DUCATI XDIAVEL (2016 - on) Review

In some ways I think the Ducati XDiavel is going to be far too much of a performance bike for some in the cruiser market. It’s very, very fast and quite firmly sprung but rarely harsh. If you’ve always liked the idea of a cruiser but were never prepared to put up with the performance, handling and braking compromises most entailed, then the XDiavel is perhaps perfect for you.

• Related: Ducati update XDiavel range for 2021
• Related: Ducati add two new models to the XDiavel family
• Related: Ducati XDiavel long-term test during 2016

The XDiavel is a revelation for the cruiser market in terms of the handling prowess, available performance and the full complement of technology as standard. It’s blisteringly quick, has masses of torque for easy riding, looks amazing and has the right feet-forward and belt-drive components for the class. It has become the bike the original Diavel probably always should have been. Along the way the XDiavel won a number of design accolades, including the presitious Red Dot award.

Ducati XDiavel updated in 2018

Ducati released pictures a different paintscheme for 2018 for their XDiavel S; Iceberg White, and the public saw the bike in the flesh at the Faaker See Rally in Austria in September 2018.

As well as the new colour, the 2018 XDiavel also got upgraded suspension, aimed at improving comfort for both rider and pillion, according to Ducati.

2021 Ducati XDiavel Black Star ridden

First published on March 9, 2021 by Mike Armitage

Ducati were the first to blur the lines between sports, naked and cruiser with the original Diavel back in 2011. And then they went further still with the XDiavel in 2016, which was longer, lower and even more cruiser, yet sacrificed none of the performance.

Now, perhaps noticing the fuss made around BMW’s R18 and Triumph’s Rocket 3, Ducati have refreshed the XDiavel to try to get back into the limelight.

It’s become a three-model line-up with a dark image: the new matt black XDiavel Dark, the higher-spec gloss black XDiavel S, and this new range-topping XDiavel Black Star. All three feature a 1262cc variable-valve V-twin, freshened up and boosted to 158bhp, and in Black Star trim there’s a new level of spec. Question is, have they done enough?

Well, it’s no do-anything all-rounder, but if you like the idea of a standout posing tool that can also deliver quick-fix excitement the Ducati is cock-on. Of course, this was already the case but cleaning up its emissions while actually increasing performance should be applauded, and in Black Star form it has the class to go wheel-to-wheel with fresher rivals.

Limited-run Ducati X Diavel Nera revealed for 2022

First published on February 17, 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Ducati have teamed up with fancy furniture firm Poltrona Frau to create the X Diavel Nera – a stylish take on the Bologna company’s 158bhp muscle cruiser, limited to 500 units.

Wrapped in a new 'black on black' paintjob that blends gloss and matt finishes, each bike features a soft seat made of ‘Pelle Frau’ leather that’s available in five colour options.

Although mechanically unchanged from the rest of the X Diavel line-up, the Nera costs an eye-watering £25,895 – some £7900 more than the X Diavel Dark (2022 pricing).

Available from March 2022, each owner will also receive an exclusive key ring and document holder made of the same colour-matched material as the seat. There’s also the option to equip a back rest and you can opt for a wider comfort saddle if you wish.

Available in your choice of Siam Red, Steel Blue, Cemento, India, or Selva, each 755mm seat is also decorated with a series of Xs as a tribute to the model name. Owners can also order an exclusive open face Arai helmet, finished in a mixture of red, grey and black.

Away from optional extras, the front Brembo calipers and engine head covers have also been finished in glossy Ducati red, with the machined forged rims coated in gloss black.

Elsewhere, you’ll find the bike’s trademark chunky 240mm rear tyre, suite of lean-sensitive electronics, colour TFT dash and feet-forwards riding position.

I was initially a little hesitant in pushing on any harder because I wrongly assumed the long wheelbase and raked out front wheel was going to make the bike unwieldy and hard to steer. But in reality it’s nothing of the kind and you can still push hard on that front Pirelli tyre and have direct knowledge of what’s going on.

