If you're in the market for a high-powered cruiser that can tackle the twisties as well as it eats up the miles, the Ducati Diavel is it. And it just got better.
Despite its acquisition by Audi, Ducati's affinity for crafting motorcycles with traffic-stopping splendor hasn't been hampered by Germanic restraint. The new Diavel is further proof, continuing Ducati's long tradition of fitting ridiculous engines into gorgeous assemblies of carbon fiber and steel. But it's more than just Italian styling and a massive mill.
The 162 horsepower, 1198cc Testastretta (“narrow-head”) engine is nestled inside a 452-pound bike, which equates to hard acceleration and massive stability at high speeds. The bike's true character, though, resides in how it blends its Blade Runner aesthetics with sophisticated electronics.
The Diavel’s display is split into two screens. On the handlebar-mounted display, there's a digital speedometer and tachometer, while a color TFT display on the gas tank shows the current riding mode, gear, and total and trip mileage. When stationary, you can cycle through the bike’s three setups. Touring mode delivers peak power, but the traction control keeps things in check; urban mode keeps power capped at 100 horsepower; while Sport unleashes the full fury of the engine, sans save-your-bacon traction control.
Though Ducati never misses a chance to point out that the Diavel is not a cruiser, its weight, engine size, and body put it more in line with the Harley-Davidson V-Rod, Star Bolt and Moto Guzzi 1400 Custom. But all these bikes are dumb brutes next to the Diavel. And while the competition aims to rekindle the Peter Fonda retro spirit, the Diavel is Ducati's vision of the future. But the future ain't cheap.
The new Diavel will be available in two versions later this April: the standard Dark ($17,995) and the upgraded Diavel Carbon ($20,995).
