2013 Ducati Diavel Dark

SPECIFICATIONS:

Make:

Ducati

Model:

Diavel

Price:

$17485

Engine:

Testastretta 11°, L-Twin cylinder, 4 valve per cylinder, Desmodromic, liquid cooled

Transmission:

6 speed

Horsepower @ RPM:

119 @ 9500

Torque @ RPM:

127 @ 8000

Displacement:

1198 cc

The Ducati Diavel Dark comes with a tasty black paintjob and is powered by a strong 162 hp engine especially developed to deliver top notch performances and mind blowing acceleration. The bike features a sporty design language with muscular lateral radiators and an imposing 240 section rear tyre. The Ducati Diavel Dark is built on Ducati’s signature Trellis frame which uses large diameter, light gauge tubing with two lateral die-cast aluminium sections that flow into the rear subframe.

The Diavel incorporates the company’s electronic Riding Modes – Urban, Touring and Sport. The three modes are enabled by combining technologies such as Ride-by-Wire (RbW) and Ducati Traction Control (DTC), and can be selected by means of the left-hand switchgear even while riding.

The bike sits on 17 inch, 14-spoke wheels shod in front 120/70 ZR 17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II and rear 240/45 ZR 17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tires.

Hit the jump for more information on the 2013 Ducati Diavel Dark.

OVERVIEW

The dark side of power

Total black, powerful, assertive. Sophisticated design meets the powerand exuberance of 162 hp. The striking engine colour dominates the details, revealing the Diavel’s very essence.

Diavel Concept

The Diavel project was born when Ducati designers applied their wish-list of bike “basic instincts” to a blank canvas. With a “what if?” approach to creating a dream bike, they sketched inspiring shapes which became a lower and longer motorcycle. “The challenge of building a muscular silhouette over a pure-bred competition motor had to be met with determination and a delicate touch, and the result is a frontal area that looks like a power athlete on the starting blocks,” explains the team at Ducati Design responsible for the project. “With the front wheel kept close to the Diavel’s body and using the short tail of a sport bike, we were able to blend this muscular design with a chassis that matched.”

Diavel Design

The stance of the Diavel is that of readiness, dominance, and confidence bordering on superiority. With lateral radiators adding muscle to its broad “shoulders,” which then taper down across the engine and into the belly-fairing with oil cooler, the athlete took shape. A massive 240 section rear tyre was a perfect example of how Diavel designers used a no-compromise attitude when applying their wish list of features. The sheer width of rubber communicates so much power and style that the R&D team vowed to find a way to make it handle - even if they knew the image would send a seismic shock through the industry. The Diavel is a true Ducati, born from a passion for motorcycling and designed to deliver authentic Ducati performance in every respect.

Riding Mode

The Diavel incorporates the very latest in innovative Ducati technologies, including the recently introduced electronic Riding Modes. Selectable from the left-hand switchgear - even while riding - the choice of three pre-set modes are programmed to instantly change the character of the Diavel. The three modes are enabled by combining class-leading technologies such as Ride-by-Wire (RbW) and Ducati Traction Control (DTC).

As riding on city streets can require more attention to the surroundings than to throttle inputs, the Urban Riding Mode instantly changes the Diavel to provide a manageable and confident ride. Power output is reduced to 100hp and DTC is further enhanced to level 5 to provide a higher system intervention during the most chaotic of stop-start traffic.

The Touring Riding Mode is programmed to produce 162hp, however, with a smoother, more user-friendly power delivery. Rear end traction is enhanced by increasing DTC system intervention to level 4, specifically intended for an enjoyable and relaxing ride ideal for long distance and ensuring maximum comfort for both the rider and passenger.

The Sport Riding Mode provides the Diavel rider with an adrenalin-fuelled 162hp ride and enables the rider to have full-on throttle response for maximum acceleration. Ensuring the full Testastretta 11° experience, the sport mode also lowers the DTC system intervention to level 3 for riders who prefer their performance a little closer to the traction limit.

ENGINE

Testastretta 11°

The Diavels heart is the Ducati Testastretta 11° - developed directly from the incredibly powerful, world-beating race engines of Ducati Corse. Ducati’s Testastretta 11° harnesses the immense power of the Superbike engine and makes it smooth and adaptable, a massive step forward in balancing high-performance with an enjoyable ride. For an engine with brute power on tap when needed and smooth, user-friendliness available for an effortless and comfortable ride, Ducati revised the configuration of the cam timing with particular focus on the valve overlap angle. The overlap angle is defined as the interval of crankshaft rotation, measured in degrees, during which both the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time. This overlap occurs between the end of the exhaust stroke and the start of the intake stroke. High performance engines, which are subject to compromising smoothness for extreme power delivery, use high values of this parameter in order to benefit from the pressure waves to improve engine performance by maximising volumetric efficiency. On the Testastretta 11° engine, this angle has been reduced from 41°, used in the Testastretta Evoluzione engine which powers the 1198, to 11°. As a result, the fresh inlet charge flow is less compromised by the exiting exhaust gases, resulting in a much smoother combustion in addition to improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions.

