Ducati Diavel 2015 Carbon Edition: The Perfect Street Bike?

First Look

The first time I saw the 2015 Ducati Diavel Carbon in star white, I thought of killer whales. There’s bulk at the front and it tapers away at the tail, and it’s mostly a deep black, bedecked with striking white. On land, it's remarkable. It looks somewhat awkward and massive.

I’d heard and read so many good things about the Diavel, it’s hard to reconcile them with the motorcycle I'm looking at. Yes, all the other reviews say it looks long, heavy and raked out with massive tires, and so do I.

The Testastretta engine is so power is pretty much assured, but how does it handle? I’ve committed to spending the week with the Diavel touring Pennsylvania to find out.

Diavel Forerunner

When Ducati first unveiled the Diavel in 2011, the press called it a power cruiser. There was no other moniker for it. It sure didn’t look like a Ducati we’d seen before.

The easiest comparison was with the V-Max, although the Yamaha makes another 30+ horsepower.

The New Diavel

The base 2015 Diavel is no slouch in the specs department. It generates 162hp / 96 ft.lb of torque and operates through a wonderfully smooth ride-by-wire throttle.

At $17,995 US / $20,995 CDN, you’re getting an updated-for-2015 Testastretta 1198cc L-twin engine.

If that sounds like a lot for every day use, you’ll be pleased to hear that the Diavel offers three riding modes, switchable on the fly:

• Sport is the full-on mode, and offers the full spread of power with minimal traction control
• Touring mode delivers the same power but more linearly, and with more DTC
• The urban mode limits the Diavel to 100hp and delivers the highest traction setting

Superbike Stopping

Stopping is handled at the front by four-piston Brembo mono-blocs, which have the bite and feel that you normally only find on superbikes. The rear is handled by a two-piston Brembo. Braking stability, and indeed comfort, is ensured by a fully adjustable Marzocchi at the front, and a fully adjustable Sachs at the rear.

Carbon Upgrade

For an extra $3,000 or so you can get the Carbon edition (pictured and reviewed here). The difference, aside from the carbon body work and coloured panels (which look great), is the unpainted exhaust and the forged aluminum Marchesini wheels. It’s a little more attention grabbing than the all-black, dark stealth scheme of the base model.

The step-up exhaust and aluminum wheels look amazing and they weight 5.5lbs less than stock. That might not sound much, but that’s weight beneath the shocks, which should translate into better handling.

The Dash

The dash is a split-level affair. The upper dash is LCD and contains the tacho, speed, engine temp and clock, as well the indicator lights for fuel, turn signals /etc. The lower dash is full colour TFT, and used for the trip computer and setup.

All controls are adjusted with a couple of thumb buttons on the left bar. The lower dash felt a little too low for making changes whilst riding, however there’s nothing to stop you.

On the fly, the only controls I wanted access were the riding modes: just close the throttle to enable a new mode.

Growels Like The Devil

As with many Ducatis the draw isn’t just the visual appeal, but the sound of the engine. It’s always a delight to hit the starter on a Duc, and the Diavel does not disappoint.

The starter, as you can hear from the Vine below, starts quietly. Think of it as the quiet before the storm. As the engine catches, the hairs on your neck stand up and the engine growls to life.

The name Diavel (Italian for devil) is well chosen. It sounds menacing and, like the devil, is going make a sinner of you when it comes to the throttle.

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For best results, you’re going to want to keep the engine above about 4,000rpm at all times. Below that, the engine struggles to build revs, which is a little unusual in a twin. In practice, all this means is that you just need to stay a gear lower than you might otherwise feel inclined to.

Don't be confused, this is a real power cruiser and it's happy to pull from idle all day, no matter what gear they’re in. Think of it’s a super-comfortable sportsbike and you’re nearer the mark.

It might impact your fuel economy a little but you will be smiling a whole lot more. The exhaust note gets even better as you move through the gears and it really does tempt you to twist that wrist and hammer on the brakes at every opportunity, just to feel and hear that surge of power.

Power Is Nothing Without Control

Those of you that follow marketing may recognize the above heading as one of Pirelli’s slogans. One look at the Diavel and you see a lot of rubber on those wheels from Pirelli. The rear tire is a 240 section, and looks about as wide as a car tire. The front is a more “normal” sized 120 section.

The Diavel is also somewhat long and raked out bike - it’s 28 degrees at the front. It’s not quite cruiser territory, but’s a long way from the more typical 24-25 degrees you’ll find on a sports bike. While the more technically inclined among you might want to read up on the geometry in generally, a smaller number means more precise steering.

And lastly it’s a long bike at 62.6” (1.59m), compared with (say) the Panigale at 56.6” (1.44m) and even the Multistrada (60” / 1.53m).

Power For The Open Road

Why does this matter? Generally, bigger means harder to turn and less confidence in the turn. But that’s the biggest trick this devil is able to pull off. It behaves impeccably once you get up to speed. Below around (say) 30km/h the steering does feel a little heavy and has a slight tendency to flop, which is probably the transition from turn to push steering. It’s not bad or even that it feels dangerous. It’s just that if you’ve ridden other bikes it might take a little adjustment. Naked riders will find it a little more effort, but Gold Wing riders will revel in the ease of turning.

At the risk of repeating myself, the emphasis of the Diavel is power. You shouldn’t buy this expecting it to be perfect for parking lot manouevres or to enter the local Gymkhana. The 2015 Ducati Diavel lives for the open road, which it consumes with ferocious abandon if you’ll let it.

