You can avoid eyes, but not admiration.

The Diavel project was born when Ducati designers applied their wish-list of bike “basic instincts” to a blank canvas. With a “what if?” approach to creating a dream bike, they sketched inspiring shapes which became a lower and longer motorcycle. “The challenge of building a muscular silhouette over a pure-bred competition motor had to be met with determination and a delicate touch, and the result is a frontal area that looks like a power athlete on the starting blocks,” explains the team at Ducati Design responsible for the project.

Rider and passenger comfort

The Diavel’s twin-level seat is wide, comfortable and beautifully shaped to fit the flowing lines of the machine and at 770mm (30.3in), has one of the lowest seat heights in the Ducati range. That low seating position, in addition to a low slung chassis set-up that weighs in at just 210kg (463lb) – 207kg (456lb) for the Diavel Carbon – enables the rider to get both feet on the ground for a sure-footed and confident stance. Passengers on the Diavel will appreciate the way the slender passenger footpegs ingeniously fold down from the rear sub-frame as well as the innovative, T-bar shaped grab-rail assembly, which slides out from the rear of the seat.

Lighting

The headlamp gives the Diavel immediate Ducati identity and is supported by an aluminium outer body. The light uses high and low beam double reflectors to illuminate the road ahead, in addition to incorporating a horizontal strip of LED positioning lights for optimum visibility. The Diavel uses two clear vertical strips of LED lighting to provide tail and brake light illumination as well as directional indicators. The strips follow the precise line of the under-seat panelling, providing great visibility of the rear-end while keeping the external lines of the bike clean. The front directional indicators are clear lens LED strips mounted vertically down the leading edge of the lateral radiator covers.

Innovative number plate mount

Employing the double strip of multi-functional LEDs for the rear lighting of the Diavel required an innovative solution for the mounting of the number plate. The unique design uses mounts on the rear hub of the single-sided swingarm to extend an elegant and Ducati signature Trellis framework around the 240 section rear tyre, enabling a central mounting of the plate. The framework carries a hidden power feed to dedicated LED illumination for the number plate, eliminating any reliance on the main rear lights and creating a clean feature around the rear of the seat. This design solution represents the first of its kind and an example of the incredible attention to the Diavel’s detail.

Fuel Tank and Air Intakes

The Diavel’s 17l (4.5 gal US) fuel tank represents an integral part of the bike’s overall styling. Its wide, long lines sweep down from the headlamp assembly into the seat and rear sub-frame to create a seamless profile. While the focal point of the tank is the high resolution display panel, the steel tank skin and well-sculpted knee panels add a solid feel to the Diavel and a high tech composite look to the Diavel Carbon. On each side of the front of the tank are massive air intakes formed in aluminium to feed the engine’s large airbox. Their design is completely functional and contributes to the 162hp produced by the Diavel Testastretta 11° power plant.

Controls

The Diavel handlebar shape and arrangement leaves the rider feeling comfortable and in command. Wide, tapered section aluminium bars with new custom designed, integral brake and clutch master-cylinders by Brembo complete with milled reservoir tops, provide a clean and minimalist set-up, while stylish, forged-aluminium supported mirrors deliver a generous view to the rear. Switchgear control is taken care of by Ducati’s latest and most minimalist design with slim-line bodies housing easy-to-use switches and buttons and a unique weapons-like “trigger catch” that slides down to cover the starter button when activating the kill-switch. While the indicator cancel button doubles as a scroll-and-select for fast and easy Riding Mode changes, switches above and below serve to navigate the new high-resolution display control panel.

The Name

The name “Diavel” was inspired by the Bolognese dialect word for “devil”. One day, early in the development process of the bike, the first prototype was assembled and wheeled out in front of a group of Ducati engineers and technicians who were viewing the complete motorcycle for the first time. One person looking from the rear of the bike saw its silhouette and exclaimed in Bolognese dialect: “Ignurànt comm’ al Diavel!” Which means: “Evil, just like the devil!” Reminiscent of how the “Monster” was named almost 20 years ago, the Diavel now follows the same Bolognese tradition, shaping the future of motorcycling while staying faithful to its heritage.

