All Duels – Duel Diavel Carbon Vs Intruder M1800R Boss: explode the gallery! – Mouth and fist!

Duel Diavel Carbon Vs Intruder M1800R Boss: explode the gallery !

All Duels - Duel Diavel Carbon Vs Intruder M1800R Boss: explode the gallery! - Mouth and fist!

In 2014, two motorcycles evolve in the muscle bike segment: Ducati Diavel and Suzuki Intruder M1800R. Each retains its ostentatious look, a 240 tire and a bitumen stripper v-twin. Two big arms for a duel between terraces and virolos !

Of the mouth and the grip !

At the crossroads between dragster and sporty cruiser, the Intruder M1800R is inspired by the most muscular American preparations for in the Suzuki catalog. Mission successful for this 2480 mm long motorcycle for a weight of 357 kg, of which the 1783cc v-twin open at 54 ° spits out 125 hp and 160 Nm in full !

To reaffirm its uniqueness, Hamamatsu’s coat of arms presents it eight years later in an identical to the original, except for its magnificent yellow and black dress. A biton paint very close to the historic colors of the American racing service of Yamaha, also seen on the special series XJR, MT-01 and R1 "SP"…

From its loooong superimposed exhausts to the front axle worthy of a Superbike (inverted 46 mm fork and 4-piston radial calipers!), Including its modern engine for the category (double butterfly injection, double ACT, liquid cooling ), everything is dyed black on this Intruder M1800R Boss. The yellow is invited on the headlight cowling, the hull finished with an LED light or on the 19.5-liter tank in the shape of a drop of water..

The rendering is superb and tastefully reinforces the charisma of this superlative motorcycle, including mechanics. "Its engine is distinguished by pistons 112 mm in diameter, the largest in the world on a production machine", proudly recalls Suzuki. Moved by a curiosity at least equal to its professional conscience, the drafting of MNC verifies the affirmation and (re) discovers that another twin cylinder shares since 2012 this value of record bore: that of the .

At this stage however, this reconciliation gives us a "beautiful rim" as the two motorcycles are opposed on the substance and the form (s): to compare them would amount to opposing Usain Bolt to David Douillet … On the other hand, another model from the Bologna boxing manufacturer such as the Intruder M1800R Boss in the heavyweight category with a strong face and temperament: the Diavel !

Static: tie between the devil’s envoy and Hamamatsu’s boss !

, Borgo Panigale’s Devil will go down in Ducati history as one of its most daring … and most profitable bets! Despite an elitist entry ticket (16,990 euros in 2011), 7,500 models passed around the world in the year of its release, including 750 in France. Either the second best seller of the French subsidiary on the !

Three years later, to perpetuate its success story by adopting in particular the twin-cylinder Testastretta of 1198 cc with double ignition released on the then on the .

Even sleeker with its redesigned front face and side panels, now fully LED lighting (up to turn signals) and new conical brushed metal exhausts, the extravagant Italian "hyper-custom" is – a bit – less demanding, without denying its diabolical nature.

Ducati, for example, has improved life on board by raising the handlebars and padding the saddle more generously, while the power curve has been deliberately smoothed out in favor of filling the low and mid-range. But that lovers of stretching the arms when accelerating be reassured: if the maximum power does not change (162 hp in full, that will perhaps be enough?), The torque goes from 127.5 Nm to 130 Nm . Mamma mia !

Its tubular trellis frame, a veritable steel corset cut as close as possible to its 106 mm bore pistons, is for its part renewed as is, just like its other sports motorcycle finery: full adjustable inverted fork of 50 mm diameter (!), Brembo 4-piston monobloc radial calipers and fully adjustable monoshock. Without forgetting its piloting aids such as an ABS as compact as it is responsive and an anti-skid system whose intensity varies by default according to the driving mode engaged (Urban, Tourism and Sport).

When stationary, its daring mix of genres exudes an almost palpable feeling of raw power, especially in this top-of-the-range "Carbon" version chosen to face the Intruder M1800R "Boss". The presence of the noble material on its bodywork further enhances its exemplary level of perceived quality. And thanks to the lightness of the carbon and the use of Marchesini forged rims, this "carbonized" Diavel would also weigh 5 kg less than its standard version (243 kg against 239).

Faced with this debauchery of technologies and precious stones, the Suzuki seems more classic but not necessarily less class. A real magnet for glances – admiring, curious, even envious – the Intruder M1800R Boss maintains without flinching the visual comparison with its modern Italian rival: parked on the terrace under a spring sun, our two protagonists arouse the same degree of interest. !

Examined more closely, the Japanese, however, gives way to the Italian in terms of the quality of materials and finish: its plastics do not produce the same effect as the carbon of Diavel (even if it is so smooth and varnish that it seems almost plasticized), its electrical network is less well camouflaged and the yellow border around its rims is not as elegant as the polishing partially applied on those of the Ducati.

In addition, the cabochons of its chrome plastic turn signals look cheap (why not have them also dyed black?), While the console located on the tank climbs squarely on the MNC podium of old-fashioned … Enter its "pixelated" white gradient and its arbitrary two buttons (and impractical, moreover) this element evokes a children’s toy sold in a low cost store! As a bonus, it is difficult to decipher due to its flat positioning…

Too bad, because it gives on the other hand a significant amount of information (time, fuel level, speed, odometer and two trips), while a digital screen installed above the handlebars provides information on the engine speed and the gear. engaged … with much more elegance and readability !

The Diavel also uses this principle of dual instrumentation: a color screen on the front of the 17-liter tank includes a fuel gauge, a gear indicator engaged and average and instantaneous consumption, two trips, etc. Above, a digital window indicates engine speed, time, engine temperature and speed. All in a readable and accessible way from the handlebars (read our comparative table practical aspects and equipment on the penultimate page).

The Ducati drives home the point with its hands-free key system – which allows the motorcycle to be started directly without taking the remote control-transponder out of its pocket – its spacing adjustments at each lever (only the brake on the intruder), its angled valve at the front and its hinged tank cap.

Alas very – too much – faithful to the custom spirit in terms of practical aspects, the Intruder M1800R ignores all these practical concessions and also asks to reach out, in the old fashioned way, to its steering column to lock the Neiman.

But showing off in the city center is one thing. Now let’s see how these two muscle bikes behave dynamically….

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