Ducati Diavel V4 Test: Do You Dare to Ride?
Words such as "build quality," "technical excellence," "supercar beauty," and "performance," "demon," and "muscle cruiser's ferocity" can only describe a motorcycle. It's called Ducati Diavel V4!
We have known Ducati for many years that its name in the motorcycle sector is synonymous with build quality and technical excellence. It takes effort on the part of the company to make a motorcycle that won't excite the public. Each of its structures is a small diamond, and sometimes you would think that you would rather decorate it in your living room than on the street. The Ducati Diavel V4 is one such gem!
A single look will make your mouth water
When eyes first fell on the Ducati Diavel V4, there was a lot of wonder and excitement, while a child's smile appeared on the face as the eyes rolled. Beautiful feelings do not disappear with the passage of time.
The front of the car shows the dynamic character of the motorcycle, in which the two air vents on the left and right of the fuel tank play a leading role. The already beautiful headlights are further enhanced by the "C" shaped DRL luminaires. At the back, honeycomb lights are characteristic and are located under the passenger seat. The rear seat cover adds even more beauty to the motorcycle, while with just two small screws unscrewed, the passenger's comfortable position is revealed. The characteristic is that the rear tire is very wide, which means that this motorcycle is not short of power! And don't forget the majestic red color of Ducati, which not only brings beauty to the whole, but also represents a well-known super car brand!
Ergonomics and comfort
The impeccable Greek dealer responded immediately and soon got us on the Diavel V4 with the wireless key in the pocket.
The car drove forward, and the V4 Granturismo engine was running like a well-tuned clock. When the motorcycle stopped, the two rear cylinders stopped working for economic reasons and to reduce the temperature. Of course, this is not an easy thing to understand. So it doesn't bother.
In the initial steps, the sensations evoked by the Diavel V4 are mixed. On the one hand, we have very good ride quality, a comfortable saddle, and a well-designed fuel tank. The rider's footpegs are in a fairly comfortable position, and combined with the design of the fuel tank, the legs fit very tightly on it. On the other hand, we have a special steering wheel position – albeit closer to the rider than the previous version – that makes us think. However, it is too early to tell.
City use
When people see a motorcycle like the Ducati Diavel V4, urban use certainly doesn't come to mind. Still, like many other cars we've tested, this one isn't exempt from test mode. Therefore, we initially opted for the "city" mapping of the TFT 5-inch color screen. Ideal for use within the city.
The throttle is smooth, the motorcycle runs well, there is no hard acceleration and hard acceleration. The low seat height of 790 mm helps a lot for urban use, as the feet are completely on the pavement. In the first operation that we had to perform, we were pleasantly surprised by the "cutting" of the steering wheel. Although we didn't expect it, the steering wheel turned the way we wanted it to, and it took some time for the steering wheel to stop on the frame.
There are several options for electronic aids and their configurations. After all, we're talking about Ducati. Of course, it's too early to "tease" them. Our minds are already on a route with several turns, but there are also long straights!
Damn socks
As we get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the traffic, the excitement grows day by day. The change in mapping is to be expected, just flick the left side of the steering wheel and we will enter the menu and select the "Travel" mapping.
The empty straights stretched out in front of us, and the throttle was now a bit steeper and wider, giving it a feeling of endlessness.
The Diavel V4 is not lazy at all. The 1,158cc engine produces 10,750bhp at 168rpm and 7,500Nm (126kg) of torque at 126rpm, which is enough to make 236kg (filled with fluid) accelerate without difficulty, and the speedometer can write down large three-digit numbers with the characteristic ease.
On the other hand, the wind blows enough, especially at high speeds, since the protection of it is hardly enough. But don't forget that we rode a rudimentary cruiser motorcycle. This air behavior is to be expected.
Then another turn, another turn, another turn......
The straight line is good. But the blood is boiling. As soon as we had the chance, we embarked on a familiar country road. The mapping becomes "movement" and the smile has been formed. Before we knew it, we were already starting to get through the first corners, and with the help of the Ducati Quickshifter, the ride became even more enjoyable. It's worth noting here that Ducati has done an excellent job with Quickshifter. Smooth and without "clutter", it behaves so well and smoothly as with a clutch.
In the first few corners, the long wheelbase (almost 1.60 meters), low center of gravity and wide tires make it a little difficult to change direction, and the power on the steering wheel is a bit more than usual. Of course, this kept us busy for several rounds. After some measuring, we've now found the way we want to ride this beautiful car.
The throttle is simply diabolical, with quite high cornering and kilometer limits. The different heights of the passenger saddle help the pelvis find resistance and help the legs stay tight in a very ergonomic tank. In this way, it is possible to prevent the body from sliding towards the back of the motorcycle, while the hands remain relaxed without having to pull the steering wheel tightly. The result is good control of the motorcycle even at high speeds.
