Membership
Riders Preferred Membership
Shop by Vehicle
Track Order
Contact Us
Few motorcycles on the U.S. market today are harder to pigeonhole into a category than the Ducati Diavel, and the waters only get muddier for 2023 as Ducati wedges a 168-horsepower version of its V4 Granturismo engine into the Diavel.
It's not surprising that Ducati personnel used the Italian word "inconfondibile" about half a dozen times in the video announcing the 2023 Diavel V4, because it's true that the bike is unlikely to be confused with anything else. Some of its lines and details make you think "cruiser," but how many cruisers weigh under 500 pounds and produce 168 horsepower? The ergonomics and full set of electronic rider aids resembles the most modern naked sport bikes, but none of them have a 240-section rear tire hanging off a single-sided swingarm. The power — both acceleration and deceleration — say "sport bike" but no traditional sport bike looks anything like this.
Ducati calls the Diavel V4 "a muscle cruiser" and "muscular, sporty, exaggerated and elegant at the same time." Better just to stop worrying about classifying it and start describing it.
The V4 is not only a little lighter than the previous Diavel, but also produces a little more power from the Granturismo engine. As a result, Ducati says 0-60 mph times are under three seconds. But Ducati also touts other performance figures, such as an ability to decelerate at a rate of up to 37.7 feet/second2, which is a stat you rarely see cited. Ducati said the carefully calibrated ABS, along with the large 330 mm discs and Brembo Stylema calipers, makes it possible.
The other advantage of the Granturismo engine is the extended service intervals. Valve checks are 37,000 miles apart. And the Granturismo has another trick up its unsleeved cylinders. The rear two cylinders deactivate not just when you're idling at a stop light, as some V-twins do, but also when you're rolling along at low engine loads. The Diavel V4 essentially switches from a parallel twin to a V-four as needed.
While sporting performance sets the Diavel apart from typical cruisers, it does have cruiserish touches in terms of appearance. Details like the unique LED tail lights, the integrated turn signals, and the passenger footpegs and grab rail that can be folded out of sight are things you'd expect to find on custom bikes. Ducati also has plenty of accessories available, including appearance pieces plus functional items such as a windscreen and panniers that don't require mounting brackets.
The Diavel also departs from cruiser norms by embracing and flaunting tech, rather than shunning it or hiding it in an attempt to mimic the 1950s. The five-inch TFT is your entry for controlling the extensive electronics package (turn-by-turn navigation is available as an option). Riders can choose from three power modes and four riding modes (Sport, Touring, Urban, and Wet, all of which can be customized). A six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) enables cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), and Ducati Power Launch (DPL). There's an up and down quickshifter and cruise control.
Of course all of this does not come cheap, especially in inflationary times, and Diavels start at $26,695 in the United States.
In the U.S. motorcycle culture, many riders consider themselves to be non-conformists, just because they ride, but have very conformist ideas about what they'll ride. It must be an American-built, air-cooled V-twin, or it has to be a fully faired sport bike, or it has to be a powerful naked bike with neutral ergonomics but not boring. You have to be a true non-conformist to like the Diavel, and you have to be willing and able to pay a premium price to get it. All that means that a bike like the Diavel V4 will never be a top seller, but like your odd uncle who made a chunk of money selling his tech startup and moved to a tiny house in the woods to be a vegan bodybuilder, it's an interesting branch on the family tree.
| 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 | |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) |
Ducati Red: $26,695 U.S., $30,795 Canada Thrilling Black: $26,995 U.S., $31,095 Canada |
| Engine | 1,158 cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, V-four |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 168 @ 10,750 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 93 foot-pounds @ 7,500 rpm |
| Frame | Monocoque aluminum |
| Front suspension | 50 mm inverted fork, adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression damping; 4.7 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Single shock, adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression damping; 5.7 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Dual Brembo Stylema calipers, 330 mm discs, with ABS |
| Rear brake | Single disc, with ABS |
| Rake, trail | 26 degrees, 4.4 inches |
| Wheelbase | 62.7 inches |
| Seat height | 31.1 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 5.3 gallons |
| Tires | Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, 120/70ZR17 front, 240/45ZR17 rear |
| Claimed weight | 492 pounds with fluids except fuel |
| Warranty | 24 months |
| More info | ducati.com |
Image Gallery
