Ducati Reader Experience – 15 readers test the Diavel for 2 days

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Ducati Reader Experience - 15 readers test the Diavel for 2 days
Thomas Schmieder

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Ducati Reader Experience – 15 readers test the Diavel for 2 days

Ducati reader experience
Ridden the devil for a weekend

2,500 applications were received for the Ducati Reader Experience at MOTORRAD and auto motor und sport. 15 of these readers were allowed to test the new Ducati Diavel 1260 S during a two-day trip. We report from the tour.


Thomas Schmieder

05/06/2019

What do you do as a motorcycle manufacturer when you have built a driving machine of the purest water that is so unique that it cannot be compared with anything else? Well, a really clever strategy is not that difficult: You invite people to drive – namely, potential buyers such as skeptics, friends of your own brand such as drivers of other makes. Did just that Ducati last April weekend 2019 and invited to a ride with the devil (that is Diavel namely in the Bolognese dialect) to Franconian Switzerland. And so a motorcycle-riding lady and 14 male drivers met in the hotel of the stately Thurnau Castle to extensively test drive the new Diavel 1260 S at the invitation of Ducati.

Food, lodging and fuel are free

On two days of driving, as part of the Ducati Reader Experience, we went on a tour through wonderful motorcycle areas, winding with little traffic. Led by the tour guides Andreas Schulz and Robert Gluck, press spokesman for Ducati Germany. MOTORRAD editor Thomas Schmieder was also there. The 15 test drivers from the readership were a very privileged group – board, lodging and petrol were free. No wonder that around 2,500 interested parties applied for the call in MOTORRAD, on motorradonline.de, in auto motor und sport and on auto-motor-und-sport.de. In order to end up among the chosen ones, it helped to provide an original reason why one or the woman really wanted to drive the Diavel.


Ducati Reader Experience - 15 readers test the Diavel for 2 days


Thomas Schmieder

At six degrees reader Edgar: “I voluntarily trade two levels of traction and wheelie control for heated grips and tire pressure control.”

So an illustrious people came across the republic. This included several BMW drivers, but also pilots of a Yamaha Vmax 1700, Suzuki Intruder M 1800 R, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 or Moto Guzzi Stelvio. Not to mention two drivers from a previous one Ducati Diavel with “only” 1198 cubic. One of the two Teufels drivers, Andreas Gerber from Friesland, had the longest journey to this special class event with almost 650 kilometers. It should be worth it. All participants were able to convince themselves of this after a brief introduction to the design concept, technology and menu navigation.

Swap wheelie control for heated grips

Three riding modes including eight-stage traction and wheelie control and three-stage cornering ABS ultimately mean a lot of combination options for the electronic helpers. But above all, a digital safety net in adverse conditions. There were plenty of them, because it kept pouring out of buckets. But not even the cool temperatures of around six degrees Celsius could irritate the brave troops. Carina Hofler was the only woman in this male phalanx to heat her cold fingers again during the breaks on the huge standing cylinder of the mighty V2 engine. “I voluntarily trade two levels of traction and wheelie control for heated grips and tire pressure control,” joked Edgar David.

In fact, there was a flat tire, but it turned out fine. So MOTORRAD man Thomas Schmieder was able to convince himself of the improved passenger comfort of the redesigned Diavel, which in the long term still requires heavy-duty comfort. Ultimately, Ducati was precisely about receiving direct feedback from a heterogeneous (target) group. All non-Diavel connoisseurs were completely surprised by the pronounced handiness, neutrality and accuracy of this mega-monster. “How easily the Duc turns in,” enthused Carina Hofler. In addition, there is the fantastic Ohlins fork and the simply fantastic grip of the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III.


Ducati Reader Experience - 15 readers test the Diavel for 2 days


Thomas Schmieder

One will be allowed to dream – Rafael (19) went into raptures on his 600 monster in view of the phalanx from Diavel 1260 S..

Ducati Diavel 1260 S – not a normal cruiser

At the latest, all doubts should be dispelled: This is not how a normal cruiser drives! Harley, Indian and Co. drivers can only dream of such grip on flooded roads. Just like from the explosive, lively performance development at the latest from 5,000 tours. After all, around 160 horses gallop here. Elvir Smajic, driver of a Suzuki VS 1400 Intruder put it in a nutshell: “The Diavel opened my eyes – I only now noticed what a modern motorcycle can do today.” For people who didn’t know it before also the shift assistant up / down (blipper) a real fulfillment.

Feedback from readers

But there is no light without shadow: for the merely jerky engine running below 3,000 tours, it was also criticized by the participants. And not just from Jurgen Apfel. His four-cylinder Suzuki B-King is one of the most powerful and flexible motorcycle engines ever. And despite the feel-good atmosphere, the participants did not forget the following legitimate comments: For some participants, this included the somewhat small TFT display and the left rubber grips that were sometimes loose due to an assembly error. In addition, the proud price of around 22,000 euros is a (too) high hurdle for almost everyone. The readers have spoken.

Incidentally, even more than the 15 selected readers were able to enjoy driving the new Ducati Diavel 1260 S on the last weekend in April: As part of the Kulmbach motorcycle rally, which is well-known far beyond Franconia and Bavaria, anyone interested had the chance to do so to be able to ride a very special motorcycle. In this respect, there were two campaigns in Franconian Switzerland that are expressly recommended for imitation.

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