Ducati
Ducati has spread out its new model launches rather than unveiling them in a single presentation, but few manufacturers have as many updated or new machines coming to the market in 2023.
The most radical of Ducati's newcomers is, without doubt, the Diavel V4 - a machine that supersedes rather than complements the previous V-twin Diavel range, shifting it upmarket in the process.
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| Diavel V4 |
Based around the 'Granturismo' V4 engine that debuted in the Multistrada V4, an 1,158 cc unit tuned for torque as opposed to the 1,103 cc power-focused four in the Panigale and Streetfighter ranges, the Diavel V4 is very much the equivalent to a modern-day Yamaha V-Max.
Peak power isn't much higher than the 1,262 cc V-twin predecessor, at 124 kW (166 hp, 168 PS), and torque actually drops a fraction - in line with the reduced capacity - to 126 Nm. However, the Diavel V4 is substantially more expensive than the old model. There's just one variant at the moment (a higher-spec 'S' model with Öhlins suspension is likely to follow), but even in its base form, the V4 costs far more than the old Diavel 1260, and even the Diavel 1260 S.
It has 50 mm USD forks and a rear monoshock, both fully adjustable, mounted on an aluminium monocoque frame rather than the old bike's steel trellis. The V4 engine itself is structural, doubling as the rear part of the chassis, with the front monocoque bolted on top of it. It's a design that means despite two extra cylinders, the Diavel V4 is no heavier than the V-twin at 236 kg, including fuel. As usual for Ducati, there's a vast array of electronics including a quickshifter, but the main talking point will be the styling - an evolution of the Diavel shape that's even more aggressive, adding a four-exit exhaust to emphasise the engine layout.
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| Panigale |
It's not the most expensive of Ducati's new 2023 offerings, though. That title goes to the Panigale V4 R - the latest version of the homologation superbike used for WSB competition, coming in at € 43,990 to just slide in under the updated 2023 price cap for such machines. Even at that price, Ducati probably has a slim profit margin, given the bike's high specification, as it's a machine that brings near-MotoGP performance to the street.
Stock, the power is rated at 160.4 kW, but in reality, most customers are sure to specify the optional track-only race kit that takes it to an astounding 174 kW (237 PS, 233 hp), a figure that rises even more to 177 kW (240.5 PS, 237 hp) when you use a specially-formulated Shell oil that cuts 10% from the internal engine friction. As before, that performance comes from a special version of Ducati's Desmoquattro V4, with a 999 cc capacity rather than the 1,103 cc of the standard Panigale to comply with race rules, and the ability to rev to 16,500 rpm. Visually, there are small tweaks to the carbon fairing, while the chassis geometry is mildly revised.
Another new V4-powered offering in Ducati's 2023 range is the Multistrada V4 Rally, a spiritual successor to the old Multistrada 1260 Enduro and the most off-road capable V4 model yet. Along with other bikes using the 'Granturismo' version of the V4 in 2023, it features a cylinder cut-out feature that allows it to run on the front cylinder bank only at low speeds, reducing heat output, emissions and fuel consumption. The rear cylinders kick in when the throttle is wound on.
With 125 kW (168 hp, 170 PS) it's the most powerful mainstream adventure bike on the market. The alloy chassis is from the standard Multistrada V4, but it's fitted with longer-travel Marzocchi suspension that uses the firm's Skyhook semi-active damping adjustment and features the ability to automatically wind off the preload as you come to a halt, lowering the seat height to make it easier to touch the ground. The 30 litre fuel tank is also larger than other Multistrada models, and the bodywork is revised to allow it to blend in.
Elsewhere in Ducati's range, the 803 cc Scrambler models - the Icon, Full Throttle and Nightshift - are completely updated, with new frames, an updated 53.6 kW engine and redesigned bodywork. The Streetfighter V4 is also refreshed, gaining the same revisions that the Panigale V4 received a year ago, including a new fuel tank, revised ergonomics and uprated electronics.
