The innovative new Ducati
Diavel combines decades of twin-cylinder heritage and
Italian style with a bold, world-beating technical
confidence strong enough to extend the boundaries of
motorcycle design. Custom shop beauty,
state-of-the-art technology, innovative design and
extraordinary riding pleasure are masterfully blended
into the Diavel, a motorcycle destined to shape the
future, a motorcycle built by people who have earned the
right to change the rules.
Built to have a
commanding presence, though lightweight and agile like
all Ducatis, the Diavel takes the man-motorcycle
relationship to the next level in absolute comfort. For
connoisseurs of technology, ABS, Ducati Traction Control
and Ducati Riding Modes deliver a confidence-inspiring
sophistication while stunning looks, 162hp and 207kg
(456lb) of authentic Ducati performance drives a
comfortable sport lifestyle that could only be dreamt of
before.
Merging
the worlds of power and style has never been achieved
with such convincing precision. A specially engineered
240 section rear tyre combined with famous Ducati
chassis technology serves up mind-blowing handling and
lean angles which defy the laws of physics, whether
carving through curves on your favourite road or just
riding out for a night on the town.
The latest
ground-breaking Ducati is available in two versions: The
brand new Diavel and the flagship Diavel Carbon with a
character-forming mix of aesthetic and performance
components from carbon fibre bodywork to forged and
specially machined Marchesini wheels.
DESIGN
The Diavel project was
born when Ducati designers applied their wish-list of
bike "basic instincts" to a blank canvas. With a "what
if?" approach to creating a dream bike, they sketched
inspiring shapes which became a lower and longer
motorcycle. "The challenge of building a muscular
silhouette over a pure-bred competition motor had to be
met with determination and a delicate touch, and the
result is a frontal area that looks like a power athlete
on the starting blocks," explains the team at Ducati
Design responsible for the project. "With the front
wheel kept close to the Diavel's body and using the
short tail of a sport bike, we were able to blend this
muscular design with a chassis that matched." If the
stance of a Streetfigher is that of "anger," the stance
of the Diavel is that of readiness, dominance, and
confidence bordering on superiority. With lateral
radiators adding muscle to its broad "shoulders," which
then taper down across the engine and into the
belly-fairing with oil cooler, the athlete took shape.
A massive 240 section
rear tyre was a perfect example of how Diavel designers
used a no-compromise attitude when applying their wish
list of features. The sheer width of rubber communicates
so much power and style that the R&D team vowed to find
a way to make it handle - even if they knew the image
would send a seismic shock through the industry.
Ducati's philosophy for
innovation has always been to push the boundaries of
design in the name of exciting motorcycles. Sometimes
"gut feelings" are what count, and having the strength
to commit to them shows the kind of bravery that has
guided Ducati to World Championships. The Diavel is a
true Ducati, born from a passion for motorcycling and
designed to deliver authentic Ducati performance in
every respect.
"Diavel"
The name "Diavel" was
inspired by the Bolognese dialect word for "devil". One
day, early in the development process of the bike, the
first prototype was assembled and wheeled out in front
of a group of Ducati engineers and technicians who were
viewing the complete motorcycle for the first time. One
person looking from the rear of the bike saw its
silhouette and exclaimed in Bolognese dialect: "Ignurànt
comm' al diavel!" Which means: "Evil, just like the
devil!" Reminiscent of how the "Monster" was named
almost 20 years ago, the Diavel now follows the same
Bolognese tradition, shaping the future of motorcycling
while staying faithful to its heritage.
Rider and passenger
comfort
The Diavel's twin-level
seat is wide, comfortable and beautifully shaped to fit
the flowing lines of the machine and at 770mm (30.3in),
has one of the lowest seat heights in the Ducati range.
That low seating position, in addition to a low slung
chassis set-up that weighs in at just 210kg (463lb) -
207kg (456lb) for the Diavel Carbon - enables the rider
to get both feet on the ground for a sure-footed and
confident stance. The seat also comes with a beautifully
shaped and easily removable single seat cover, which is
formed in carbon fibre on the Diavel Carbon. Passengers
on the Diavel will appreciate the way the slender
passenger footpegs ingeniously fold down from the rear
sub-frame as well as the innovative, T-bar shaped
grab-rail assembly, which slides out from the rear of
the seat. Deployed from a mechanism under the seat, the
grab-rail provides a comfortable and
confidence-inspiring grip for the passenger, while the
shape perfectly blends into the lines of the tail-piece
when retracted. Both passenger-friendly features are
crafted in forged aluminium and shot-peened for strength
and uniform finish before being black anodised to become
almost invisible when folded away.
