2020 BMW G310 R
- Engine: 313 cc, singe cylinder
- Performance: 34 hp
- Price: $4,945
This model might not be the most powerful of the lot, closer to the bottom of the range, however, if you’re a fan of the House of Munich, $5,000 get you on a BMW and that’s not a bad deal. You get to enjoy German engineering at a small price which doesn’t happen very often.
The G310 R is a good-looking naked model that you will enjoying whether you are commuting or leaving the city behind. The engine might be small but it is mighty and it has no problem reaching comfortable highway speed without making you pay the price.
bmwmotorcycles.com
2020 Husqvarna 410 Vitpilen And Svartpilen
- Engine: 373 cc, single cylinder
- Performance: 44 hp
- Price: $4,999
While the 701 variants of the Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen have received more press for being modern-day big singles, the 401 versions are a dose of vitamins in a small capsule. That single is a firecracker and will keep you grinning from ear to ear.
Husqvarna has also slightly updated the two models to improve passenger comfort, should you want to use that pillion seat. What’s not to like about that?
Now all you have left to figure out is whether you’ll choose the modern café racer (Vitpilen) or the flat-tracked (Svartpilen). Whichever one you choose really only is a matter of tastes since both use the same engine and are priced the same.
husqvarna-motorcycles.com
2020 Kawasaki Z400
- Engine: 399 cc, parallel twin
- Performance: 48 hp
- Price: $4,999
In the realm of sub-500cc bikes, the Z400 is possibly one of the best options out there. It’s a great all-around model that’s easy to live with and that you won’t get fed up with. The 399cc mill has plenty of potential and performs well both in the city and on the open road.
If you are partial to the fully-faired aesthetic, the good news is that the Z400 shares its engine with the Ninja 400. While the chassis and riding ergonomics are slightly different (the Ninja offers a sportier stance), the small Ninja is a fun to toss around as its naked brother—if not more (at least, in my opinion). Both 400s are priced the same for the non-ABS, entry-level model.
kawasaki.com
2020 Yamaha YZF-R3
- Engine: 321 cc, inline twin
- Performance: 42 hp
- Price: $4,999
In its fully-faired version, the little 321cc twin produces a healthy 42 horsepower. If you doubt that’s enough, think again. The R3 is surprisingly zippy for the size of its engine. The bike is just big enough not to feel like a toy and the 321 block gives you plenty of grunt to keep you going even when you think you’ve met its limits.
The only thing is that, if you want to keep it below the $5k mark, you have to pick the entry-level version. If you want such fancy features as the ABS, you’ll bust your budget.
If you want a little more but don’t have a few hundred dollars to spare, then you might want to turn to the R3’s naked counterpart, the newly introduced MT-03. It uses the exact same engine as the tiny sport, but rocks a mini streetfighter look instead. The MT-03 produces 41 horsepower (a tiny one pony less than the R3’s rating) but pricing starts at $4,599 and ABS is a standard feature.
yamahamotorsport.com
2021 Honda CB300R
- Engine: 286cc, inline twin
- Performance: 31 hp
- Price: $4,949
The baby CB was thoroughly upgraded for 2019 when it received the Neo-Sports Café alongside the 650. It received a much-needed fresh new look and a new lighter, more efficient frame. With its gorgeous new design, the CB300R waltzes into this top 5 as the least powerful of the lot.
At a minuscule 317 pounds, however, it doesn’t take much to get this tiny naked moving and grooving. If you don’t agree that Honda’s new Neo-Sports Café bikes are some of the best-looking naked on the market (we can’t be friends anymore), then you always have the option of opting for the CB300R’s fully-faired brother, the CBR300R. The two entry-level models share the same engine and are rated for the same output.
You can also go down the cruiser path by opting for the Rebel 300 that also uses the same engine—though we don’t have formal performance figures for it. Because the model is older than the CB, the CBR is priced at an even more affordable $4,699. As for the Rebel 300, which was lightly updated for 2020, pricing starts at $4,499.
powersports.honda.com
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