2014 DUCATI DIAVEL
FIRST RIDE
P34
rough edges that Ducati has now
addressed in the subtly revamped
2014 version of the model. Call it
the Diavel EVO - for it's the devil
of a makeover.
Actually, applying the word
'subtle' to any aspect of the Dia-
vel's character might at first seem
misplaced, but it soon became
evident riding the results of their
handiwork at Ducati's sun-kissed
press launch in the south of
France - through the Alpes-Mari-
times mountain range inland from
Monaco, then following the Med-
iterranean coast through seaside
traffic back to the tax shelter
home of the rich and famous -
that the Diavel development team
led by Giulio Malagoli has indeed
produced a rounded-off version
of the original bike that's quite
simply even more enjoyable to
ride than its predecessor.
Ducati has achieved this via a
series of detailed improvements
to the Diavel's Testastretta 11-de-
gree DS motor without detract-
ing in any way from the bike's
visceral appeal and intoxicating
performance. So it still has the
mind-blowing acceleration and
improbably adept handling of
the previous bike, but this totally
unique hyper-powercruiser that
for 2014 comes with refreshed
styling is now much cleaner run-
ning at low revs, making it easier
to ride at slower speeds - as so
many of its customers who use
this as a social networking tool
will relish.
"We realized we needed to
make the Diavel a better low-
speed cruiser, without sacrificing
any of the thrilling high-perfor-
mance qualities of the previous
model," says Giulio Malagoli,
While you can
certainly cruise
the Diavel through
town, you can also
get down to the
serious business
of the twisties.
