The 2024 Ducati Diavel V4 is a Beast

Photography by Jake Hoare

I started road-riding in my teens. Ducati was always the halo brand. The pinnacle. Desired by all, owned by few. Made from unobtainium, exclusivity made it even more enticing. The 916 was the bike of bikes. It was everything. It won everything. Cited as the best-looking motorcycle of all time – it looked the best. It was the best.

In 1993 Ducati introduced the Monster. A naked free freewheeling street bike with the Ducati twin roar, it was more daredevil than their previous offerings. In 2010 the Ducati team delivered on the idea they could make the monster more monstrous. Thus was born the Diavel, or Dr. Evil as my spellchecker appropriately names it. Sporting a 1200 V Twin, stripped back and sculpted as a creature from Dante’s Inferno. Meaner and louder than anything, it occupied a space in the bike market that was one of one. A unique motorcycle. Not a tourer, not a cruiser, not a sports bike.

Somehow it’s all of those and none of them. A category of its own. Somehow it worked.

In refreshing the Diavel, Ducati had a hard job. How do you update something that’s so iconically unique while making it new enough and better enough to blow everyone’s minds… again? Ducati was not deterred. It is now lighter, more powerful, faster meaner, more intimidating, and with better electronics. Not yet done, they dropped in the latest 1150 cc V4 Granturismo engine delivering 168 hp (124 kW) through the massive 240 mm rear tyre – fully twice the width of the front.

This V4 is tuned like a V Twin, and fueled by vengeance. Yet Ducati have a kind side too, they gave it a wet setting so you don’t scratch your bike on a slippery road. Hell, they even improved the fuel economy, turning it into a V Twin at low power by turning off the rear cylinder bank.

When you first jump on, you’re surprised at how accessible it is, if you are of normal height. Get it moving and you feel the rideablity is exceptional considering its size. It’s got great turnin indicating the tires are very well matched to the chassis and the suspension is faultless, eating up everything that Auckland’s roads add to throw at it.

The bike I rode was freshly born, delivery kilometres only. So I didn’t wind it out to its maximum 11000 RPM. If anything sounded a little agricultural at idle. But with a twist of the wrist, in the mid-range the bike comes alive like it’s got a turbo or rocket pack as the 2 extra cylinders awake. A four-cylinder engine likes to be revved; when this engine is worn in would be fearsome. Even at reduced rpm, it was ferocious – so powerful and the bike is so capable that you barely notice how extraordinarily fast it is. Zero to 100 measurements are useless as a measure of performance, but this bike does it in sub-3 seconds. More importantly, it can shoot for over 270 kph if you have a private road or track available. It’s worth highlighting the quick shifter on this bike which took me a while to get used to but once I did, I shunned the clutch. It works above 2nd gear rev matches up or down. If you haven’t used a quick shifter it’s a revelation.

What are you going to use this for? It goes and stops like a sports bike, yet it’s comfortable and oozes street cred. A cafe racer, a waterfront cruiser, take it to the drags. It’s even comfortable! And the pillion spot is top notch and can be further improved with the touring pack. Get the windscreen if you go a long distance. It; ‘s exquisitely designed and the build quality is second to none.

The bike is a piece of automotive mastery. I had it for just a few days so I didn’t get to experience it in all its glory. Given longer, I would have taken it out of town. It steadily grew on me. This is not a beginner’s bike. This eats beginners for breakfast. This is a bike you treasure, you ride with pride and anywhere you go; you’re going to get looked at.
Thanks to Ducati New Zealand and Cyclespot Ducati for the loan of this bike.