Technology has never been so magic.

The Diavel incorporates the very latest in innovative Ducati technologies. Ride-by-Wire, Ducati Traction Control and Ducati Riding Modes deliver a confidence-inspiring sophistication that enables riders to fully enjoy the power of the Testastretta 11° engine.

Lateral Radiators

The technical solution employed for keeping the frontal lines of the Diavel clean was to place two highly efficient lateral radiators on both sides of the bike. These well-ducted units, located beneath the fuel tank, use aerodynamics to help draw air flow through the radiators and are assisted by high-flow electric fans when required. The design combines form and function to enhance the muscular shape of the bike.

Split-level instrumentation

The Diavel’s instrumentation is a masterpiece of cutting-edge technology.
The upper LCD display provides main information such as speed and rpm, in addition to warning lights, time and temperature. The lower, full colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display is styled into the fuel tank and provides an incredibly clear account of current Riding Mode, gear selection and DTC setting as well as total mileage and trips. Used on mobile phones and computers, TFT technology is a variant of LCD and displays easy-to-read high resolution graphics The Diavel’s TFT display goes one step further by using the sensitivity of its surrounding light to decide upon black or white background colour. When stationary, the lower display also doubles as the latest user-friendly control panel to personalise DTC and RbW settings within each Riding Mode before saving.

Hands-free ignition

The Diavel’s ignition is actuated by an electronic key in the rider’s pocket, which communicates with the motorcycle when within a distance of approximately 2 metres (6.5ft). The motorcycle recognises the dedicated key code and automatically enables the bike’s systems. The electronic key externally doubles as a mechanical flip-key, required to open the seat and fuel tank cap. When parking the motorcycle, an electronic lock can be actuated on the steering simply by applying full steering-lock and pressing the ignition-off button a second time.

Ride-by-Wire (RbW)

The Ride-by-Wire (RbW) system is an electronic interface between the Diavel’s twistgrip and engine, which configures an ideal power response depending on the riding mode selected. The twistgrip no longer has a throttle cable connected directly to the throttle body butterflies, but instead delivers a signal to a control unit, which in turn operates the butterfly opening electronically. The RbW system uses three different mappings to regulate the power delivery: 162hp with a sports-type delivery, 162hp with a progressive delivery suitable for touring, and 100hp with progressive delivery for city use.

Riding Modes

The Diavel incorporates the very latest in innovative Ducati technologies, including the recently introduced electronic Riding Modes. Selectable from the left-hand switchgear – even while riding – the choice of three pre-set modes are programmed to instantly change the character of the Diavel. The three modes are enabled by combining class-leading technologies such as Ride-by-Wire (RbW) and Ducati Traction Control (DTC).

Ducati Traction Control

The racing-derived Ducati Traction Control (DTC) is a highly intelligent system which acts as a filter between the rider’s right hand and the rear tire. Within milliseconds, DTC is able to detect and control rear wheel-spin, considerably increasing the bike’s active safety and performance. The system offers eight levels of “sensitivity”, each programmed with an amount of rear wheel-spin tolerance: level one is programmed to offer the least amount of interaction for sport-oriented riders, while level eight uses the most amount of interaction for complete confidence. DTC levels are factory pre-set in each of the three Riding Modes, but can be individually customised and saved to suit the rider by accessing the new user-friendly set-up menu. A “default”option is available to easily return all settings to factory pre-sets.

Breathless in 2.6 seconds.

Built to have a commanding presence, though lightweight and agile like all Ducatis. Stunning looks, 162hp and 207kg (456lb) of authentic Ducati performance drives a comfortable sport lifestyle that could only be dreamed of before. A specially engineered 240 section rear tire combined with famous Ducati chassis technology serves up mind-blowing handling and lean angles which defy the laws of physics, whether carving through curves on your favorite road or just riding out for a night on the town. Merging the worlds of power and style has never been achieved with such convincing precision.