Backroads To Street To Highway

The Diavel is a delight to ride in Pennsylvania. It’s powerful, composed and you can flick it from side to side all day long with very little effort. I spent most of the day clicking the smooth-as-silk gear box between second, third and fourth and back again and grinning like a kid in a candy store.

Even at the end of ten hour days, I was happy to charge into corner, brake late and tip her in, knowing the bike would be stable mid-corner no matter what I faced. The Diavel put up with everything I put it through. No, wait, it didn’t just put up with it, it excelled at it and made we want to go again. You know you’re on a great bike (and great roads) when bathroom breaks and even gas stops too long.

Granted, the Diavel is a superb bike when the roads are open and clear, and where the speed limits are really just suggestions. How does it fare in more mundane motorcycling activities?

Let’s start on the highway. There are two problems with the Ducati Diavel for a long haul. Firstly, it has no luggage, and is the reason we elected to trailer down to PA rather than ride (which I would normally do anyway). The second is the lack of wind protection at the front. I personally didn’t find the lack of screen to be bothersome until I hit 140 km/h or so. The pressure increases with speed, but if you’ve ridden a naked bike before, it’s nothing new.

You can easily remedy the luggage and wind protection with Ducati accessories. There’s a nice little Plexiglas screen you can add, panniers, a back rest and other luggage are stock on the Diavel Strada edition. The soft luggage isn’t large but I’m sure the aftermarket will have some options.

Around town you are going to be need to be mindful of the 4,000rpm throttle, which means you’ll likely never get out of second, and you'll notice the heavy steering. But what you lack in manoeuvrability, you will gain in turning heads. Partly, they’ll be lamenting the loud, menacing exhaust, or they’ll be admiring the futuristic good looks. Either way, this is not a motorcycle you will go unnoticed on.

Extreme Comfort

I also want to add that the Diavel is extremely comfortable. I rode for about four days straight, covering almost 2000 km (1240 mi) and I was ready to do more. The seat is less of a pad and more of a wide saddle shaped to caress your butt rather than tolerate it. It does make hanging off in corners more of a challenge but, I’m doing less and less of that than I used to. The reach to the bars and the pegs is natural and there’s enough “space” to sit up or tuck in without being fatigued.

If you do intend to regularly take a pillion, you may also want to look elsewhere. While there's a nice grab bar you can pop out for them, and really sweet footpegs that retract (and keep the tail really tidy), the seat is small and high.

Worth Noting

I did encounter a couple of issues with the Diavel.

Firstly, it can be a gas guzzler. On a ride with a wide variety of other machines, I was the first to hit the fuel light. This is almost certainly my fault though. The roads were so good and the day so perfect, that I wanted to hit every corner with the engine screaming. I’m sure riding lower in the revs would have saved some gas.

I can't tell you the actual mileage because the lower dash stopped working. As the bike was running fine, I thought nothing of it. I suspect a pinched wire or bad connector. I’m sure it’s minor, and as soon as I get an update on the problem, I’ll post a comment.

This all meant that I wasn’t able to test the riding modes as much as I would otherwise have done, but as it was stuck in sport mode, I really didn’t care.

Buy or Not?

I started this review by likening the Diavel to an Orca: I need to revisit that. Like the killer whale, the Diavel is a true monster of a machine. Yes, it is large and a little awkward looking, but remember the Orca lives in the open ocean where it’s a top predator. Just like the killer whale doesn’t thrive in captivity, the Diavel needs an open road to show it’s true colours. Limiting it to town is like keeping an Orca in a fish-tank.

And that determines whether you should buy a Diavel or not? Where do you want to do most of your riding? If you’re a weekend warrior, this might be the perfect motorcycle. It looks and sounds superb, handles brilliantly and will make you feel awesome any time you ride it.

If you’re in the market for a commuter bike, this may not be for you. The heavy steering and throttle response mean that while you feel great, it will be tiring, and you won’t enjoy it as much as you should.

Distance enthusiasts (like me) are almost certainly going to want to add the touring screen and bags to make it feel right. Once you do, it’s a more than capable mile-munching machine. Like all good tourers, it’s comfortable whilst on the highway, has more than enough power to pass when needed and (most importantly) you can have some fun when you arrive at those oh-so-perfect roads.

I should add this is not a beginners bike. This is especially so if you are coming from a cruiser to a Ducati. The way the Diavel accelerates feels much more like a sportsbike than anything else - the power is perfectly linear but builds quickly, and it could catch a heavy throttle hand unawares.

I suspect this is the point. Ducati is not trying to convince Harley riders or any other cruiser riders to switch, but to prevent sportbike riders going the other way. This really is a sportbike with comfort, style and attitude to spare. If you can’t tuck under the bubble on a modern sportbike, this bike is calling your name the loudest.

Personally, I didn’t want to give the Diavel back. While I ride a lot of bikes, it’s hard to remember one that was quite so much fun and felt so at home. Could I replace my main day-to-day bike with it? If it had the touring accessories, I think I could. I do a lot of round town riding, which is a mark in favour of my current bike. But I also do a lot of country riding, which makes it even as far as I am concerned. The tie-breaker? That exhaust note, it’s glorious.

Many thanks to Ducati for the loan of the Diavel. This review was neither reviewed or approved by Ducati.