The shape of freedom

In the northern Italian Bolognese dialect, the devil is called “diavel”. Which is why Ducati have christened their diabolically road-hungry power bike crossed with a cruiser XDiavel. The S suffix signals lavish extras and exclusive detailing. What at first glance appear to be irreconcilable features—sheer power and breathtaking performance with surprisingly relaxed cruiser ergonomics—are brought into perfect harmony in myriad ways across the model series. What’s more, these machines aren’t just stretched, low and big on grunt but undeniably alluring.

The dream figures 5,000-60-40 are further proof of this suc­cessful balancing act. To translate: At 5,000 revs per minute, maximum torque is transmitted to the belt final drive. Configurable in 60 different ways, the handlebars, foot pegs and seat ensure everyone rides in custoized comfort. Despite the typically relaxed forward positioning of the foot controls and long wheelbase, the XDiavel S still achieves a 40-degree lean angle.

The Italian designers spent many months in California, immersing themselves in cruiser culture. There, they not only received support from the Audi Design Center in Santa Monica but also picked the brains of custom motorcycle builders such as Roland Sands. The fearless ex-racer was very excited about the crossover concept behind the X in the XDiavel S, which envisages a bike that’s equally suited to laid-back tours of Death Valley and gunning it through the corners on a racetrack. A 1,615-millimeter-long wheelbase—three centimeters longer than the already stretched Diavel—together with an extremely low seat height of 755 millimeters define the bike’s silhouette. Product manager Stefano Tarabusi emphasizes that there are two cruiser hallmarks that feature on the XDiavel S: foot-forward pegs and the final belt drive. Ex-factory, the pegs can be adjusted 22.5 millimeters further forward or back to suit. Low on maintenance, Ducati’s first-ever belt final drive is a testimony to the soft power transmission so typical of the cruiser experience. The newly developed 90-degree, L-Twin Testastretta powerhouse impresses with Ducati’s trademark desmodromically actuated valves. Compared with the standard Ducati Diavel, 62 cubic centimeters of additional displacement generate even more jaw-dropping low-end torque. And at the touch of a button, the Italian cruiser is transformed into a rubber-burning dragster: Three Power Launch settings produce astonishing acceleration, catapulting the bike—which has a dry weight of 220 kilograms—from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in just three seconds.

Teaming up with world-renowned custom motorcycle designer Roland Sands, Ducati has put together a special range of accessories. As a result, you can customize the seat, fit a titanium exhaust system and add other personal touches.