The year 2010 is going to be remembered for the year when motorcycle brands from all ends of the world all went out and released new bikes. While a lot of these releases caught our attention, we have the unenviable task of having to choose one to name our official 2010 Bike of the Year.

Thankfully, the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan happened last November, making our choice a little bit easier because that’s when Ducati->ke622 officially unveiled their new Diavel superbike.

Taking it’s name from the Bolognese word for “devil”, the Diavel is Ducati’s crown jewel in 2010, a superbike that boasts a sleek and aggressive design with performance numbers that would make its Italian heritage proud.

The Diavel is powered by a Ducati Testastretta 11° - an engine that was born developed directly from the brands incredibly powerful, world-beating race engines of the Ducati Corse. With the Testastretta 11°, the Diavel produces a staggering 162 horsepower and an equally impressive 94 lb/ft of torque. The Diavel also comes with a revised intake and exhaust ports that are combined with radical adjustments done on the cam timing, allowing the bike to achieve torque curve levels at low rpm, allowing for the bike to remain sturdy as can be even through a wider rev-range.

The Diavel also boasts of Ducati’s Ride-by-Wire system that manages the torque levels the bike is subjected to, further improving the bike’s ridability while also keeping tabs on the Diavel’s power output, ensuring that no power is wasted and plenty is left when the rider decides to high-rpm riding.

So there it is, folks. Our 2010 Bike of the Year is the Ducati Diavel. If you’re as much a motorcycle fan as we are, then you’re going to love every split-second rev you’re going to hear from this two-wheeled devil.

.