW F 900 R is £8,660.

Engine	895cc, 77kW, water-cooled 4-stroke in-line two-cylinder engine, four valves
Fuel tank	13L
Brakes	Front: Dual disc brake, floating brake discs, Ø 320mm, 4-piston radial brake calipers Rear: Single disc brake, Ø 265mm, single-piston floating caliper
Suspension	Front: Upside-down telescopic fork, Ø 43mm Rear: Dual swing arm, central spring strut, spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable, rebound damping adjustable
Seat height	Standard: 815mm Low seat: 790mm
Weight	211kg
Price	£8,660

For this one, I wanted to include something a bit more beginner-friendly, although as a middleweight this is still plenty of bike for any type of rider! Just know that if you wanted something a bit more ferocious, the larger brother of this motorcycle, the XSR900 is still one of the best nakeds out there but the 700 gets the place on this list for the sake of variety and because it is one of the very best 700cc motorcycles on the market.

The XSR700 first arrived in 2015 as part of Yamaha's sports heritage range, aimed at the exploding neo-retro scene. It takes the excellent MT-07 foundation and gives it a beautiful new redesigned style.

In 2020 the bike remains a fantastic option and with the new Dynamic White and Tech Black paint schemes, it looks absolutely gorgeous. There is a lot more to this bike than its looks, however. The XSR700 is powered by the same 689cc 2 cylinder engine found in the MT-07 and with its 68Nm of torque at 6,500rpm, offers the same nippy and responsive performance that made the 07 one of Yamaha's biggest sellers of all time.

There isn't a ton of deluxe features on this motorcycle, which is actually in keeping with the retro style but there is ABS as standard and everything here does its job surprisingly well. The upside of this stripped-down approach is a very competitive price of just £7,445 brand new.

For more on the Yamaha XSR700, feel free to check out our what you need to know article!

Engine	689cc, 55kW, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves
Fuel tank	14L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic dual disc, Ø282mm Rear: Hydraulic single disc, Ø245mm
Suspension	Front: Telescopic forks Rear: Swingarm, (Link type suspension)
Seat height	835mm
Weight	186kg (wet)
Price	£7,445

The CB650R was released at the tail end of last year and makes for another great budget option that is a little more beginner-friendly than some of the other beasts in the category.

Honda has always made great, reliable middleweight nakeds but they didn't always have the style factor present in other manufacturers' machines but all that has changed with the CB650R. Branded as the 'Neo Sports Café' it's another neo-retro-designed motorcycle and although it doesn't have much in common with a cafe racer it makes for a very nice upright naked.

The engine is a 649cc inline-4 and makes for one of the more laid-back bikes on the list. The power delivery is smooth rather than torquey and aggressive, but this is not a slow bike by any means, there is still plenty of go in it.

When it comes to premium features the CB650R keeps things fairly basic but it does have ABS and some nice Showa USD forks. The result, however, is a very attractive price of £6,999 which makes it a solid budget option that is friendly to beginners as well.

Engine	649cc, 70kW, liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC inline-4 cylinder
Fuel tank	15.4L
Brakes	Front: 310mm x 4.5mm disc with four-piston caliper Rear: 240mm x 5mm disc with single-piston caliper
Suspension	Front: Showa separate function fork (SFF) USD Rear: Mono with 10 stage pre-load adjuster, Aluminium Cast swingarm
Seat height	810mm
Weight	202kg (wet)
Price	£6,999

The Brutale 800 from MV Agusta has always been difficult to squeeze onto these kinds of lists due to its 'boutique' nature. Don't get me wrong, it has always been a fantastic bike and when it comes to looks there might not be anything cooler on the road, however, the colossal price has made it difficult to justify choosing one of these over one of its much cheaper rivals.

In 2020 that has changed somewhat with the release of the new Brutale Rosso edition. For those looking for that boutique option, the RR is still there but now MV has managed to produce a version that is actually more in line with the rest of the market.

