Handling remains Ducati’s manufacturing forte
Indeed, maximizing XDiavel acceleration is childlike simplicity (though not quite idiot proof, as you’ll read). Just select the DPL, max the throttle and then (semi-gently) let out the clutch (for God’s sake, don’t be an idiot and just dump it or you’ll flip over backwards) and you’re on your way to 100 km/h in about 21/2 seconds.
Of course, you have to have the motor to exploit all this traction and this the XDiavel S has in spades. Basically, Ducati takes it 1200 Multistrada Testastretta 11 V-twin (itself good for 160 hp) and strokes it to 1,262 cc for more torque. So even though horsepower isn’t increased (it’s actually slightly reduced to 156 ponies), the XDiavel’s torque is huge with a mighty maximum of 95 pound-feet.
Better yet, 90 per cent of that moxie is available all the way from 4,000 to 8,000 rpm, an incredible breadth of grunt for a motorcycle and a credit to Ducati’s variable valve-timing system. Yet, despite being grunty as all get out, Ducati’s big cruiser redlines at a very sportbike-like 10,000 rpm.
And it feels like a sportbike engine. Get on the gas hard and the whole thing quakes in excitement of letting loose; the exhaust, even in street-legal stock mufflers, sounds like a refugee from the Daytona speedway. And, at full whack, things start getting blurry in a big way. The only downside is the big Testastretta is still a Duke V-twin at heart and isn’t particularly happy below 3,000 rpm. Load it up in top gear at low rpm and all manner of unhappy noises emanate from the XDiavel’s lower crankcase.
That said, Ducati has made huge inroads into its reputation for quirkiness and unreliability. Quality control is up so much that official oil-change intervals for the XDiavel are every 15,000 km, one of the longest in motorcycling. And that once-finicky desmodromic valve-actuation system — OK, it’s still a little finicky — only needs attention every 30,000 km. Ducati is even promising that 85 per cent of its spare/replacement parts will be available to consumers just 48 hours after ordering. Perhaps its association with auto-making giant Audi is paying off.
Of course, handling is something the legendary Italian motorcycle manufacturer already knew about. And despite that extended wheelbase and gargantuan rear tire, the XDiavel S handles pretty well. It doesn’t steer quite as delicately as a Panigale or even a Multistrada, but once the corner is initiated, the S holds its line well. And the suspension is well damped (if a little stiff ) and fully adjustable at both ends. Perhaps more importantly, especially for a cruiser, Ducati claims there’s 40 degrees of lean angle available. Compare that with the 20-something degrees available to a Harley Softail rider and you have some idea of the magic Ducati has conjured up in its cruiser.
The XDiavel is a mixed bag for comfort. The seat is surprisingly comfy (though the passenger portion is a joke) and the handlebar nicely curved, but the foot pegs are placed well forward. Not quite Harley V-Rod spine curving, but lower lumbar-challenging nonetheless. The riding position is very much adjustable with the standard foot pegs offering three different locations. There are four choices for the seat and Ducati is also selling three different handlebars. More importantly for those of use with fragile spines, there’s an optional Central Footpeg package ($1,072) for a more rational, rearward-focused riding position. If I were considering an XDiavel, it would be accessory No. 1.
Speaking of dollars, the S version of the XDiavel starts at $25,995 (2018 pricing), a relative paltry uptick from the base XDiavel. You get mostly cosmetic goodies for that price, but the standout feature is some machined-from-billet mirrors. More functional, though still pretty, are the DLC-coated fork stanchions, their Diamond-Like Coating adding both toughness and smoother action. It’s also worth noting the S gets higher-spec M50 front Brembo brake calipers, all managed with Bosch’s Cornering ABS, which co-ordinates its anti-locking functions with how far the XDiavel is being leaned over.
If this all sounds like a cruiser with a superbike heart, this is still, after all, a Ducati. And while you can dress Borgo Panigale up in disco wear, its heart still beats to rock ‘n’ roll.