2016 Ducati XDiavel - What exactly is it?

The original Ducati Diavel was something that all hardcore Ducatisti questioned when it was first released in 2011. It was not a sportbike, and therefore could not possibly be a Ducati. The Diavel was something very strange to come from the Italian manufacturer, a cruiser of sorts. 

Aggressive styling of the XDiavel is something we have never seen before.

Last year I was reluctantly convinced to ride one. After about three weeks of being pestered, I took the Diavel for a spin. That bike changed the way I viewed road bikes in general. It was a true bruiser! The Diavel was all about the motor. The riding position was comfortable, and the bike could really be thrashed through corners and ridden with spirit. It was truly impressive! My only reservations were that the pegs needed to be a tiny bit further back, and a steering damper would have been nice to keep the head from shaking in some situations.  Now Ducati have shifted the Diavel to the next level… the XDiavel. But what is it?

 

Long and low. The XDiavel is rather striking.

The XDiavel actually needs a name change because it is in no way similar to the Diavel we met in 2011. The XDiavel is lower and more stretched out. Your feet are pushed all the way forward and Ducati have really gone to town with the styling. As always, the build quality is impeccable. The fit and finish of the bike, the switch gear, and the general attention to detail has really come a long way from the Ducati of old. The matt black paint and brushed aluminium really demand attention, and if you’re a shy person this is not the bike for you!

 

Parked up at Stellenbosch flying club next to a De Havilland Vampire.

Riding the XDiavel, one of the first things you will notice is the motor. Much like the original Diavel, this is a bit of a muscle bike. The 1262cc, L-Twin motor makes 156hp and huge torque. Being so low to the ground makes the acceleration feel really rapid. There were moments when I opened the bike up and found my feet being ripped off the pegs. The XDiavel comes with all the electronics and rider assist modes you would expect on a modern superbike, and even includes launch control. 

 

 

The large 240 section Pirelli rear tyre adds to the muscular look of the bike.

The XDiavel's handling is somewhat compromised by the low ride height and long front forks. The pegs seemed to be millimetres away from the ground and when being pushed through long corners the front wheel felt disconnected, which detracted from any spirited riding enjoyment. I also found the feet forward riding position not particularly comfortable. The ride quality falls victim to form rather than function.

 A rather odd riding position in comparison to the normal Diavel. Wearing a full one piece to test a cruiser was also not ideal as I got some odd looks.

 

This is to compare riding positions to the Monster R which is a comfortable, upright riding position. 

I was clearly missing something here. What is the point of this bike? Ducati have surely put thousands of hours into researching what the buying public want. Coming from a sport biking background this bike made zero sense to me. However, after watching and reading a few reviews of the XDiavel, I got the target market. This bike is not meant to be ridden as much as it is meant to be showcased. It’s a work of art. An exercise where designers get the main say, and engineers just need to make it work. This is Ducati's answer to Harley-Davidson. 

 Park up outside a restaurant in Stellenbosch.

Once I had understood that, I could appreciate just how well Ducati have achieved this goal. The cruiser market in South Africa is not dominant, but in America this is a lifestyle. Ducati are wanting a contender in this lucrative market and have created the XDiavel with Harley-Davidson firmly in their cross-hairs. The XDiavel adds elegant Italian styling to the established cruiser market while moving away from the existing clichéd form. Nothing else on the road looks like this bike and people really do love it. I managed to get the XDiavel and the equally striking Monster R parked outside a Stellenbosch café for some time, and people only flocked to the XDiavel. To me, the Monster R is a much nicer bike, but the XDiavel must have something really good going for it.

 

The Ducati Monster R (reviewed here) for some reason didn't get the same amount of attention.

 

A body guard was interested in the XDiavel. We claimed he was protecting it.

If you are a Harley-Davidson kind of person (you know who you are), or someone looking for something very different, go and ride the XDiavel. It really is a visually spectacular motorcycle and would be well suited to being parked outside any trendy café in Milan or Camps Bay. Its straight line performance is very impressive, and the appealing Italian refinement is much needed in this usually crude motorcycle segment. For those of us worried about the normal Diavel, Ducati will still be making them alongside the XDiavel.

 

Thanks Anston and Ducati Cape Town for the experience of riding this rather interesting motorcycle.

Follow me on Instagram @alexsrides for more motorbike pictures.