Ducati reveals Diavel with a V4 engine

Ducati has revealed the new Diavel V4 and as the name suggests, the cruiser now adopts Bologna’s V4 Granturismo engine. The Diavel also comes with significant styling and chassis changes for 2023.

In terms of design, the new V4 is unmistakably a Diavel. It still gets a muscular tank, large air vents on either side on the headlamp, a scooped seat with a slender tail section and that large rear tyre with a hugger, and a single-sided swingarm. The other significant changes to the model are — a new LED headlight with C-shaped LED DRLs and two-tone alloys with a diamond-cut effect, while the rear light is now an array of small LEDs under the tail section, which mimic the C-shaped pattern of the DRLs up front. To further the ‘wow’ factor of this motorcycle, Ducati has also given it quad exhaust tips.

As for features, the 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 gets a 5.0-inch TFT display with bluetooth, dynamic indicators, cruise control, launch control, a six-axis IMU, cornering ABS, traction control and wheelie control. The Ducati Diavel V4 will be available in two colors — Ducati Red and Thrilling Black.

For this new model, Ducati has ditched the 159hp, 1,262cc V-twin engine from the outgoing Diavel 1260 in favour of the Granturismo V4 engine in the Multistrada V4. This 1,158cc, liquid-cooled V4 engine puts out 168hp at 10,750rpm and 126Nm of torque at 7,500rpm in the new Diavel. Interestingly, the V4 engine comes with a cylinder deactivation system, which shuts down the rear two cylinders as needed to reduce fuel consumption and heating. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox which gets a bi-directional quickshifter.

The Diavel V4 also comes with three power modes and four ride modes — Sport, Touring, Urban and a new Wet mode. The ride modes adopt different settings for the power output, engine response and intervention levels from the bike’s sophisticated electronic rider aids.

Despite moving from two cylinders to four, the Diavel has gone down in weight by 13kg (211kg dry), a major part of which is the chassis, which helps save 8kg. Instead of the steel trellis frame of the outgoing Diavel, Ducati has given the new Diavel V4 an aluminium monocoque frame that is directly attached to the cylinder heads. The rear subframe however, is still a steel trellis unit, while the swingarm is a single-sided cast aluminium unit.  

Suspension duties are handled by a 50mm USD fork up front and monoshock at the rear, both of which are fully adjustable. The travel is 120mm at the front and 145mm at the rear, which is 15mm more than the Diavel 1260. The Diavel V4 has a seat height of 790mm and Ducati has also brought the handlebar 20mm closer to the rider for more comfortable ergonomics.

The front brakes consists of dual Brembo Stylema four-piston calipers and 330mm discs, while the rear uses a two-piston caliper and a single 265mm disc. Meanwhile, the five-spoke cast alloy wheels come shod in Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres.

While Ducati is yet to officially announce the Diavel V4’s arrival in India, expect the new and updated power cruiser to make it to our shores in due course. And when it does, expect it to cost a good chunk more than the current Diavel 1260, which retails at ₹20.49 lakh (ex-showroom, India).