Ducati Diavel: Like riding a cat of prey

Spirited, powerful and stylish are probably the most accurate attributes that succinctly describe the Ducati Diavel. But under the bulky body slumbers not only massive power but also admirable high-end technology.

Its look is challenging, its design beefy and dynamic, already visually signaled the Diavel flawlessly "I have power and am not an Opamobil!". The design of the "devilish" is an expression of almost limitless power and technical elegance. The mighty tank, the impressive exhaust pipes. A wide rear tire like a big cruiser, a small seat hollow like a sports bike, what kind of bike is the Ducati Diavel? The Ducati brand, considered by many bikers to be the Ferrari of motorcycles, delivers what it promises. First of all, a thoroughly convincing look. The way the rear footrests, for example, fold out and in so elegantly and blend harmoniously into the design is unbeatable Italian design art. No one can imitate the Italians in such a short time. Of course, it's a matter of taste, but I like the Diavel a lot, and so do most motorcycle enthusiasts. But what's inside it also excites every motorcyclist's heart, its power is downright brutal, its technology impressive. The Diavel is a real predator, elegant and beautiful on the outside and powerful and aggressive on the inside, a real character bike.

Impressive driving mode technology
Just like a Ferrari, the usual great look is supposed to infer the interior - imagine a beautiful Ferrari that doesn't hum and roar loudly and doesn't have a convincing interior, people would run away again with resounding laughter - and with Ducati, bikers naturally expect more than from "normal" motorcycles, but Ducati delivers on this with the Diavel without ifs and buts. The electronically selectable "Sport", "Touring" and "Urban" riding modes are particularly impressive - I've never experienced that before. That is lived avant-gadism in motorcycle technology. Apart from the fact that Ducati has here abandoned the age of the ignition key - the supplied key is only needed to open the fuel filler cap, otherwise it just has to be near the machine and the electronics wake up radio-controlled - but no, now I as a rider can still choose which riding mode I want to be on the road in. Various push buttons allow me to click through the system, but I wonder how useful it is that I can change the driving mode while driving, I've gotten to the turn signal off button several times and thus inadvertently got into the driving mode selector. The differences between the driving modes are then also clearly noticeable, I drive in the selectable "Urban" mode already with throttled, but full 100 hp, but with a more suitable traction for bad weather and wet roads, the "Sport" mode with its fully unfolded 162 hp really lets it rip. And who wants to know it even more precisely, can intervene in every detail of the setting and create a personal setting for his own machine, including traction control, ABS, etc., you literally become a race engineer here, fabulous! Since the biker is amazed!

It takes a moment to learn how to "handle" the bike, how to release or engage the "electronic handlebar lock", how to start the engine, how to operate the instrument panel and the numerous displays that can be called up, but once you get the hang of it, you really feel like you're sitting on a super-modern luxury machine with the latest high-end technology, which you are. Awesome!

162 Arab under the saddle
The right leg swung over the saddle and you find yourself in a very upright seating position slightly bent forward, buttocks firmly wedged into the saddle niche between pillion and the large tank. Ducati specifies a saddle height of 77 cm, in reality this means that even riders with a height of around 160-170 cm have a firm and secure footing on the Diavel. The relatively flat handlebars are a bit reminiscent of a twisty enduro, but the geometry, chassis and set-up are made for sporty controlled and safe performance biking. This is a machine that demands and needs to be reined in, because there's a massive horsepower beast slumbering under the saddle.

The pressure of the starting head produces a racy and loud hum and on the road the Ducati shows its true side: it rattles and rattles, it vibrates as if you had 162 Arabs under the saddle and in the engine an Italian coachman who would rein in the race stallions or even give them the spurs. Everything seems very taut, hard and tense. It needs this strong control so that the full 162 hp does not rule over the driver, but vice versa. If you have the courage to turn on the throttle, you'll quickly understand what I mean. It's almost scary, the power that unfolds and pulls the machine forward is gigantic. The front brake, a Brembo, is extremely strong, I have not yet experienced, I now understand why, that needs the power part, the shift goes buttery smooth - even if I have trouble at first to meet the lever always clean, I'm used to chopper - the suspension is tight, the steering reacts quickly and precisely, the overall tuning is sporty, this is racy engine culture in Italian merges with perfectionist high-end sports technology.Roblox Hack No Survey No Download

The instrument panel is clear and well designed, I always know in which gear I am and to the kilometer exactly how fast I am traveling thanks to the electronic speedometer. In addition, other information such as revolution, trip mileage, etc. are something outside the direct field of view quasi secondary next to it well visible. Here obviously a biker has had the say and not some bikefremder engineer or designer. I sometimes curse about bikes where I have to look for the speedometer display, where the tours are displayed larger than the speed, etc.. The Italians have solved this very well. The only thing you look for in vain is the fuel gauge.

