Ducati’s engineers wanted to develop a bike that’s able to offer first class performances but is also comfortable, good looking and practical. The result is Ducati Diavel, a motorcycle that’s able to do reward you a thrilling riding experience without sacrificing comfort and practicality.

“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. “With the front wheel kept close to the Diavel’s body and using the short tail of a sport bike, we were able to blend this muscular design with a chassis that matched.”

The bike’s chassis uses a black-bodied 50mm Marzocchi front forks which are fully adjustable for spring pre-load, compression and rebound damping. Out back you’ll find the die-cast aluminum, single-sided swingarm.

Hit the jump for more information on the 2012 Ducati Diavel.

2012 Ducati Diavel

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2012 Ducati Diavel
  • Engine/Motor: Testastretta 11°, L-Twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled
  • Horsepower: 162 @ 9500
  • Torque: 127 @ 8000
  • Transmission: Manual Clutch
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Press Release

Engine

With its 162hp and colossal 94lb-ft (127.5Nm) of torque, the Diavel Testastretta 11° engine is all about authentic Ducati Desmodromic performance. The revised intake and exhaust ports combined with radical adjustment of the cam timing have enabled Ducati to achieve a fantastic torque curve at low rpm, which remains strong through a wider rev-range. The increase in bottom-end torque is managed by Ducati’s Ride-by-Wire (RbW) system to considerably enhance the Diavel’s effortless ridability, while ensuring plenty of power remains on tap for high-rpm riding.

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.

The massive 58mm (2.28in) section exhaust headers lead the 2-1-2 system through power-enhancing equal lengths that enable the Diavel’s efficient power delivery. The engine management system dedicates a lambda probe to each header, providing precise fueling via a large airbox, while the stylish cannon-style, vertically stacked silencers carry catalytic converters to provide Euro 3 conformity and electronically controlled mid-section valve optimises exhaust pressures throughout the rev-range.

Chassis

The Diavel uses black-bodied 50mm Marzocchi front forks. These forks are fully adjustable for spring pre-load, compression and rebound damping. The forks are gripped by a slash-cut triple-clamp - cast aluminium for the lower and forged for the upper - with a rubber-mounted riser to tapered alloy bars. With a rake of 28°, trail of 130mm (5.12in) and an offset of 24mm (0.945in), the set-up provides a sure-footed and agile front-end for incredible handling and 70° of total steering lock for maximum manoeuvrability.

The signature Ducati Trellis frame uses large diameter, light gauge tubing with two lateral die-cast aluminium sections that flow into the rear subframe. This achieves massive torsional rigidity while remaining lightweight and compact. The two sections form a rear-end structure by attaching onto either side of a complex techno-polymer component.

The Diavel front brakes use Brembo’s incredibly powerful Monobloc callipers, which deliver outstanding performance actuated by new integral alloy master cylinders with unique shape reservoirs sporting milled tops. The 4-piston, twin radially-mounted callipers grip 320mm discs, while a single 265mm disc on the rear is gripped by a two piston calliper, also by Brembo.

The long, die-cast aluminium, single-sided swingarm provides great “feel” at the rear-end with a wheelbase of 1590mm (62.6in) and a stance that provides lean angles of up to 41°.

Equipment

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 tyre. 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. These levels are in line with progressive levels of riding skills classified from one to eight. 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.

The Diavel handlebar shape and arrangement leaves the rider feeling comfortable and in command. Wide, tapered section aluminium bars with new custom designed 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.

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.

Specifications

TYPE

Testastretta 11°, L-Twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled

DISPLACEMENT

1198.4cc

BORE X STROKE

106 x 67.9mm

COMPRESSION RATIO

11.5:1

POWER

162hp (119kW) @ 9500rpm

TORQUE

94lb-ft (127.5Nm) @ 8000rpm

FUEL INJECTION

Mitsubishi electronic fuel injection system, Mikuni elliptical throttle bodies with RbW

EXHAUST

Lightweight 2-1-2 system with catalytic converter and two lambda probes. Twin aluminium mufflers

FRAME

Tubular steel Trellis frame

WHEELBASE

1590mm (62.6in)

RAKE

28°

FRONT SUSPENSION

Marzocchi 50mm fully adjustable usd forks

FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL

120mm (4.7in)

FRONT WHEEL

14-spoke in light alloy 3.50 x 17

FRONT TYRE

120/70 ZR 17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II

REAR SUSPENSION

Progressive linkage with fully adjustable Sachs monoshock. Aluminium single-sided swingarm

REAR WHEEL TRAVEL

120mm (4.7in)

REAR WHEEL

14-spoke in light alloy 8.00 x 17

REAR TYRE

240/45 ZR17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II

FRONT BRAKE

2 x 320mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Monobloc Brembo callipers, 4-piston with ABS

REAR BRAKE

265mm disc, 2-piston floating calliper with ABS

FUEL TANK CAPACITY

17l - (4.5 US gal)

WET WEIGHT

239kg (527lb)

DRY WEIGHT

210kg (463lb)

INSTRUMENTS

Handlebar mounted instrumentation with LCD display: speed, rpm, time, coolant temp. Warning lights for: Neutral, turn signals, high-beam, rev-limit, DTC intervention, ABS status, oil pressure, fuel reserve. Tank mounted instrumentation with TFT colour display: gear selected, air temp, battery voltage, trips 1 & 2, fuel reserve trip, average and actual fuel consumption and speed, trip time, scheduled maintenance. Full status and/or management of Riding Modes, DTC, RbW and ABS.

WARRANTY

2 years unlimited mileage

BODY COLOUR

(FRAME/WHEEL) Red (red / black) - Pearl White Silk and Metallic Black (black / black)

VERSIONS

Dual seat

SEAT HEIGHT

770mm (30.3in)

DDA

Not available on this model

DTC

Standard equipment

ABS

Standard equipment

GEARBOX

6 speed

RATIO

1=37/15 2=30/17 3=27/20 4=24/22 5=23/24 6=22/25

PRIMARY DRIVE

Straight cut gears, ratio 1.84:1

FINAL DRIVE

Front sprocket 15; Rear sprocket 43

CLUTCH

Light action, wet, multiplate clutch with hydraulic control. Self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run.

Emissions

STANDARD

Euro 3


Quotes

Ducati News Today----"You get none of this with the Diavel. It feels just like any other motorbike as you pull away. Open the throttle a little and the bike simply bursts forward, almost pulling the handlebars out of your hands if you’re not watching. A few miles later we’re cruising in 6th at 60mph and all is well with the world. How grunty is the engine? Well at 60mph and about 3,500rpm on the hard to read at a glance digital tach I snap the throttle open while looking straight ahead. In the time it takes to glance down to check the speed it is already showing 66mph! The engine just builds and builds, never hitting a particularly place where it takes off but by 6,000rpm you are seriously hauling with plenty more to come. Nice, but you don’t want to know about roll-ons do you? So I pull to a stop."