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QUICKSPIN I 2020 DUCATI DIAVEL 1260 S
I
t's a funny bike, the ol' Ducati Diavel. It's a motorcycle that has
never really had a home. It doesn't really have class competitors
either, save for possibly the Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114 or, if
you have to throw a bagger in there, maybe the Indian Challenger.
The Diavel is its own thing and that's a large part of its appeal.
When the Diavel came out in 2011, the only motorcycle it com-
peted against was the Yamaha Vmax, and it did away with Yamaha's
king bruiser cruiser with one arm tied behind its back. Such was
the performance of the then 1198cc Diavel, it made any other low-
slung power cruiser instantly irrelevant. We'd never seen a motor-
cycle with a 240-section rear tire able to corner with such fluidity,
while still retaining the style and comfort of the cruiser segment.
However, the Diavel still hasn't won over American cruiser hearts
and wallets the way it probably deserves to. That's because many
of those riders are Harley to the core and likely always will be.
So, a couple of years ago, Ducati said "stuff it," and stuffed the
enlarged 1262cc, 157 horsepower Teststretta DVT (Demodromic
Valve Timing) motor into a revised chassis that made it even more
sporty than before. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, forget 'em.
I absolutely love that about the Diavel. Rather than dumbing
down the Diavel to make it more cruisey and less sporty, Ducati
doubled down and went bigger, making the Diavel a real devil that's
perfectly at home in twisties, as well as hammering drag strips.
D
E
V
I
L'S
DA
A WEEK WITH AN OLD FRIEND MAKES
US WONDER WHY YOU DON'T SEE MORE
DUCATI DIAVELS THAN YOU DO
STORY AND PHOTOS BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
