STUPID SPEED!

DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V4 S VS TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE RS

- ROHIT PARADKAR

Stupid is a mean word, but it is the first word that comes to my S mind when I read about 200PS naked motorcycles. To me, street nakeds feel pointless beyond 150kmph. You battling more wind blast than horsepower and if you would rather crouch to save yourself from it, then why not buy a supersport instead? But the appeal of super nakeds is hard to ignore - they are fast when you want them to be and relatively more comfortable otherwise. There are quite a few of them available in the market at the moment - including the absentees like the Aprilia Tuono 1100, the Kawasaki Z H2 and the BMW S 1000 R - but at the time of this test, we could only get our hands on the Triumph Speed Triple RS and the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S.

These are arguably two of the most popular super nakeds in India at the moment (or at least that is what social media suggests). It isn't hard to see why - both look better than the new (symmetrical) S 1000 R, are lighter than the lumpy Kawasaki Z H2 and their makers seem keener on marketing these motorcycles than Piaggio India ever would with the larger Aprilias. I'm also glad that these were the only two motorcycles I had to ride and compare on a sultry day in Chennai - because they are quite a handful!