Ducati Diavel: Devilish all the way

Ducati\'s Diavel touches you from the word go. ‘Devil’ in Bolognese, the Diavel doesn’t just reach out and attract attention. It is
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Ducati diavel

Price: 17-20 lakh (estimated)
On sale: Mid-2011
Wheelbase: 1590mm
Fuel tank capacity: 17 litres
Dry weight: 207 (Carbon)/ 210kg
Engine layout: L-twin, liquid-cooled, Desmodromic, four-stroke
Displacement: 1198.4cc
Power: 162bhp at 9,500rpm
Torque: 13kgm at 8,000rpm
Power to weight: 771.4bhp per tonne
Gearbox: 6-speed, 1-down, 5-up
Front suspension: Adjustable upside-down forks
Rear suspension: Adjustable monoshock, single side, alloy swingarm
Front brake: 320mm discs (ABS)
Rear brake: 265mm disc (ABS)
Wheels: 9 (Carbon)/ 14-spoke alloy
Rim size: (f-r) 17 inches
Tyre size: (f-r) 120/70 x 17 - 240/45 x 17 inches

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The Diavel touches you from the word go. 'Devil' in Bolognese, the Diavel doesn't just reach out and attract attention. It is so captivating that you can't resist looking at it. Before you know it, you've fallen for the bait — those one-of-a-kind looks — hook, line and sinker, and will ache to sling a leg over it.

The Diavel is as brawny and macho as motorcycles come, unlike any Ducati. Profile-wise, it's stretched and low; its broad and appealing double parabola headlight bisected by an LED strip, before it swoops back into tapered aluminium alloy handlebars.

Attention to detail
Every inch of the Diavel is painstakingly sculpted from the best materials. Panels flow with smooth lines to the next, visible as the aluminium headlight shroud meets the metal tank, in turn blending harmoniously into a deeply dished seat. The front indicators are flush-mounted LED strips. There's an engine kill slider to activate or shut down your Diavel. The button that usually functions to cancel turn signals doubles up as a riding mode selector.

The Diavel's instruments are read via a pair of displays above a flush fuel tank cap. The huge 17-litre tank has deep grooves that provide broad thigh support.

Powering the Diavel is a 1198.4cc, four-stroke, L-twin Ducati Testastretta with a 11-degree heart. Power is a massive 162bhp at 9,500rpm, plus a solid shot of 13kgm peak torque, at 8,000rpm. The Diavel accelerates like a brute at any engine speed, shooting off the blocks with drag bike intent.

The L-twin outputs an electrifying engine note, adding volumes to riding pleasure. The bike clips with clean fueling through its powerband, is vibration-free and with ample performance to match the fastest production motorcycles.

The Diavel's riding position is upright and comfortable, its saddle suitably padded and the big motorcycle always feeling lighter than you can imagine. While still less than ideal for the urban traffic crawl, the Diavel is capable of stitching up a series of high-speed corners with neutral turn-in, planted handling and a confidence that places this bike leagues ahead of rivals like Yamaha's V-Max and the Suzuki Intruder, which feel like boats in comparison.

Verdict
Superior comfort and polite handling place the new Ducati generations ahead of its rivals. Ducati claims a lean angle of upto 41deg, and we were unable to grind the foot pegs no matter what we tried.

A test ride when the bike comes to India in a few months, will help you discover what Ducati has managed to give its latest. Raising the bar and redefining power cruisers, the Diavel offers an extra special something that's better felt, than read about: soul. Like many top-of-the-line Ducati bikes, the company has indicated the top-quality Diavel to carry an estimated price tag between 17-20 lakh, a seriously large hole in the Indian wallets.

First Published Date: 10 Mar 2011, 18:38 PM IST
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