DUCATI XDIAVEL
FIRST RIDE
P84
IT'S THE
SMOOTHNESS
OF DELIVERY
FROM THE RIDE-BY-
WIRE THROTTLE IN
EACH OF THE THREE
MODES, THE VELVET
GLOVE/IRON FIST
CLICHÉ, ALL DONE
WITH A CHEEKY SMILE
LIKE A YOUNG SEAN
CONNERY.
(Far left) Dash is
brilliant and has three
different modes to
chose from. (Left) The
classic cruiser tank—
Ducati had to do it.
cally been the retirement bike of
choice, a machine you glide
to in your latter years once the
hedonistic days of speed and
lust leave your loins. Put simply,
the XDiavel is not a cruiser—it's
a Panigale's porky cousin. The
DVT-equipped engine lumps
torque to the now Gates-belt-
equipped final drive with stupen-
dous force, the kind of thump
that only comes from more
inches and not forced induction.
It's so impressive that anywhere
from 3500 rpm right through
to 8000 rpm the XDiavel has