On the move that length just never becomes an issue. It still handles, goes and stops like a real Ducati and the new 1262cc version of the Testastretta V-twin has thumping torque to make riding on the road easy.

Combined with the shove from the engine, the ferocious braking power from those Brembo M50 calipers on the S model and the decent 40 degree lean angle on offer, this is a cruiser that can still deliver great handling with all the cool you could ask for.

The 1262cc, 156bhp V-twin installed in the XDiavel is essentially a new engine when compared directly to the Diavel or Multistrada 1200 DVT. The 1262 DVT motor produces peak power of 153bhp at a lowly 5000rpm. The torque peaks at 95ftlb but it produces 72ftlb at just 2000rpm!

The engine has the Desmodromic Valve Timing (DVT) system first seen on the Multistrada 1200 DVT last year. The hydraulic variable valve timing system has been designed to take the lumpiness and piston slap out of the motor, smooth off the revs low down and make low speed riding more comfortable. While the hardware of the DVT system remains the same, the way it has been programmed to work has been retuned for the XDiavel.

Exploring the 2021 Ducati XDiavel engine

First published on March 9, 2021 by Mike Armitage

It’s the same 1262cc, 90-degree V-twin with desmodromic valve control as before. Ducati have cleaned it up to meet Euro5 emissions regulations though, which means a new exhaust system. They have also managed to find more oomph, increasing torque a smidge to 93.7lb.ft and pushing peak power up by eight horses to 158bhp at 9500rpm.

It’s difficult to appreciate a difference – the extra output is like putting a few more hundreds and thousands on an already fully loaded trifle, especially as the V-twin is tuned for low-rev grunt and rarely needs more than a tease of the light twistgrip.

It’s an explosive engine, responding immediately, accelerating viciously and more than capable of rotating the long chassis over backwards. Yet it can potter too, with light controls and a smoothness that juddery old big twins could once only dream of.

The build quality on the XDiavel is top-notch and the more expensive and higher-specification S model takes this to another level again. The diamond cut rear wheel, different engine case finish and a host of other cosmetic changes set the bike apart from the standard bike and in the UK market is expected to make up around 80% of sales.

There’s no getting away from the fact the entire Diavel and XDiavel range are expensive bikes but that’s never stopped anyone from buying Ducatis before. We don’t think they are necessarily overpriced as the equipment and quality of the bikes, along with the available performance and handling do make them class competitive.

Combined with the new motor is a full complement of electronic control systems including cornering ABS, traction control, anti-wheelie, three riding modes, cruise control and Ducati Power Launch, which is a three-mode launch control system. It all seems a very long way from the simplicity of a Harley-Davidson cruiser for sure.

There are three different handlebar options, five different seats and three footrest mounting points which Ducati say offers so many ergonomic options for maximum comfort. Seat height is just 755mm which offers even those of a shorter leg the option to be able to get feet onto the floor easily.

Features of the 2021 Ducati XDiavel Black Star

First published on March 9, 2021 by Mike Armitage

Starting point in the XDiavel range is the Dark, which is £17,143 on the road and boasts cornering ABS, assorted modes, cruise, traction and launch control. Next up is the XDiavel S at £20,843 which adds superbike-spec Brembo brake calipers, swanky wheels, a multimedia system for the compact TFT dash, machined finishes and aluminium mirrors. And top of the tree is this XDiavel Black Star for £21,443 which takes the spec of the S and adds a bespoke seat, yet another set of forged wheels and paint that Ducati say is inspired by sports cars. Finish and presentation are what you’d expect of a bike costing upwards of twenty grand.

The Black Star has tasty touches, too. The footpegs are adjustable along a machined mount, switchgear lights up (in red, of course), the two-panel display is unique, there’s a hint of manufacturing on the milled parts and brushed finishes, and as the range-topper it has a luxurious seat. Catching the occasional glimpse of a red cylinder head is a neat reminder that you have the top drawer swanky version, costing £21,443.