We already had quite a bit of sympathy for Ducati’s Diavel, but with the arrival of the 168 hp strong V4 as a booster for the necessary nonsense, the devil on our shoulder snickers just a little harder.
Of course, it was no surprise that the V4 would make its way into the Diavel family. The Diavel 1260 was already quietly on the decline and with the V4 on the rise in the Ducati ranks, it was only a matter of time before the Diavel too sold its soul to Ducati’s successful four-cylinder powerhouse.
For purists, that may be a bit of a swallow, especially because in addition to the classic L-twin setup, the desmodromic valve control was also thanked for services rendered. For the Diavel, Ducati uses the Granturismo V4 block from the (oh so successful) Multistrada.
But let’s look at the advantages: the 1,158cc 90° V4 squeezes out 9 hp more than the old 1260 with a top power of no less than 168 hp at 10,750 rpm and, despite its smaller displacement, ultimately loses only 3 Nm : 126 Nm @ 7,500 rpm. In addition, the V4 in terms of maintenance is a lot more interesting for the wallet (valve springs only need an adjustment every 60,000 km) and the block with its Twin Pulse ignition rhythm still provides that V2 feeling.
The Diavel V4 not only got thicker muscles, it also looks a lot more favorable on the scale. The lighter Granturismo block already saves five kilos, adjustments to the bicycle part do the rest with a reduction of another seven kilos. All in all, the Diavel V4 is therefore thirteen kilos lighter and the counter stops at a curb weight of 223 kg.
Ergonomically, it should be a little better, for example, the seat height has been raised 10 mm (now 790 mm) for slightly more legroom and the rear suspension travel is 15 mm longer – our lower back is already making a small jump for joy.
With the illuminated fixtures you can also find your way in the dark in the extensive menu structure of the 5” TFT display. For example, to switch driving modes. The Diavel has four: Sport, Touring, Urban and (a new) Wet, each linked to things like power delivery, throttle response, lean angle-sensitive traction control, wheelie control and cornering ABS. Furthermore, the Diavel also does it with cruise control, launch control and an up/down quickshifter. Bluetooth pairing for smartphone connectivity is also standard.
When can you taste this devilish pleasure? The Diavel V4 is expected at dealers in February. The Ducati Red version costs 31,890 euros in the Netherlands and 27,690 euros in Belgium, the Thrilling Black version should cost 27,990 euros in Belgium and 32,290 in the Netherlands.
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