RIDE REVIEW I 2023 DUCATI DIAVEL V4
P74
The 1158cc V4 sitting inside
the aluminum monocoque chas-
sis is not identical to the Mul-
tistrada's. Different camshafts
and
timing mated to a shorter
first gear give the Diavel a more
abrupt punch from a closed
throttle at low rpm.
Also different is the intake
and airbox, and of course, that
spectacular exhaust with its
Gatling gun-like four-barrel
muffler. (Ducati also makes
a wild sports exhaust for the
Diavel V4 they call the "Spit
-
fire" in honor of the British
fighter
plane, which shaves 24
pounds off and boosts power
to a claimed 180 horsepower.)
Ducati is also justifiably proud
of the service intervals on the
V4, with a major service on the
valves now scheduled for 37,000
miles, so you could literally ride
around the world one and a half
times before you need to get
the valves done. Oil changes are
scheduled for 9000 miles.
The motor may be all-new,
but the bones of the Diavel are
similar to previous generations.
Ducati's designers were mind
-
ful of preserving the shape and
structure
of the Diavel, which
aims at "over-the-top design"
with emphasis on the crouching
stance of a runner on the start
-
ing line waiting for the gun.
Much of
the work has been
centered around weight and
dimension reduction, with Ducati
claiming 29 pounds in overall
mass reduction compared to the
outgoing 1260. The largest of
this comes from the motor, with
a claimed 11 pounds removed.
A further 10.4 pounds have
come off the monocoque frame,
5.3 pounds from the subframe,
2.0 pounds from the wheels, and
1.3 pounds from the front brake
discs. All told, Ducati is claiming
a 520-pound curb weight with a
5.3-gallon tank of gas.
For the rider, the seat height
has been increased 20mm
to 790mm (31.1 inches), and
the handlebar, which is now a
two-piece unit and not a single
handlebar as you'd expect, has
been moved 20mm closer.
(Left) LED lights up front are
flanked by massive intakes in the
traditional Diavel style. (Right) One
of the main features of the Diavel
V4 is the fantastic-looking exhaust
with its four muffler outlets.
Webbed LED rear lights
look magnificent.
