Who ever thought they’d see...
Who ever thought they’d see a day when a license plate was mounted by a trellis-inspired bracket?
The Diavel features a low...
The Diavel features a low 30.3-inch seat height. The Ducati Accessories catalog will offer a Roadster seat that is 20mm taller (something taller riders such as myself will appreciate) and a Tourer seat that is 20mm shorter.
In comparison to the Multisrada...
In comparison to the Multisrada 1200, the Diavel makes roughly 12 more horsepower. According to Ducati engineers, this gain is mostly accredited to the head pipe, which is longer and has a greater distance between the cylinder head and two-into-one exhaust tube.
In order to change the riding modes, you must navigate through the beautifully lit tank-mounted display. The full color Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display uses the same technology as most of today’s smart phones, doubles as the control panel for the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) system, and is also where the riding modes can be selected or even personalizedso long as the bike is stopped. Paired with the tank-mounted display is a handlebar-mounted LCD panel that displays speed, rpm, time, temperature and all the other necessary information.
For the world press intro,...
For the world press intro, Ducati had journalists riding the Diavel Carbon, an upgrade of the Diavel if you will. The Standard model is seen here and comes in either red or black color options
For 2011, the Ducati Diavel will be offered in two versions, a standard model and a Carbon model. The Diavel Carbon, which tips the scales at 456 pounds dry, features carbon fiber bodywork, forged Marchesini wheels and milled disc carriers for additional weight savings and enhanced looks. The standard model is only slightly heavier though, with a claimed dry weight of 463 pounds. In the way of colors, the standard Diavel will be offered in red or black and the Carbon model will be offered in red carbon or black carbon.
Proof that you can’t judge a book by its cover
As you throw a leg over the Diavel, you are almost forced to remind yourself that it is a Ducati. After all, the Italian manufacturer has never produced something that has you drooped down in the seat and draped over an elongated 5.3-gallon tank. The seating position is surprisingly comfortable though, and as you grab hold of the controls, you notice that the reach to the handlebars is nothing out of the norm, nor is the distance to the footrests.
As with the Multistrada 1200, the Diavel uses a hands-free ignition system. This means that in order to start the bike, you must have the key within range (6.5 feet) and if by chance you haven’t left the key in the pocket of your other riding jacket, you can start the bike via the switch on the right handlebar. In an instant, the 1198cc engine fires off and sits at the ready.
Around town, the Diavel is very deceptive. For a bike with such a long wheelbase and massive rear tire, the Diavel is very nimble and it almost falls into tight, slow-speed corners. Even more, side-to-side transitions are effortless and accelerating out of a corner and past cars is a breeze thanks to the Testastretta 11 engine. The surprisingly strong handling characteristics are almost mirrored in the canyons, where the Diavel performs with sportbike-like characteristics.
When pushed, the fully adjustable 50mm Marzocchi front fork and fully adjustable Sachs rear shock work exceptionally well. Along the rough canyon roads, the units absorb every bump and at higher speeds, they give the rider an unbelievable sense of confidence in the motorcycle. And despite what appears to be a low ride height, there are never any clearance issues with the footrests, even on the most banked of corners.
To accommodate a passenger,...
To accommodate a passenger, simply remove the rear seat cover and fold down the passenger pegs.
Seems funny to hear how we pushed the Diavel through the canyons though, right? Almost referring to it as a sportbike? It’s hard not to however, since the bike is host to sportbike-derived suspension and a superbike-derived engine. And yes it may look like a custom or a cruiser, but it turns into corners like a sportbike, accelerates like one, and has the same technology as all of today’s superbikes. So why not compare it to them and go on to mention how it handles just like them?
The only place the Diavel does show some signs of weakness is in the slower canyon corners, where lean angles are increased and the wide rear tire begins to flex. The squirm from the rear tire is most noticeable in the middle of the corner and gives you the feeling that the bike is going to lose traction all togetherdespite the slow speeds. Once you are able to open the throttle however, the unnerving sensation tends to fade and the Diavel continues to drive through the exit of the corner like a bat out of hell.