Ducati claims the personality of three bikes in the Diavel – a naked, comfortable cruiser and a superbike. You see, nothing – as of today – comes closer to the Diavel. It is a seamless blend of a superbike, naked and a cruiser. Speaking of the original Diavel, Ducati had positioned it close to a cruiser – which the original was anything but. It was crazy fast, handled like a proper naked, and lazy cruising was the last thing you would ever do on the original. But hey, Ducati had made their fair share of progressions in the form of XDiavel – which only made it a capable cruiser, without any sacrifices on the other two aspects. And now, the prodigious Ducati has evolved into Diavel 1260 – yes, with a bigger engine – and a new top-end variant, S. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s begin with our Ducati Diavel 1260 S review.
Let’s start with the looks. The Diavel you see here is perhaps an entirely new motorcycle. Well, Ducati has managed to provide a more neutral riding position by redesigning the entire bike from the ground up. You see, the seating position is distant from a Monster, and is less-cruiser like than the XDiavel. The headlamp, golden forks, sharp fuel tank and the forward engine exhibit a proper naked influence from the motorcycle. Come to the side, and you will notice the underpinnings of a typical cruiser. A low-slung profile, wide air-inlets and the long body only add to the cruiser influence in the Ducati. In our time filming the Diavel 1260 S review, this bike absolutely pried eyeballs on the move – I just wish it came in Ducati Red.
Before I speak about the engine, it’s worth noting that Ducati has loaded the Diavel with a raft of electronics. It has Ducati digital control options, two processors and multiple sensors on the brakes, wheels and engine. It also gets Ducati’s DQS clutchless shifting, ride-by-wire throttle, wheelie control, adjustable cornering ABS, traction control and six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit. And if that’s not enough for you, you also have the choice to choose between three riding modes – Sport, Touring and Urban.
At the heart of the matter, the Diavel is powered by an all-new 1,262cc twin-cylinder engine that is capable of churning out 159bhp and 129Nm of torque. Now, in our Diavel 1260 S review, we rode through the twisting roads of the Sierra Blanca mountains, and I must say, the direction changes were quick and the bike felt quite agile. In Urban mode, the throttle response is modest and it’s very well suited for city hangs. But don’t get me wrong, the engine response is extremely quick as soon as you opt-out for the Sport mode, just like a sports bike. As far as the ride quality is concerned, the 48mm Ohlins are adjustable and they really give the front-end a nice and planted feel, even while hard cornering. The seating position is extremely comfortable and the saddle is set on the wider side, so long rides are certainly not an issue. Thanks to the Diablo Rosso III tyre, the bike feels stable and out on the open, it certainly doesn’t hamper the cornering abilities of the Diavel – even with the colossal rear tyre. To sum it up, I must say – again – that there’s nothing quite like the Diavel. It has the abilities of a naked, cruiser and a sportsbike. And while there are no drawbacks to this bike, you have to shell out some serious cash to get a hold of one. To read our extensive Ducati Diavel 1260 S review, be sure to tune in to autoX.