The torso of the body is placed slightly forward, so the arms are in a more natural position. The handlebars are parallel to the ground, so the steering wheel requires less force to change the direction of the motorcycle.
When the throttle opens sharply, the traction control system acts, but it does not cause interference. After all, Ducati is one of the companies that makes us get used to this behavior.
As for the brakes, we could talk for hours. Speaking of Ducati, we cannot fail to mention its perfect relationship with the brakes. Regardless of horsepower, cubic capacity, and motorcycle category. Ducati attaches great importance to good, efficient and quality braking. In the case of the Diavel V4, we are talking about a motorcycle with two 330mm front discs (with four-piston Brembo Stylema calipers) and a 265mm rear disc (with two-piston calipers), also produced by Brembo. Of course, cornering ABS is not missing either. This combination produces an amazing braking effect. The effort required to slow down is quite minimal for our driving speed. This helps teams of motorcycle riders prepare earlier and more confidently before turning. But even when the brakes continued deep into the corners, the Ducati Diavel V4 didn't complain.
While the Diavel V4 ticked all our boxes and satisfied our every desire to drive, we wanted to go one step further. Therefore, we decided to present its sporty characteristics by configuring its electronic aids. At this point we found out that Ducati does not allow any changes to each mapped electronics while the motorcycle is in motion. On the one hand, it made us unhappy because we had to secure the motorcycle. On the other hand, so that we don't have to keep our eyes glued to the screen while driving.
After a short stay, all settings for the electronic aids are now set to the sportiest version. The deactivation of the traction control system as well as the deactivation of the ABS for the rear wheels played an important role.
Now we have a wild animal on our hands, but we don't know what it is capable of. We put the first gear in the box and started the motorcycle, and the throttle finally spun at full speed. The gears greet each other with the help of Quickshift, while the rear wheels leave marks on the asphalt, even though there is 4 gears inside the box. In the first corner, downshifts eventually move into second gear, where the clutch opens with ease, which, combined with the "click" of the front brakes, causes the rear wheels to slip. For some strange reason, as long as the brakes perform well, then all the volume will stabilize perfectly before the turn. The fully adjustable 50mm inverted front suspension system provides very good feedback, while the fully adjustable rear suspension keeps the entire system stable. There are no moments of doubt and fear, only that sense of certainty, and the Ducati Diavel V4 seems to be "hands untied" and free for the first time. He seems to just want to swallow asphalt.
When exiting a corner, the right wrist rotates unrestrictedly, and the front wheel lifts off the ground without hesitation. There were times when we felt as if we were trying to knock him down again. Touch the Earth Again!
The temper has risen to dangerous levels, and it's time to calm down. So the map changed back to "tour", and our return was more calm and calm.
deplete
The Italian company's official Diavel V4 has a fuel consumption of 6.4 l/100 km. After almost 500 kilometers, what could be better than that? Just before turning off the motorcycle, check out the average fuel consumption of 6.3 l/100 km! By simple calculations, this means that we have a range of about 320 km.
conclusion
The cube, horsepower, and torque figures of the Ducati Diavel V4 are quite high, while the kilograms are lower than one would expect, which is definitely one of the pleasant surprises.
The Diavel V4 is suitable for long distances and is equipped with a less fatigue-prone engine that will not oppose any tarmac route you choose.
What we liked
- The engine is running
- brake
- Operation of electronic aids
- Tank ergonomics
- Quick shift function
- Comfortable saddle
- Rider footrest position
- appearance
- deplete
What we didn't like
- Insufficient wind protection
- It's not too difficult to change direction
- Steering wheel position
- Electronic devices are not dynamically configured
specification
Engine: four-stroke, three-cylinder, water-cooled V4 90
Displacement: 1,158 cc
Fuel Supply: Injection
Starter: Electric
Maximum power: 10,750 horsepower at 168 rpm.
A2 maximum power: 126 hp (7,500 rpm).
Transmission: 6 gears (fast transmission up and down)
Front suspension: Inverted 50mm fully adjustable
Front suspension travel: 120mm
后悬架: Monoshock 完全可调
Rear suspension travel: 145mm
前制动器:2x 330 mm 制动盘、四活塞 Brembo Stylema 径向卡钳、ABS、弯道 ABS
Rear brakes: 1x 265 mm discs, two-piston Brembo calipers, ABS, cornering ABS
Front wheel: 17"
前胎:120/70/17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III
Rear: 17"
后轮胎:240/45/17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III
Saddle height: 790 mm
Weight (complete): 236 kg
Fuel tank: 20 liters
Fuel consumption: 6.3/100 km
Screen: Color TFT 5"
Warranty: 2 years
Price: €31,700