What is it about the Italians and their flair for engineering and style? Even the most mundane motorcycles have that certain something that no other nation’s manufacturers are able to match, while their sport bikes are guaranteed to raise the heartbeat of any red-blooded enthusiast.
Italian motorcycles have that thing which the Japanese can only dream about: soul. While the post-war Italian motorcycle industry was born out of a need for cheap and plentiful transport, the likes of Ducati and Aprilia couldn’t help themselves and soon performance models were forming the backbone of both companies, and today, they build some of the most desirable motorcycles on the planet. But, which do you choose: Ducati or Aprilia?
10 Ducati Panigale V4 - The New King Of Excess
The first recipient of the new V4 engine was rightly a sport bike and the resulting Panigale V4 set new standards not only for power but for electronic sophistication, never mind peerless chassis dynamics. The V4 engine which, incredibly, is little larger in terms of external dimensions than the V-Twin, pushes out an insane 210 horsepower and 90.6 foot pounds of torque.
Three versions available, the base model, the ’S’ and the homologation ‘R’ with a World Superbike-legal 998cc version of the engine, pushing out an even more amazing 231 horsepower with the optional race kit and Akrapovic exhaust. Stunning good looks allied to track-ready performance lifted the Ducati sport bike to a new level.
9 Aprilia RSV4 - The Heir To The Throne
If you want raw power, then there is nothing quite like the V4, 1100cc engine in the RSV4. It is, quite simply, one of the great motorcycle engines, irrespective of era. It may have been around for nearly 15 years, but it still packs a punch: 217 horsepower and 90 foot pounds of torque and an exhaust note that sends shivers down your spine.
If the electronics might be lagging slightly behind those on the Panigale V4, the chassis is right up there with the best of them. Two versions available: RSV4 and RSV4 Factory, the latter adding forged aluminum wheels, Öhlins semi-active suspension and Brembo Stylema brake calipers. A legendary motorcycle that refuses to show its age.
8 Ducati Streetfighter V4 - Naked Insanity
Normally, with a naked version of a superbike, the power is turned down quite significantly, say from 200/210 horsepower down to 160 or so. Ducati has done the same, almost: from 210 horsepower down to 205... This is seriously fast naked insanity, but somehow Ducati has endowed it with more civility than its V-Twin predecessor.
For such a high state of tune, it is docile at low speeds but twist the throttle and all hell breaks loose. Beautifully built and beautiful too, in a brutal way, and it has excellent equipment levels also. The riding position is less extreme than previous Ducati Streetfighter models while the 2023 update gave it more low-down torque, making this a refined, technically impressive and blisteringly fast motorcycle.
7 Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory - Style And Performance
You could argue that Ducati built the Streetfighter V4 in direct answer to the fabulous Tuono V4 Factory. Even if both power and torque are down on the Ducati, at 175 horsepower and 88.5 foot pounds, it’s obviously more than enough and there is just power and torque absolutely everywhere. It’s also one of the finest handling motorcycles money can buy.
Superfast it may be, but it also has a calm side to it, and it’s even comfortable and there’s room for taller riders! Somehow, it manages to be supple on the road, but also razor sharp on the track, all helped by the Öhlins electronic suspension. You get tons of feedback and seemingly endless grip from the front end and on top of it all is one of the best exhaust notes in motorcycling.
6 Ducati Multistrada V2 - Still Life Left In The Old V-Twin
Ducati was much slower than its rivals to enter the Adventure bike market, and when it did, the result was more an adventure-styled sport touring motorcycle, possessing no real off-road ability while being impressive on the road. If styling at first was controversial, it soon turned into a handsome machine, and in the guise of the Multistrada V2, is possibly the most accessible Multistrada model in the line-up.
The 937cc Testastretta engine pushes out 113 horsepower and 71 foot pounds of torque, which is more than enough, especially when paired with the lovely chassis, suspension and excellent electronics. Great ergonomics make for all-day comfort and its light and nimble, flattering the rider.
5 Aprilia Tuareg 660 - Smaller Is Beautiful
Not a direct competitor to the Ducati Multistrada V2 but it could well be just as good. The parallel twin engine is also found in the Tuono 660 and RS 660 but tweaked in this application for more low- and mid-range torque. 79 horsepower and 51 foot pounds of torque are beautifully usable, and the chassis is more than up to the task of dealing with it and there’s an impressive electronics package which isn’t the norm in this displacement class.
Slightly bland looks but they hide a bike that’s full of dynamic ability and personality. Perhaps not as comfortable as the Multistrada V2 but with much more off-road ability. The old Italian bugbear of reliability seems to have been laid to rest and there’s no reason to believe that the Tuareg 660 will be outlasted by any rival.
4 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro - Retro Gets More Power
The Scrambler has been a massive success for Ducati to the point where it has been spun off as a sub-brand and propelled Ducati in to the top ten in the sales lists for the first time. The first Scramblers had a 800cc engine but the 1,079cc V-Twin has given the chassis the performance it can so clearly handle.
The Pro model gets Öhlins suspension, and while 85 horsepower and 65 foot pounds of torque isn't much considering its 454 pound weight, it does endow thew Scrambler with a feeling of solidity and quality, which is not misplaced. The Scrambler isn’t there to be a sport bike: it deserves a more relaxed approach and is well suited to that role.
3 Aprilia RS 660 - Perfectly Formed
If the day of the liter superbike is over, then there’s no reason to be sad because bikes such as the Aprilia RS 660 are here to replace them and that can only be a good thing. It’s fast, handles as well as its RSV4 big brother and is well-equipped, but it’s also surprisingly comfortable and relaxed and easy to live with.
It’s light, narrow, nimble, beautifully balanced, precise, sticks like glue to the tarmac and has enough power to be exciting but never too much to frighten. It will teach you more about how to ride fast than a bike with twice the power (99 horsepower for the RS 660), the suspension and brakes are just right, and perhaps the clincher, it looks brilliant. This really is all the sport bike you’ll ever need.
2 Ducati Monster - The Original And Best
The bike that saved Ducati. Not that the company was necessarily struggling in 1993 when the Monster emerged, but the model opened up such a huge new market for the company that all of a sudden it was raking in the cash and the future of the company was secured. The latest model might have lost the signature trellis frame, but it’s a move for the better.
The whole bike feels more complete and refined, helped in no small part by using top-shelf components for suspension and braking. It’s now lighter, enabling the Monster to be more agile, while still retaining great stability at speed. The chassis is brilliant, the engine punchy, and should you feel the need for fully-adjustable suspension, it’s available on the SP model. Still one of Ducati’s best models.
1 Aprilia SR GT 200 Sport - Sporty Commuting
Aprilia has always been a scooter manufacturer, somewhere that Ducati has never dared set foot, and when Aprilia is building scooters as good as this, it’s understandable why Ducati is leaving it to them. Aprilia calls the SR GT200 an ‘urban adventure’ scooter which actually means pretty much nothing but the scooter itself is a premium product with plenty of ability and a turn of speed that means it could take on more than simply tooling around town and commuting.
There has always been a market for more sporting scooters and Aprilia has the heritage and model line-up to credibly add such sportiness. It looks great, and if some of the design elements, such as the ‘integrated Aero,’ are a bit frivolous, then at least it sets the Aprilia apart from rivals. It's very well-built and there’s just such a sense of fun about it that’s infectious and lifts it away from being just another utilitarian scooter.