2016 Ducati Xdiavel S
2016 DUCATI XDIAVEL S
IGNITION
CW FIRST RIDE
Ducati takes the Diavel further into cruiser land. But is it really a cruiser?
Peter Jones
The XDiavel is Ducati’s interpretation of a full-out cruiser motorcycle with forward controls, belt drive, and all. The Italian company got the cruiser thing mostly wrong, we’re happy to say.
Ducati got the low seat right, at 29.7 inches. The bike also has an obligatory relaxed rake of 30 degrees. And it has an insanely long wheelbase of 63.6 inches, which is even longer than Ducati’s own Diavel. The resulting stance and silhouette can encourage enthusiasts into thinking it might be a cruiser, but riding the bike reveals that it’s something more like a superbike dressed up all odd like. The XDiavel performs...
Part of that performance comes from the XDiavel’s larger, i,202cc Ducati Testastretta Desmodromic Variable Timing (DVT) V-twin engine and a full complement of all of Ducati’s latest electronics: Riding Modes, Power Modes, Ducati Safety Pack (Bosch Cornering ABS and DTC), DPL (Ducati Power Launch), ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control, hands-free keyless ignition, full-LED lighting, and backlit handlebar switches. No modern technology was left behind.
The bore of that V-twin engine is the same as it is on the DVT engine that Ducati originally introduced on the Multistrada 1200, but the stroke is longer.
The increased displacement boosts torque, though the longer stroke also results in a higher piston speed at an equal rpm. Even so, this engine has a high redline (10,000 rpm) compared to less-performance-oriented or older Ducati twins, allowing it to maintain a claimed peak output of 156 hp at 9,500 rpm.
The wide and fat torque curve reaches its claimed peak way low with 95.0 pound-feet at 5.000 rpm, compared to 96.3 at 8.000 on the Diavel. And it has nearly peak torque from around 4.000 rpm to 8,000, sporting a usable curve that belies those other numbers. It’s impressive to the point of outrageous that a cruiser can have so much grunt and zing 4,000 to 9,500 rpm, giving such a wide breadth of hard acceleration when rolling up and down through the rev range on a fun and curvy road. Yet it’s also surprising how little this beauty of an engine enjoys full throttle at any revs below these numbers, where it’s met by a vocal kagack-kagack of mechanical displeasure. The easy solution for a rider is: Don’t do that.
The XDiavel is a whole new motorcycle compared to Ducati’s Diavel, from the engine to the chassis, as should be apparent to some degree in even a passing glance. The engine is a stressed member, and the heads are now reinforced for more structural integrity. The clutch and camdrive covers are also thicker to help meet more restrictive noise limits. Those concerns plus the DVT and a slightly larger fuel tank have resulted in a weight increase of about 20 pounds, but the XDiavel is still lighter than the majority of its competition, with the only real downside being a 3.5-percent decrease in fuel mileage when compared to its older brother.
Like its older brother, though, the XDiavel is surprisingly nimble for being such a long, long motorcycle with a big fat 240mm rear tire. The fork is a Marzocchi with 50mm stanchions, with a light spring inside the right leg and a stiffer spring in the left leg, which has the only front preload adjuster. Adjustable compression damping is in the left leg, while adjustable rebound is in the right one. The shock is not fully adjustable, having choices only for preload and rebound.
TWO’S COMPANY
For the sake of giving its burgeoning cruiser crowd options, Ducati has introduced its XDiavel in two versions, a standard version and XDiavel S version.
The difference between the two is minimal but important, with the XDiavel S featuring a DRL (Daytime Running Lights) system for the front light, Bluetooth module for the Infotainment system, glossy black engine, seat with bi-material cover, plus machine-finished alumi num belt covers, forged frame plates, and 12-spoke wheels.
The bikes also vary in that the standard XDiavel comes with Brembo M4-32 front brake calipers and the S with MSO monoblock calipers. Price for the standard XDiavel is $19,995, while the S will retail for $22,995. Options are nice, after all.
The XDiavel feels anything but cruiser-like, offering excellent power, handling, braking, and 40 degrees of lean angle, all in a laid-back, low-seatheight package.
Unfortunately, high-speed compression damping on the shock is a bit disappointing, with sharp bumps resulting in a jarring sensation for the rider, a feeling that’s exacerbated by the cruiser seating position. Lowspeed suspension action (which has to do with the weight shift of braking, accelerating, and undulating road surfaces) is better though. In fact, there is maybe only one other cruiser that can be ridden anywhere near as hard as the XDiavel in these situations, and it also isn’t made in America.
The XDiavel chassis is solid, and the machine is predictable in all high-speed, low-speed, and transitional circumstances. It steers and brakes with precision, and there’s never a feeling of the bike flexing beneath you or that you’re doing something sinful. You seemingly cannot ride the XDiavel too hard, even if braking power from the Brembo M4-32 calipers on the standard model is initially soft, which requires a fair amount of pull before significant braking occurs. Fortunately, Brembo M50 calipers on the S model are better, offering up a more exact and linear feel that provides better feedback and greater confidence.
Comfort is there too, with the three-position-adjustable foot controls, optional seat, and handlebars providing a total mathematical combination of 60 different positions, for your pleasure. Mid-controls are also available for those who dig the bike but not the cruiser commitment.
The XDiavel is just that too. A bike—cruiser—that offers a great deal, and it does it with the patented Ducati sexiness of individuality and serious performance. This machine will please, and it is certainly a great bike for some riders. It’s hard to say who those riders are, but that’s more due to my lack of imagination than to the bike lacking character or performance because it has gobs of both. The bottom line is, don’t let its silhouette fool you into thinking this bike is compromised.
2016 DUCATI XDIAVEL S
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 90° V-twin
DISPLACEMENT 1262cc
SEAT HEIGHT 29.7 in.
FUEL CAPACITY 4.8 gal.
CLAIMED CURB WT. 545 lb.
BASE PRICE $22,995
