Forget wind protection, passenger comfort, useable rear view mirrors, taking luggage, or anything else you might expect in most current tests. These three bikes hark back to the essentials of riding a motorcycle: two wheels, an engine and a frame.

They almost guarantee the maximum riding pleasure and are the perfect tool to bring out the bad boy (or girl) in you.

Sporty naked bikes are made to connect dot A to dot B in the most exhilarating way possible, assuming those two points aren’t a day trip apart and that you are itching to misbehave slightly somewhere along the way.

The Speed Triple is the only really new bike within this very select club this year. The 1090RR Brutale was introduced last year and the Super Duke in its current form has been around since 2007.

First up is the MV, and boy does this thing accelerate. For a moment I think the gearbox is refusing to co-operate, but a glance at the beautiful digital dash indicates that at 85mph I’m already in sixth and therefore searching aimlessly for a non-existent seventh gear.

The Brutale has a very short final gearing which is exhilarating on public roads. It encourages an active riding style that never bores you and invites you to dance through the gearbox even though it’s not entirely necessary.

The MV’s suspension is rather plush and soft which is a pleasant surprise and, in combination with its extremely rigid frame, it works brilliantly on the road. Bumps and pot holes are absorbed seamlessly, stability is endless in all circumstances and it’s all bound together with ample feel and feedback.

The Brutale might be based on the F4 Sports bike but it feels totally different. Where the F4 only really comes to life at Mach 3, the Brutale offers a lot more fun at more normal speeds. It’s not particularly easy but the work you have to do in the seat to tip it into corners is what makes it so rewarding. You really feel like you’re riding the bike hard, and that’s what it’s all about. The front brake offers the perfect blend of feel and bite.

The ergonomics are compact. Leg room is limited, while your torso is upright and in direct fire for the oncoming windblast. This last generation Brutale doesn’t feel small but, rather, muscular and solid.

It’s an impression that’s amplified with acceleration. Twist the throttle and the asphalt below is ripped to pieces and the engine sounds like the motorcycle equivalent of Pavarotti. Even when it’s just ticking over on idle, it has a kind of roughness that gives you goosebumps.

When it comes to pure looks, however, I find the Speed Triple the most attractive. The previous round headlights were never my cup of tea but now that they have been restyled, the last point of criticism has been erased.

The British triple also sounds raw on tick over but much more than the MV which is due to the engine configuration. It’s higher pitched than a twin and less sharp than a four cylinder in line. The engine is almost the only thing that Triumph has more or less left alone. A new ECU and less internal friction results in five extra horse power which is necessary if the Speed is to step into the ring with the Brutale.

Compared to the MV, the seating position feels rather classic. The handlebars are a bit further away from the seat and the foot pegs are set further back. It feels sportier than the Italian bike but after jumping off the MV, the Triumph also feels slightly disappointing at first.

I give it full beans until a bunch of flickering blue lights on the dash tell me it’s time to shift gear. But I’m not really blown away. Obviously, the Speed Triple is hardly slow and the engine is so linear that there is power everywhere, but after the MV, the Speed feels sluggish. It doesn’t climb as swiftly through the revs so the acceleration is less impressive. Harsh words, but they actually say more about the MV than the Triumph. The Brutale is so powerful it even makes a Speed Triple feel flat.

There are couple of other things that can’t go unmentioned. The gearbox isn’t very slick. Triumph say they’ve improved it but it’s not as smooth as it could be. It’s also heavier to tip into corners than the MV but it remains nevertheless, a brilliant bike.

After a couple of miles you can easily forgive its small faults. The Showa suspension feels sturdier than the MV but it is fully adjustable. All in all, handling wise, they’re not that far apart. When ridden spiritedly, the MV is slightly quicker, but for everyday use, the Triumph might be a better option because it’s a lot less tiring to ride.

The KTM Super Duke doesn’t manage to shake the Triumph but it doesn’t lose sight of the Speed Triple either, due to its torquey engine, well spread gearbox and above all, its exquisite chassis.

It has such a playful character that you need lots of self-control not to get totally carried away. It doesn’t have the pure power of the Speed Triple but it does have the spicy delivery that the Triumph lacks.

It challenges you to open the throttle harder and sooner, shift quicker and it keeps you focused and sharp. Compared to the other two bikes on test, it’s not overly impressive, but it is lively and huge fun.

The Super Duke is a unique bike and that is evident the moment you throw your leg over the seat. You get the impression you’re perched on top of the bike, the pegs seem low and the handlebars wide. It’s got a bit of a supermoto feel that you get used to quickly.

Even though you sit the most upright on the Super Duke and it offers the most leg room, I find it the least comfortable of the three. The seat is narrow and hard and your upper body is subjected to more windblast than on the other two bikes. The low foot pegs make you wonder about the lack of ground clearance but it’s so narrow that you can tip it into corners with full commitment and without hearing metal scraping.

The KTM feels shorter and smaller than its competitors and you find yourself throwing it into bends rather than steering it. It is quicker to steer than the MV or Triumph and it’s more aggressive on the brakes, a little too aggressive perhaps, because even though you can teach yourself to gently stroke the lever, there are still moments where the anchors will surprise you.

All this is typical for a KTM. It’s constantly in your face and that’s something you either love or leave. The sharpness of braking and steering might be a bit too much for some riders. Personally I find it a lot of fun, but only for a while.

The Super Duke’s constant challenge to ride faster, accelerate harder and take more lean, can become nerve wrecking after a while.

Each one of these three bikes offers a tremendous amount of fun.

The MV is without doubt the most impressive and best bike of all. Its strength is that its engine performance is totally supported by its chassis. It’s more planted than the Super Duke and just that little bit easier to tip in than the Triumph.

Above all, the Brutale feels like it has the best build quality of the three. The only problem is that all those kinds of qualities come at a price.

If you do have the money hidden under your mattress, buy the MV. It’s the best, quickest and most exhilarating naked bike on the market.

The KTM is a total toy. It compensates for its lack of power with extremely easy handling and a very playful character. It’s a bit like a hyperactive puppy. There are times when it is fun, and there are times when you just want to put it back in its kennel.

So, with everything carefully balanced, the Triumph Speed Triple is the moral winner. It’s not as fast as the MV, it has less character than the KTM, but what it lacks in these areas, it gains by being accessible, without being bland or throwing all its individuality totally overboard.

It’s the most useable, sensible bike of the three that is only let down by its gearbox.

At a glance

Model
MV Agusta 1090 RR

Engine
1,078cc, four cylinder, four-stroke, 16-valve

Transmission
six-speed

Power
(Full power version) 142.2 bhp (Restricted power version) 99 bhp

Transmission
830 mm

At a glance

Model
KTM Super Duke 990

Engine
999cc

Power
116 bhp

Transmission
six-speed

Transmission
850 mm

At a glance

Model
Triumph Speed Triple

Engine
1,050cc, liquid-cooled, 12-valve, DOHC, in-line three-cylinder

Power
133 bhp

Transmission
six-speed

Transmission
825 mm