The new Brutale Rosso keeps the same 798cc engine with a maximum 110hp performance and even squeezes in as much tech as possible with multiple rider modes, switchable traction control, Bosch ABS and quickshifter. 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 £11,990 but compared to the 16 grand you would normally spend on one of these, it makes very few compromises!

Engine	798cc, 81kW, three-cylinder, 4 stroke, 12 valve
Fuel tank	16.5L
Brakes	Front: Brembo radial 4 piston Double floating disc Ø 320mm Rear: Brembo 2 piston Single steel disc Ø 220mm
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
Price	£11,990

In 2020 Husqvarna have given their middleweight nakeds, the Vitplilen and Svartpilen, their first update and while the changes are relatively minor, the price point has also lowered making these bikes much easier to consider.

For this list I'm looking at the Vitpilen 701, It definitely has one of the more unique designs out there: part cafe racer, part modern naked, there is a lot of attention to detail here and the newly adjusted frame and paint-job for 2020 really do look great.

The problems start to arise when you compare it to the XSR700 which has similar performance stats whilst being almost 2 grand cheaper! The Vitpilen 701 does have a lot of luxury parts on it to justify the £8,899 price tag however. Brembo brakes, Bosch ABS, quickshifter and adjustable suspension are all present and are features usually only reserved for the most premium models in the category.

I think with the reduction in price and the amount of spec on this bike, combined with its unique cafe-racer-styled design the Vitpilen is definitely worth a look!

Engine	692.7cc, 55kW, single-cylinder, 4-stroke
Fuel tank	12L
Brakes	Front: Brembo four-piston radial fixed calliper Rear: Brembo single-piston floating calliper
Suspension	Front: WP APEX 43 Rear: WP APEX Monoshock
Seat height	830mm
Weight	157kg
Price	£8,899

We've been hearing how electric vehicles are the future for a while now, with the UK government pledging to phase out traditional engines by 2035 but whether that will come to pass remains to be seen. Still, the Zero SR/F represents something of a giant leap forward for electric bikes and actually boasts comparable performance to its petrol counterparts.

As far as the stats go, its difficult to compare them on paper. The electric motor functions completely differently, so where its 140ftlb (190 Nm) of torque would seem colossal on a normal bike, here it translates into some average middleweight performance. Although to be fair, average in this category is very good!

There is no gearbox so it wont be quite as fast off the mark or have that ferocious pull that some of the bikes on this list have but the upside is extremely smooth power delivery, especially through the midrange. The top speed is 124mph and the bike has all the same tech you would expect from a regular premium motorcycle with Bosch ABS, traction control, drag torque control and a host of rider modes.

There are still some downsides to bear in mind with electric bikes. Firstly the battery. While on an urban commute it may last 100 miles, the fact that this motorcycle has such high performance does mean you are going to want to push it a bit harder at times and then it's more like 50 miles. There are docking stations popping up all over the place these days but it is an added hassle to bear in mind.

Finally, perhaps the biggest factor barring entry is the price, at £18,990 it is double the cost of some of the other bikes here and the 'premium' version is another 2 grand on top! Still, if you are serious about your carbon footprint, this thing can give you all the fun of a traditional Naked and looks pretty cool too!

Engine	82kW, Z-Force 75-10 enhanced thermal efficiency, passively air-cooled, interior permanent magnet AC motor
Range	City riding: 161 miles Highway 55mph: 99 miles Highway 70mph: 82 miles
Brakes	Front: Dual J-Juan radial 4-piston calipers with radial master cylinder, 320 x 5mm discs Rear: J-Juan single-piston floating caliper, 240 x 4.5mm disc
Suspension	Front: Showa 43mm Big Piston Separate Function forks, with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping Rear: Showa 40mm piston, piggy-back reservoir shock with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping
Seat height	787mm
Weight	220kg (wet)
Price	£18,990

So there you have it, here are our top 10 middleweight naked bikes on the market currently...

If naked motorcycles are your cup of tea, why not check out:

• Top 10 Naked A2 Motorcycles
• Top 10 Naked 125cc Motorcycles 2022

Last but not least, if you have your very own middleweight motorcycle you need to insure - make sure to get a motorcycle insurance quote direct with Lexham!