Naples does not wait until you are ready. The historic centre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban areas in Europe, founded by Greek settlers as Neapolis, the new city, in the sixth century BC, and the grid they laid out is still visible in the long straight street the locals call Spaccanapoli. Roman, Byzantine, Norman, Angevin, Aragonese, Spanish and Bourbon rulers each added a layer, and UNESCO listed the centre in 1995 as one of the great palimpsests of European history.
Beneath the streets is a second city. The Greeks and Romans quarried the soft tuff stone to build above, and left cavities that became cisterns, passages and air-raid shelters, and you can still walk down into them with a guide. Above ground the churches are crammed with baroque marble and paintings, including Caravaggio's Seven Works of Mercy at the Pio Monte della Misericordia, a wonderful dark picture that stands comfortably among the street noise.
For a motorcyclist, Naples is a test. The scooter is king here, the traffic flows in a way that looks chaotic and somehow works, and the centre is a restricted zone with its own rules. Park at the edge, lock the bike properly, and walk. Theft is a real concern in this city, so use a disc lock and leave nothing on the bike. In the Montecalvario and Spanish Quarters, alleys are narrow, steep and busy with washing lines and shrines to Maradona. Fuel is available throughout the city, and the surrounding districts have no shortage of pumps.
What you come for, besides the monuments, is the food. Pizza was born in this city, and the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo has been recognised by UNESCO. A margherita with a blistered, soft edge, a coffee at the counter standing up, a sfogliatella at the pasticceria: these are the real attractions, and they are cheap.
The ride list starts here for the old Via Appia, the Roman road that ran south-east to Brindisi, and the first miles out of the city lead through suburbs before the countryside begins. Leave early to beat the traffic.