Lighting
The Diavel uses two clear
vertical strips of LED lighting to provide tail and
brake light illumination as well as directional
indicators. The strips follow the precise line of the
under-seat panelling, providing great visibility of the
rear-end while keeping the external lines of the bike
clean. The front directional indicators are clear lens
LED strips mounted vertically down the leading edge of
the lateral radiator covers. The headlamp gives the
Diavel immediate Ducati identity and is supported by an
aluminium outer body. The light uses high and low beam
double reflectors to illuminate the road ahead, in
addition to incorporating a horizontal strip of LED
positioning lights for optimum visibility.
Innovative number plate
mount
Employing the double
strip of multi-functional LEDs for the rear lighting of
the Diavel required an innovative solution for the
mounting of the number plate. The unique design uses
mounts on the rear hub of the single- sided swingarm to
extend an elegant and Ducati signature Trellis framework
around the 240 section rear tyre, enabling a central
mounting of the plate. The framework carries a hidden
power feed to dedicated LED illumination for the number
plate, eliminating any reliance on the main rear lights
and creating a clean feature around the rear of the
seat. This design solution represents the first of its
kind and an example of the incredible attention to the
Diavel's detail.
Fuel tank and air Intakes
The Diavel's 17l (4.5 gal
US) fuel tank represents an integral part of the bike's
overall styling. Its wide, long lines sweep down from
the headlamp assembly into the seat and rear sub-frame
to create a seamless profile. While the focal point of
the tank is the high resolution display panel, the steel
tank skin and well- sculpted knee panels add a solid
feel to the Diavel and a high tech composite look to the
Diavel Carbon. On each side of the front of the tank are
massive air intakes formed in aluminium to feed the
engine's large airbox. Their design is completely
functional and contributes to the 162hp produced by the
Diavel Testastretta 11° power plant.
Controls
The Diavel handlebar
shape and arrangement leaves the rider feeling
comfortable and in command. Wide, tapered section
aluminium bars with new custom designed, integral brake
and clutch master-cylinders by Brembo complete with
milled reservoir tops, provide a clean and minimalist
set-up, while stylish, forged- aluminium supported
mirrors deliver a generous view to the rear. Switchgear
control is taken care of by Ducati's latest and most
minimalist design with slim-line bodies housing
easy-to-use switches and buttons and a unique
weapons-like "trigger catch" that slides down to cover
the starter button when activating the kill-switch.
While the indicator cancel button doubles as a scroll-
and-select for fast and easy Riding Mode changes,
switches above and below serve to navigate the new
high-resolution display control panel.
Diavel Testastretta 11 -
ready for sport and cruise
The heart of the
Diavel is the Ducati Testastretta 11 - developed
directly from the incredibly powerful, world-beating
race engines of Ducati Corse. Ducati's Diavel
Testastretta 11 harnesses the immense power of the
Superbike engine and makes it smooth and adaptable, a
massive step forward in balancing high- performance with
an enjoyable ride. With its 162hp and colossal 94lb-ft
(127.5Nm) of torque, the Diavel Testastretta 11 engine
is all about authentic Ducati Desmodromic performance.
The revised intake and exhaust ports combined with
radical adjustment of the cam timing have enabled Ducati
to achieve a fantastic torque curve at low rpm, which
remains strong through a wider rev-range. The increase
in bottom-end torque is managed by Ducati's Ride-
by-Wire (RbW) system to considerably enhance the
Diavel's effortless ridability, while ensuring plenty of
power remains on tap for high-rpm riding.
For an engine with brute
power on tap when needed and smooth, user-friendliness
available for an effortless and comfortable ride, Ducati
revised the configuration of the cam timing with
particular focus on the valve overlap angle. The overlap
angle is defined as the interval of crankshaft rotation,
measured in degrees, during which both the intake and
exhaust valves are open at the same time. This overlap
occurs between the end of the exhaust stroke and the
start of the intake stroke. High performance engines,
which are subject to compromising smoothness for extreme
power delivery, use high values of this parameter in
order to benefit from the pressure waves to improve
engine performance by maximising volumetric efficiency.
On the Testastretta 11
engine, this angle has been reduced from 41, used in the
Testastretta Evoluzione engine which powers the 1198, to
11. As a result, the fresh inlet charge flow is less
compromised by the exiting exhaust gases, resulting in a
much smoother combustion in addition to improved fuel
economy and lower exhaust emissions.
The massive 58mm (2.28in)
section exhaust headers lead the 2-1-2 system through
power-enhancing equal lengths that enable the Diavel's
efficient power delivery. The engine management system
dedicates a lambda probe to each header, providing
precise fueling via a large airbox, while the stylish
cannon-style, vertically stacked silencers carry
catalytic converters to provide Euro 3 conformity and
electronically controlled mid-section valve optimises
exhaust pressures throughout the rev-range.
Twin lateral radiators -
positioned on either side of the bike - cool the Diavel
Testastretta 11 engine. This unique feature combines
with a new 64mm water pump impeller to increase flow
rate by 35% at high rpm, enabling highly efficient
cooling from the stylish air ducts.
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