Ducati is on a mission to make the world a faster place. Whether that’s in MotoGP or World Superbike, the road-going superbike sector or even the dominant adventure bike market, the Italians keep upping the pace.
Now it appears that the Bologna factory’s crusade for speed has moved into cruisers, because the all new Diavel V4 is one seriously rapid and capable motorcycle. And if it’s often said that the original Diavel L-twin tore up the cruiser rule book on its debut 12 years ago, the now lighter, tighter, and richly potent V-4 replacement has done it again. Then set light to the remains.
Moving away from the V-twin configuration that defined Ducati through the ages may not please the traditionalists, but both the Panigale and Multistrada have benefited immeasurably from the adoption of a V-4 engine. Redrawing the Diavel concept—focusing it even more as an unabashed performance cruiser—and inserting the 1,158cc Granturismo powerplant has brought with it a raft of benefits.
It’s more compact, smoother, and brings along the Multistrada’s longer 9,000-mile service intervals too. Peak power is up, with a quoted 168 hp compared to 160 hp for the Diavel 1260 S V-twin, while peak torque, the V-twin’s strength, is barely a whisker down—93.7 lb.-ft to 93 lb.-ft. Yes, peak power is now higher in the rev range, and peak torque sits 2,500 rpm up the rev range at 7,500 rpm, but the free-spinning V-4 is a joy to rev a little too.
The engine block has also allowed Ducati to replace the relatively heavy trellis frame of the old bike with an aluminum monocoque frame that brings a weight saving of 10.4 pounds. The V-4 itself is 11 pounds lighter than the older twin and, overall, Ducati has reduced the Diavel’s weight by a sizable 28.7 pounds.
A steeper head angle of 26 degrees and shortened trail mean that while the chassis geometry remains relatively relaxed, the steering has been sharpened. The suspension features conventional 50mm USD fork and a piggyback monoshock that gains 0.6 inch more travel at the rear to improve comfort and add a little more clearance. Meanwhile, a single-sided swingarm holds an extra-fat signature 240-section Pirelli Diablo Rosso III rear tire, which Ducati says enables a 0–62 mph time of less than three seconds. Fuel tank capacity has increased by 0.5 gallon to 5.3 gallons, and there are new high-end Brembo Stylema stoppers and 330mm discs up front as well as uprated electronics.
The traction control is Ducati’s smooth and unobtrusive DTC EVO 2 system, and there’s a much improved 5-inch TFT color dash with Bluetooth connectivity. Four riding modes, power modes, cornering ABS, wheelie and cruise control, plus Ducati Power Launch are all on board.
One complaint you hear about big-cube Ducatis is the engine heat they pass to the rider, especially on hot days. This has been addressed on the Diavel with a deactivation system adopted from the Multistrada that cuts the rear pair of cylinders when the bike is stationary or running below 4,000 rpm, reducing heat-soak and also fuel consumption by a claimed 6 percent.
When you demand a handful of torque, the system reactivates the rear bank of cylinders (and in first gear all four remain running, even at low revs), but on the street you don’t feel the intervention, though there is a slight change to the exhaust note.
It’s a clever and effective system and simply adds to the 2023 Diavel’s immense composure in an urban environment. It pulls immaculately from low rpm and is effortlessly smooth compared to the lumpier, snatchier twin—and when you want to have fun it will happily oblige and rev fluently toward the redline.
Actually, that’s a serious understatement because, as we’ve mentioned, this is one quick bike. Its relatively long wheelbase combined with that enormously wide and grippy rear Pirelli tire and excellent electronics, including launch control, allows you to put the power down and make full use of the V-4. On private roads at its Dubai press launch, it drove harder to 100 mph than almost any current production streetbike I can think of.
But, and this is the real big news, the Diavel V-4 is far more than a straight-liner. With its new chassis and brakes it steers crisply and handles with surprising accuracy when you reach the switchbacks and sweepers in the hills. In fact, with that 28.7-pound mass reduction it feels far lighter than before, much more comparable to a large Ducati Monster and far sportier and more responsive than any other cruiser on the market.
For a bike that has been designed to turn heads and exert a strong street presence, it’s sublimely agile and light-handling yet, even with the pegs touching the asphalt, it feels calm and stable too—all those premium electronic rider aids almost surplus to requirements. Meanwhile, a one-finger squeeze of the lever is all that is needed to slow the Diavel V4, whether it’s trickling through town or finding a rhythm along your favorite twisty road.
Our test ride was conducted on roads that twisted and turned into the hills above Dubai making it hard to assess the new bike’s level of comfort. The seat is now 1.4 inches higher at 31.1 inches and the extra 0.6 inch of travel of the suspension should make the V4 more compliant. With the bars now positioned 0.8 inch closer to the rider, there’s certainly less of stretch.
At $26,695 the Diavel V4 is more expensive than its rivals like the Kawasaki Z H2 and is only available in one basic specification. But one of the Diavel’s qualities is its ability to be all things to many types of rider. It’s a cruiser, it can handle a day full of miles, it can corner like a sport naked—and despite its aggression is sweetly balanced and easy to maneuver through gaps in the traffic. Less experienced riders can dial in the softer riding modes, Wet and Urban, that cap the power at 115 hp and enjoy a user-friendly and forgiving ride that’s as good at everyday duties as it is at looking and sounding like a million dollars. The Ducati Diavel is not only faster but better than ever.
2023 Ducati Diavel Technical Specifications and Price
| PRICE | $26,695 Red/$26,995 Black |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 1,153cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 90-degree V-4 w/ counterroatating crankshaft; 4 valves/cyl. |
| BORE x STROKE | 83.0 x 53.5mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 14.0:1 |
| FUEL DELIVERY | Fuel injection w/ 46mm elliptical throttle bodies; ride-by-wire |
| CLUTCH | Wet, multiplate slipper; hydraulic operation |
| TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE | 6-speed/chain |
| FRAME | Aluminum monocoque |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | 50mm upside-down fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel |
| REAR SUSPENSION | Monoshock, fully adjustable, optional electronic; 5.7 in. travel |
| FRONT BRAKES | Radially mounted Brembo Stylema Monoblock 4-piston calipers, twin 330mm semi-floating discs w/ Cornering ABS |
| REAR BRAKE | Brembo 2-piston floating caliper, 265mm disc w/ Cornering ABS |
| WHEELS, FRONT/REAR | Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 8 in. |
| TIRES, FRONT/REAR | Pirelli Diablo Rosso III; 120/70-17 / 240/45-17 |
| RAKE/TRAIL | 26°/4.4 in. |
| WHEELBASE | 62.7 in. |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 31.1 in. |
| FUEL CAPACITY | 5.3 gal. |
| CLAIMED CURB WEIGHT | 520 lb (dry 465 lb) |
| WARRANTY | 24 months, unlimited mileage |
| CONTACT | ducati.com |
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com