Ducati

Ducati XDiavel V4 

By Ben Purvis

It's been two years since Ducati launched the Diavel V4 using the same 1158cc 'Granturismo' engine that powers the Multistrada V4 - and after a surprisingly long delay it's now joined by a new XDiavel V4 using the same powertrain.

It's been nearly 15 years since the original Diavel was launched back in 2010, marking Ducati's first attempt at a cruiser-style bike since the Indiana of the 1980s, and while the original was very much at the muscle bike end of the cruiser spectrum, the XDiavel that followed in 2016 introduced a more stretched-out look with a feet-forward riding position and taller, pulled-back bars. 

That's a style that's retained for the new XDiavel V4, but the entire bike is new, replacing the old 1,262 cc Testastretta DVT V-twin engine with the V4 Granturismo motor and switching the old steel trellis chassis for a cast aluminium monocoque design. It marks the end of the line for the Testastretta DVT engine and further reinforces the fact that high-end Ducatis now use V4 engines, with twins relegated to more affordable, lower-performance machines.

The engine is the same unit that debuted in the Multistrada V4 before migrating to the Diavel V4, and differs completely from the 1103 cc V4 used in the Panigale superbikes. The Granturismo motor uses conventional valve springs instead of the Desmodromic system that was a Ducati signature for so many years, benefitting from reduced servicing costs as a result. 

At 168 hp (124 kW), the engine isn't vastly more powerful than its V-twin predecessor, which managed 160 hp, and its peak torque is identical at 126 Nm, but it's a more modern and compact design weighing only 68 kg and along with the aluminium chassis helps reduce the XDiavel's mass from 233 kg to 229 kg despite two additional cylinders.

As with Ducati's other V4s, it uses an unusual 'twin pulse' firing interval and a reverse-rotating crankshaft, helping improve power delivery and reduce the gyroscopic effect of the engine to give more responsive handling. 

While Ducati's latest Panigale superbikes have switched to a dual-sided swingarm, the XDiavel still has a single-sided design, holding a huge 240-section rear tyre and making more space for the quad-exit exhaust system. The suspension, made up of 50mm upside-down forks and a monoshock at the rear, is fully adjustable, and as usual the brakes are from Brembo, but Ducati hasn't yet followed its usual modus operandi by adding an 'S' version with Öhlins suspension.

Compared to the previous XDiavel, the V4 has a slightly higher seat - 770 mm instead of 755 mm tall - but with substantially more padding, increased by 58 mm, and more space for the rider and passenger thanks to increased length and width. The pegs are still forward-set as standard, but Ducati has introduced the option to move them rearwards with a bolt-on mounting kit.

Equipment includes a large, 6.9-inch TFT dash, up/down quickshifter and four riding modes, as well as Ducati's usual, extensive array of rider assist systems including cornering traction control and ABS.