Tuono 125 (MY2005)

The Tuono 125 is an RS125 with the fairing pulled off and a wide handlebar bolted on. That's the whole idea, and it's a good one. You get the same liquid-cooled two-stroke single and the same aluminum twin-spar frame, wrapped in minimal bodywork and rolling on 17-inch wheels. Six gears, 125 cc, 12 lb-ft (16 Nm) of torque: on paper that's small. Among naked bikes it's something else, a little machine with real sport-chassis hardware and an engine that asks you to ride it properly. Just you and the throttle.

Keep it above 7,500 rpm and it comes alive. Let the revs drop and there's not much waiting for you. That's the deal with a high-revving two-stroke, and it makes you a sharper rider. The chassis is precise and easy to place, which is why this bike suits anyone who values corner craft over horsepower. It's cheap to run, simple to work on and it holds up well. The honest caveat: top speed is 80 mph (128 km/h), so long highway stretches aren't its world. Twisty roads are.