DUCKS ON STEROIDS
If we've learned one thing from all
those Dyna and FXR wheelie ma-
chines that the custom segment of
the market has been cranking out for
the last five years, it's that a growing
number of riders want to go faster
and lean deeper in the twisties while
keeping ergonomics in the cruiser
realm. It's likely the reason big
manufacturers have been playing
around more and more with the sexy
muscle-bike concepts. Harley-Da-
vidson's FXDR114, Yamaha's VMAX
and Ducati's XDiavel being just
three design examples that come to
mind. The VMAX is a veteran design
that's been around for decades but
the XDiavel… well, it's a sleek bit of
hotness that's Ducati through-and-
through.
At the heart of the powerful and
sophisticated XDiavel is the Ducati
Testastretta DVT 1262. It's a strong
power plant that delivers its best
numbers in the 5000-rpm range.
The new DVT technology delivers
a broader powerband that's been
tuned for more pavement-wrin-
kling torque down low and
throughout the midrange without
sacrificing any of its top-end pull.
The bike's chassis configuration
lets you get it over to a 40-degree
angle, too, which means all kinds
of fun on the throttle. The wide-set
handlebar and foot pegs are further
forward than some mid-mount
controls, giving the XDiavel its
cruiser-esque feel.
Other technological perks are
less obvious to the naked eye,
like Ducati's Riding Modes. Three
preset modes can be selected
during riding, instantly changing
the handling characteristics of the
XDiavel by combining different
modern innovations like Ride-by-
Wire (RbW), Ducati Traction Control
(DTC), and ABS Cornering Bosch
systems. Urban Mode is for riding
around town while Sporting Riding
and Touring Riding modes are
likewise self-explanatory.
This year, the XDiavel got a new
color option called Matte Liquid
Concrete Grey, which serves to bal-
ance out the total darkness of the
mechanical aspects of the bike. CN
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