It doesn’t seem that long ago Ducati introduced its daring and genre-busting Diavel concept. And while Yamaha’s V-Max was undoubtedly the sector’s pioneer, many still struggled to put a label on the big Italian V-twin – was it a cruiser, a muscle bike, a sporty naked maybe or even tourer? But 12 years on, it has come to define its own purpose and place in the world.
I, for one, have toured the Highlands of Scotland on one, ridden a thoroughly enjoyable trackday on one and, of course, showed off on the city streets on one. A Diavel is as a Diavel does.
If we had to put a label on it, however, ‘performance cruiser’ probably fits best and, since its inception, the Diavel has relentlessly highlighted the stagnation of the traditional American-style cruiser market with its speed, handling and sheer desirability. Also central to the Diavel’s success has been Ducati’s willingness to evolve the bike over the years. The last major update was in 2019 with the introduction of the 1260 S, and now for 2023 we get an all-new
