SR Comparison Test
Ducati Streetfighter vs. Kawasaki Z1000 vs. MV Agusta Brutale 990R
Although the naked bike market's sales in the U.S. have never been anywhere near as strong as other categories, that hasn't stopped the manufacturers from continually offering new and better performing bikes of this genre every few years. Ducati introduced a brutish successor to the S4R series in the 1099cc testastretta evoluzione-powered Streetfighter in '09 ("Turning the Page", July '09), and there were three new entries to the class this year: the all-new Kawasaki Z1000 ("Naked Torchbearer", May '10) and the MV Agusta Brutale 990R and 1090RR ("Brute Force", January '10). And that's not counting the other members of this stripped fraternity that aren't exactly long in the tooth either: Triumph's iconic Speed Triple, Aprilia's Tuono series, KTM's Super Duke, and even Yamaha's FZ1 with its quarter-fairing.
It's been a while since we've gotten naked, so we gathered the three newest entries into this class - the Kawasaki Z1000, Ducati Streetfighter, and the smaller of MV Agusta's Brutales, the 990R - together for a little party. Why not the other aforementioned bare beauties? Triumph didn't have a Speed Triple available, although we think the real reason is because we've heard there will be a substantially updated version unveiled at Intermot for '11. The same could be said for the Aprilia Tuono in a way; photos have been circulating of a V4-powered successor in pre-production form being tested at the racetrack and on the road in Italy, although we hear that machine won't be introduced until '12. KTM's Super Duke is basically unchanged from its '07 form, and in our last comparison it was found to be lacking a bit in the engine department compared to its undressed compatriots. The Brutale 1090RR was not available in time for this test. And as mentioned in the "New Bikes 2011" story, Yamaha's venerable FZ1 is receiving some ECU upgrades for '11, so that was held back as well.
Whittled down to the three contestants, our comparison took us through the traffic-laden mean streets and byzantine freeway system of El Lay, as well as the myriad serpentine canyon roads that slither through the mountains surrounding SoCal. Only the tiniest percentage of naked bikes actually do any mileage on racetrack pavement, so that arena was left out of the overall equation.
Urban Renewal
Day-to-day civility points go to the Kawasaki, with the well-padded and supportive saddle complementing a higher bend in its handlebars and more forward-set footpegs than the other two to provide ergos that are much more hospitable over longer rides. Both the Ducati's and MV's more track-oriented ergos extract a bit of sacrifice from the rider, with the MV's rearset footpegs and firm seat eliciting some groans from testers after extended periods, and the Streetfighter's tiny instrument panel and exhaust heat shield on the right side intruding on the rider's foot raising continual complaints. The mirrors on the Streetfighter and Brutale are both little more than window dressing - the MV's basically show an excellent view of your elbows, and it's the first naked bike where we've had to do the "sportbike elbow tuck" to see anything behind you in the mirrors. The grippy footpegs on the Kawasaki were also deemed superior to the small and slippery pegs on the Italian machines.
It's a good thing the bulk of the Ducati Streetfighter's power is lower in the rpm range, because its LCD instrument panel is so tiny (left) that attempting to read the bar graph is virtually impossible at speed. The Kawasaki Z1000's LCD instrument panel (center) can be tilted to one of three positions, and we like the tinted cover that provides more contrast - although the bar-graph tachometer is actually smaller than the Streetfighter's. We're glad MV Agusta has resisted the temptation to join the bar-graph tachometer trend, and its instrument panel (right) is clear and easy to read - resetting the odometer or changing engine modes or traction control is a more work than it needs to be, however.
The Z1000's engine is the smoothest of the trio, with its secondary counterbalancer canceling out excess vibes at highway cruising speeds. Although the Brutale and Streetfighter are far from paint-shakers, the MV has just enough vibes to become a little wearing on long rides, and the mirror images become fairly fuzzed out as well; same with the Ducati, whose mirror images are basically unrecognizable.
Even the Kawasaki's suspension rates are more in tune with the urban environment. While the stiffer suspension of the MV and Ducati became a little harsh over sharp-edged potholes and frost heaves, the Z1000 could be softened up to literally a '70s Cadillac by comparison.