OK, now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, we’ll run down the specs of this bike (.pdf), which Ducati calls the Diavel. They’re actually pretty impressive. Ducati says the name was inspired by the Bolognese dialect word for “Devil.” Fitting, because this thing should go like a bat outta hell.

Power comes from a fuel-injected 1198-cc V-twin called the Testastretta 11°. It’s good for 162 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque. It’s bolted to Ducati’s signature trellis-style frame, which has a slick cast aluminum single-sided swingarm. The six-speed gearbox uses a wet slipper clutch — No beautiful clutch chatter for you! — with “super-light feel at the lever.”

The 50mm fork is by Marzocchi, the shock is by Sachs and it’s all fully adjustable. It’s a cruiser, so of course it’s got a big tire out back, 240/45-17. Front and rear tires are wrapped around 14-spoke alloy wheels; drop a few more bills for the top-shelf Diavel Carbon and you get forged Marchesini wheels and, as the name suggests, a bunch of carbon-fiber goodies.

Radially mounted Brembo monoblock calipers clamp down on the 320mm semi-floating front discs. Antilock brakes are standard, and Ducati says the system offers braking performance superior to its superbikes. Other tech tidbits include ride-by-wire throttle with three maps. The first delivers 162 horsepower “with sports-type” delivery. The second offers 162 ponies tuned for touring. The third gives you 100 hp for cruising around town. Traction control helps keep you out of trouble.

Styling is always subjective, so we’ll let you hash that out in the comments. We suspect the Diavel will be polarizing — people will love the look or hate it. As for the inspiration, Ducati lays it on thick (.pdf) in the press material:

“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 Streetfighter 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.

The athlete weighs 463 pounds; springing for the Diavel Carbon drops it to 456. No word on the price.

It’s easy to see why Ducati built the Diavel — it wants to offer a full range of motorcycles, and a cruiser was the one thing it didn’t have. So why not add one and lure some buyers who otherwise would never even consider a Duc?

That’s the same kind of thinking that gave us Porsches with four doors. You’ve got to wonder if Ducati isn’t diluting the brand.

Photos: Ducati

See Also:

• Kimura Edge, a Ducati Objet d’art
• Ducati 750 Sport: A Beauty Among Beauties
• Ducati Finds a Few More $72500 Rockets In Its Stable
• Behind the Scenes at MotoGP

Authors: Chuck Squatriglia

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