Ducati Diavel Video

Ducati's Claudio Domenicali entered the stage at the EICMA Motorcycle Show ready with the big new. First, he announced the new Ducati Monster 1100 EVO. The 1100 EVO gets the Hypermotard 100hp engine, new exhaust with new tubing at the front similar to what's on the Diavel and it also gets traction control.

Then it was time for the big one everybody had been waiting for, the 2011 Ducati Diavel. After showing several new videos showing the Diavel in action the stage exploded in light and smoke as a female rider rode the Diavel on to the stage.

This female may just be famous in Italy, but I don't know. After some banter about the rider having to move off the motorcycle so that we could appreciate the Diavel without any eye-candy two more Diavel's entered the stage. One white/aluminum colored and one in all black.

The red/black version is called Diavel Carbon and as the name implies it gets lots of carbon fiber bits. Ducati revealed that the 1200cc is a devil indeed with figures claiming 162hp @ and 128Nm @ 8.000rpm.

The Diavel gets DTC (Ducati Traction Control) and ABS slightly modified from the items on the Multistrada 1200. New is also an extra display on the fuel tank dealing with the rider aids.

The LCD panel is made from pretty much the same as modern smart phones. Interestingly Ducati have developed the motorcycle to feature an all new rear tires size with Pirelli. The new Pirelli Diablo Rosso II in 240/45-ZR17 has an extremely low profile that makes the motorcycle look menacing from the back coupled with an equally wide tail section.

The front end is dominated by a huge round headlight flanked by something that looks like the air-intakes. The seat height is very low at 770mm and the seat is well padded and looks comfy. ABS on Brembo monoblocks brakes will be interesting to test.

The motorcycle is very long and it looks like the front would be pushed a bit with those powerful brakes and long wheelbase. The fuel tank carries 17 liters of fuel.

One thing is for certain and that is if you want to run with the devil, or Diavel, you are going to need some hair on your chest. Its a very macho and un-Italian motorcycle.

I asked Claudio Domenicali whether the development team had had any US input, but he categorically denied this stating it was a 100% Italian effort. There is also an issue with categorizing this motorcycle as Ducati stands hard on claiming they have created a new segment.

Whatever Ducati says, this motorcycle will be compared with uneven competition such as the Harley-Davidson Muscle/V-Rod, Yamaha V-max, Suzuki B-king, Moto Guzzi Griso 8V and perhaps even Triumph Rocket III Roadster.

The way I see it they all belong together in a type of muscle cruiser bruiser streetfighting soup of delightful torque and power. Harley-Davidson could have built a motorcycle such as the Diavel when they developed the V-Rod with Porsche.

However, Erik Buell once told me that that's what he wanted to do, but the corporate Milwaukee muscle opted for something nearer to a traditional H-D product and bulked up as they always do.

The 2011 Ducati Diavel weighs in at what for this type of motorcycle is an ultralight claimed 210kg (443 lbs.). The whole Diavel project is a bit of a gamble for Ducati which they admits to when asked who their customer for this motorcycle is. But we guess they have applied the philosophy of let's build it and they'll come.

I personally need the design to grow a little bit on me. Let's put it this way, I'm not completely convinced Wolverine would suit the Diavel. It remains to be seen whether the Ducati Diavel can achieve the same iconic profile as the V-Rod.

A motorcycle like this is bought with the heart through the eyes, not necessarily with what is best through your right hand on the twisties.