Bare Naked

Being naked is a good thing. A naked sports bike, that is. These motorcycles got their origins simply enough from European riders who, after crashing their full-fairing sports bikes, found out that these body covers were very expensive to repair or replace. So they rode their sports bikes sans the body covers and started a look that was new yet traditional, which began a trend that spread throughout the motorcycling world. Manufacturers saw the sales potential of these naked bikes and began making them.

Moto Guzzi is not into retro-styled naked bikes because they have been building these types for more than 30 years. Their first real sports bike, the 1971 V7, was the precursor of the current V11 Sport, which is the basis for our featured bike, the V11 Scura.

The Scura is powered by the company’s traditional air-cooled 90-degree V-twin engine mounted transversely in a strong and ultra-rigid classic double cradle frame. The company, which was recently acquired by Aprilia, added a bit of modern technology to the 1064cc engine by incorporating forged pistons, Gilnisil-treated aluminum alloy cylinders, Magneti Marelli electronic fuel injection and digital ignition. However, in keeping with tradition, there are only two overhead valves (OHV) per cylinder but these are actuated by lightweight pushrods of modern metallurgy. Exhaust fumes are channeled into steel tubes that flow through an inter-collector balancer pipe and silenced by carbon fiber mufflers catalyzed by a Lambda probe, meeting strict EURO 2 emission standards.

Power is transferred to a dual-disc dry clutch connected to a new 6-speed transmission and delivered to the rear 17-inch Brembo 3-spoke light alloy wheel by shaft drive. A fat 180/55-17 rear tire plants the power to the pavement while a 120/70-17 front tire assumes steering duties. Suspension is by an Ohlins inverted front fork angled at a 25-degree rake and a rear cantilever swing arm with an Ohlins mono-shock.

While these features alone are enough to wet the appetite of avid sports bikes enthusiasts, I needed to find out for myself how the Scura actually performs. So, I borrowed one from Mike de Guzman, the president and general manager of Ultra Bykes Network, the local distributor of Aprilia and Moto Guzzi motorcycles.

The first thing I noticed about the Scura when I saw it was its bulk. At 85 inches (2150mm) long and 31 inches (785mm) wide, it is not the svelte naked sports bike I imagined. The 32-inch seat height was a tad tall for me and may pose a challenge for those with shorter in-seams. The 230kg (about 500lbs) weight, on the other hand, will definitely require strong legs to keep the bike on its two wheels.

But all the bulk disappears as soon as the Scura is set in motion. The V-twin started immediately like a Japanese bike, and quickly settled to an idle that sounded like a muffled Harley and vibrated like a BMW boxer-twin. Above idle, the bike wound up into a more sports bike-like staccato and graduated into a shriek at top speed. Zero to sixty was almost immediate, and shifting above 4500rpm exacted the best thrust, with the torque peaking at 94Nm at 5400rpm. The factory claims a top speed of 220kph and the bike felt like it can do as the factory claimed.

The Scura was surprisingly agile for its weight and the ride was reassuringly stable. The controls were light and are simple and logically placed while the sculptured tank worked with the seat to support my stomach and upper torso. It allowed me to comfortably control the clip-on handlebars while maneuvering the bike as I attacked corners. The protruding 90-degree V-twin limited the bike’s lean angles while speeds were reined in with impressive urgency by twin Brembo floating 320mm discs with 4-piston calipers in front and a fixed 282mm disc with 2-piston caliper in the rear.

Unfortunately, during one slow-speed U-turn at an inclined section of a street, I found out first hand how efficient the brakes were and how heavy the bike was. I, uh, dropped the Scura midway into the turn when I ran slow too soon and banked too deep. The bike suffered no major damage except for some scratches and a broken left front amber signal lens. As for me, nothing was broken except my pride.

Fortunately, Mike let me off easy. So did his Ultra Bykes crew, Jojo, Jake and Amang after they learned of my small accident. ("So, you also met some real estate in Makati. Welcome to the club.") In fact, they helped restore my pride by reminding me that falls are expected from even the best rider. I’m just glad that I was riding a naked Scura instead of a fully faired bike, or else it would have been a very expensive fall. I could figuratively loose my shirt and end up bare naked.