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First trip with the new Diavel

Naked, fun or sport bike?

Crisp nakeds and exciting fun bikes can be found at Ducati, athletes anyway. But now something completely crazy is coming from Bologna: the Diavel. What exactly that is, explained Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali on a trip with the devilish machine.

D.he sun breaks through the autumn banks of fog. A wonderful day is looming in the pale light. The soil conditions, however, remain tricky. Partly damp ground, after days of rain slippery even where it seems dry. And everywhere there is a threat of dirt and slippery smoothness. Would you like to voluntarily drive a cruiser here that rolls on one of these generally not very liability-friendly 240 tires? Even for experienced testers this would amount to a permanent human versus machine battle, and the fun would largely fall by the wayside.

Driving report: Ducati Diavel

Naked, fun or sport bike? First exit with the new Diavel

Diavel even better. ”But certainly also with the plan in mind to demonstrate the capabilities of the power cruiser. But we are curious to see how the chief of the Reds will do with the roller-tire Diavel under these adverse conditions.

Just a few kilometers from Bologna into the surrounding mountains, two things become clear. On the one hand, that the boss rides his motorcycle excellently. Which is well known to insiders, but is by no means a matter of race in management circles.

And on the other hand, that the Diavel comes up with unimagined driving dynamics.
One of us has to work hard with the multi to keep up with the fast pace. The spurt of the flat flounder from a standing position is almost unbelievable, the acceleration out of curves is impressive. You can hardly stay tuned with the certainly not underpowered Multistrada, even if you tear the cable as far as it will go. However, if you take a closer look at the key data of this power cruiser, it seems logical. The drive unit comes from the Multistrada, the Testastretta-V2 was implanted in the cruiser without any major changes. A little fine-tuning, a few small changes, that’s it. With a new exhaust and a modified intake system, additional horses should be mobilized at the top, and the thrust from below also seems stronger. Ducati officially states a whopping 162 PS, after the homologation a good 155 PS will probably remain. For comparison: the Multistrada is homologated with 148 hp, which the MOTORRAD test bench also attested.

Other power bikes in the test: BMW S 1000 RR, Kawasaki ZZR 1400 and Yamaha Vmax

Ducati

Ducati Diavel: an imposing appearance even when stationary.

It is in the nature of things that this achievement can be implemented in such a merciless push. More precisely, in the combination of a low center of gravity and a long wheelbase, which prevents wheelies and in return brings enormous traction to the rear wheel. "From a standing start it goes better than an 1198, "reports Claudio Domenicali of internal comparison drives. Bets can already be accepted as to whether the Diavel will tumble the acceleration records at MOTORRAD. Because certainly a Yamaha Vmax has more power, a Triumph Rocket III more displacement, but these two heavyweights also weigh at least one hundred kilograms more than the Italo dragster. Ducati was the first manufacturer to transfer lightweight construction to this segment as well. Despite its impressive dimensions and bulky appearance, the Diavel weighs less than most naked bikes. The factory specification is just over 200 kilograms dry, and ready to drive it will probably be around 230. No wonder then that gymnast Claudio Domenicali keeps a remarkable pace even in hard consecutive alternating curves. Especially since the cruiser can be angled completely differently than one is used to from the wide-tire colleagues. “We wanted to set completely new standards in this segment. The Diavel is a real driving machine that is just as exciting as an 1198 or Multistrada. "

Italian exuberance of feelings? Could there be something to the fact that the boss is right. To prevent the Diavel from being driven as stubbornly as the comparable machines, the Bolognese, in cooperation with Pirelli, have developed a very special 240-inch rear tire with flatter contoured shoulders and 17 instead of the usual 18-inch diameter, which also offers plenty of grip. This leads to a more neutral steering behavior than with previous power cruisers. "With the Diavel you can drive a clean line, it doesn’t throw bumps off the track," claims the Ducati boss. And that sounds quite believable in view of the considerable speed on the winding mountain passes. And it runs straight ahead with unshakable stability, as an intermediate sprint on the autobahn showed. However, the head of the company could not answer the question of whether the cruiser is sealed off at the top: "We did not test top speed.".

Technical specifications

Ducati

Testastretta-V2: Ducati indicates the performance with 162 PS.

engine
Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90-degree V-engine, two overhead, toothed belt-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, desmodromic actuation, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 64 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 520 W alternator , 12 V / 12 Ah battery, Hydraulically operated multi-plate dry clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 43:15.
Bore x stroke: 106.0 x 67.9 mm
Displacement: 1198 cm³
Rated output: 119.0 kW (162 hp) at 9500 rpm
Max. Torque: 128 Nm at 8000 rpm.


landing gear
Steel tubular frame, upside-down fork, Ø 50 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake rear, Ø 265 mm, two-piston fixed caliper, ABS.
Forged aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 8.00 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 245/45 ZR 17

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1590 mm, steering head angle 62 degrees, caster 130 mm, spring travel f / r 120/120 mm, seat height 770 mm.
Dry weight: 207 kg
Tank capacity: 17 liters.
Guarantee: two years
Colors: red, red / black, red / carbon
Price: 16,690 / 19,990 / 20190 euros

Ducati

Product manager at Ducati: Giulio Malagoli.

?  Ducati has never had a power cruiser. What kind of idea is behind it?
We create what does not yet exist on the market. Of course a sporty, high-performance motorcycle – after all, we are Ducati – but with an upright seating position, i.e. comfortable, and above all with an avant-garde, extreme look. The central point was the powerful rear tire, the motorcycle was built around it, so to speak. We started with existing 240s, but because they did not meet our requirements, we then worked with Pirelli to develop a 240 for a 17-inch bike. Its profile is similar to a MotoGP tire, so it is something special both visually and technically. And that applies to the whole motorcycle.

?  What other special features are there??
To make the Diavel look powerful, it has a relatively long wheelbase, but the actual body remains compact. The elementary functional parts are located in a very small space, from the complex electronics to the two water coolers. In addition, the Diavel is light despite its impressive appearance, it weighs 207 kilograms – that is only possible with the very best components. With its two-level instruments and LED lights, it is ultra-modern and sophisticated. And she’s sexy, that was a premise for development. We define it this way: when you stop at the traffic light and look at the Diavel, you should feel like touching it. That is why we have developed the shapes and surfaces particularly carefully. For me personally, the Diavel is a real sculpture.

?  Who could be the typical Diavel customer?
There is no such thing as a very different people. The Diavel accelerates and brakes better than the 1198, so it has an athlete’s heart. It offers a relaxed seating position, it is handy and can be ridden like a naked bike. And with its appearance, it is also interesting for cruiser fans. Our idea is that you can experience different motorcycle worlds with it – in the truest sense of the word.

?  Isn’t the Diavel too exclusive for the current situation on the market, in other words: too expensive?
We don’t think so. We sold 8,000 of the Multistrada this year, and it’s not cheap either, but it’s also an unusual motorcycle. Our strategy against the crisis is attack, not defense, and that involves trying something new.

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