Not a pussycat
If you turn on the throttle, a second later you'll feel like you've gone 500 meters further, and on the highway you'll quickly exceed the 120 km/h limit permitted in Switzerland. But that's what the roaring beast demands, it wants to be driven, it wants to be chased around the curves. It is the hot-blooded temperament that breaks through fully here. 1200 cubic V2 engine in Italian means of course spirited power, what else. Over land, the Diavel is nice and safe in the curves despite the wide rear tire, which was specially made for Ducati, but even here it is controlled and sporty and all this also takes a little practice. The Ducati Diavel is not a pussycat, but a feline predator that attacks and needs to run out to unleash its power. Who doesn't know that, the droning howl of a Ferrari being pushed through the city by its owner at only 40-50 km/h? That's active vehicle torture. The Ducati Diavel in "Sport" mode feels similar in the city, but unlike the Ferrari, you have the option of switching to "Urban" mode and throttling down to 100 hp. The Diavel is a motorcycle with temperament and character and a healthy dose of sporty aggressiveness that can adapt very well to different riding environments thanks to various freely selectable modes, but it remains a predator, whether big or small. Anyone looking for a quiet, gentle cruiser that can be used to cruise around in a relaxed manner is certainly at the wrong address here, but anyone looking for a sporty all-round bike with plenty of power and the sporty touch for versatile use in the city or on tours is in the right place.

In a class of its own
I'm personally not a fan of vehicle comparisons, after all, each vehicle has its own unique character and a pure comparison of performance characteristics such as horsepower or the like, is sometimes downright meaningless. Also with the motorcycle categories it is such a thing. In the past, there were just street machines, racing machines, motocross and enduros. And today, terms like streetfighter, musclebike or cruiser and dozens of other motorcycle category terms are floating around the motorcycle world, trumpeted into the world by obviously very bored regulars' table bikers and ivory tower journalists. I don't want to assign the Diavel to a category, it doesn't deserve that, because it is in a class of its own. You like it or you don't like it, that alone is proof of its unique character.

Who decides for the Diavel, receives a bike with a unique and stylish design, massless power and temperament and a top-class high-end technology. By the way, the Diavel is available in four different versions as Diavel, Diavel Dark, Diavel Carbon and Diavel Strada, which differ only marginally in terms of equipment (e.g. side cases and wind protection on the Strada model) and materials used (carbon parts on the Diavel Carbon). I can only wish one thing: have fun with the cat of prey!

TECHNICAL DATA
ENGINE
Type
Testastretta 11°, liquid-cooled twin cylinder in L-shape, 4 valves per cylinder, desmodromic control
Cupic capacity
1198.4 cc
Compression
11,5 : 1
Power
162 hp (119 kW) at 9500 rpm
Torque
127.5 Nm at 8000 rpm
FUEL
Preparation
Electronically controlled Mitsubishi fuel injection
Tank capacity
17 liters
Consumption
6-7 l/100km
POWER TRANSMISSION
Clutch
Hydraulically actuated multi-plate clutch in oil bath with anti-hopping function and servo assistance
Transmission
6-speed
End drive
O-ring chain
FRAME, CHASSIS
Frame
Steel lattice tube frame
Wheelbase
1590 mm
Seat height
770 mm
Weight
210 kg dry, 239 kg with ABS
SUSPENSION
Front suspension
Marzocchi upside-down fork, travel 120 mm
Rear suspension
Sachs mono shock absorber, suspension travel 120 mm
WHEELS, BRAKES
Tires front
120/70 ZR 17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
Rear tires
240/45 ZR17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
Front brakes
2 brake discs Brembo, 320mm, with 4 pistons, ABS
Rear brakes
2-piston caliper, 265 mm, ABS
PRICES, MODELS
Models
4 models: Diavel, Diavel Dark, Diavel Carbon, Diavel Strada
Prices
Fr. 20'900.00 - 25'490.00

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