Twin Lateral Radiators

The technical solution employed for keeping the frontal lines of the Diavel clean was to place two highly efficient lateral radiators on both sides of the bike. These well-ducted units, located beneath the fuel tank, use aerodynamics to help draw air flow through the radiators and are assisted by high-flow electric fans when required. The design combines form and function to enhance the muscular shape of the bike.

Power and Torque

With its 162hp and colossal 94lb-ft (127.5Nm) of torque, the Diavel Testastretta 11° engine is all about authentic Ducati Desmodromic performance. The revised intake and exhaust ports combined with radical adjustment of the cam timing have enabled Ducati to achieve a fantastic torque curve at low rpm, which remains strong through a wider rev-range. The increase in bottom-end torque is managed by Ducati’s Ride-by-Wire (RbW) system to considerably enhance the Diavel’s effortless ridability, while ensuring plenty of power remains on tap for high-rpm riding.

Ride-by-Wire

The Ride-by-Wire (RbW) system is an electronic interface between the Diavel’s twistgrip and engine, which configures an ideal power response depending on the riding mode selected. The twistgrip no longer has a throttle cable connected directly to the throttle body butterflies, but instead delivers a signal to a control unit, which in turn operates the butterfly opening electronically. The RbW system uses three different mappings to regulate the power delivery: 162hp with a sports-type delivery 162hp with a progressive delivery suitable for touring 100hp with progressive delivery for city use

Slipper clucth

The transmission features an oil bath clutch with “slipper” function and super-light feel at the lever. Its design uses a progressive self-servo mechanism that presses the plates together when under drive from the engine, enabling the reduction of the clutch spring rates. This results in a much lighter clutch lever at the handlebar, ideal in stop-start traffic or during long journeys. When the drive force is reversed (over-run), the same mechanism reduces the pressure on the clutch plates, enabling them to provide a race-like “slipper” action, which reduces the destabilizing effect of the rear-end under aggressive down-shifting and provides a much smoother feeling when closing the throttle or down-shifting under normal riding conditions.

15,00 miles bettween major services

Constant investment in quality by design, advanced materials and engineering techniques have enabled the distance between major service intervals (valve clearance check) to be increased to a highly competitive 15,000 miles. This has been achieved with the introduction of new valve seat materials, improved combustion efficiency and temperature management designed into the Testastretta 11° engine.

Exhaust System

The massive 58mm (2.28in) section exhaust headers lead the 2-1-2 system through power-enhancing equal lengths that enable the Diavel’s efficient power delivery. The engine management system dedicates a lambda probe to each header, providing precise fueling via a large airbox, while the stylish cannon-style, vertically stacked silencers carry catalytic converters to provide Euro 3 conformity and electronically controlled mid-section valve optimises exhaust pressures throughout the rev-range.

CHASSIS

14-spoke wheels

The Diavel rolls on stunning, custom 14-spoke wheels with machine-finished detailing. The front rim is 3.5x17, while the rear, which is “flow-formed” for enhanced structure and lightness, boasts a massive 8x17 rim.

Diavel frame assembly

The signature Ducati Trellis frame uses large diameter, light gauge tubing with two lateral die-cast aluminium sections that flow into the rear subframe. This achieves massive torsional rigidity while remaining lightweight and compact. The two sections form a rear-end structure by attaching onto either side of a complex techno-polymer component.

Sachs rear suspension

The Diavel have a Sachs rear suspension unit slung low under the chassis in a horizontal position, operated by a progressive pull-rod linkage from the swingarm. Adjustable in compression and rebound damping, the unit uses a handy control for easy spring pre-load adjustment.

Fuel tank and air intakes

The Diavel’s 17l (4.5 gal US) fuel tank represents an integral part of the bike’s overall styling. Its wide, long lines sweep down from the headlamp assembly into the seat and rear sub-frame to create a seamless profile. While the focal point of the tank is the high resolution display panel, the steel tank skin and well-sculpted knee panels add a solid feel to the Diavel and a high tech composite look to the Diavel Carbon. On each side of the front of the tank are massive air intakes formed in aluminium to feed the engine’s large airbox.

Braking System

The Diavel front brakes use Brembo’s incredibly powerful Monobloc callipers, which deliver outstanding performance actuated by new integral alloy master cylinders with unique shape reservoirs sporting milled tops. The 4-piston, twin radially-mounted callipers grip 320mm discs, while a single 265mm disc on the rear is gripped by a two piston calliper, also by Brembo.

Singel-sides swingarm

The long, die-cast aluminium, single-sided swingarm provides great “feel” at the rear-end with a wheelbase of 1590mm (62.6in) and a stance that provides lean angles of up to 41°.

Twin-level seat

The Diavel’s twin-level seat is wide, comfortable and beautifully shaped to fit the flowing lines of the machine and at 770mm (30.3in), has one of the lowest seat heights in the Ducati range. That low seating position, in addition to a low slung chassis set-up that weighs in at just 210kg (463lb) - 207kg (456lb) for the Diavel Carbon - enables the rider to get both feet on the ground for a sure-footed and confident stance. The seat also comes with a beautifully shaped and easily removable single seat cover, which is formed in carbon fibre on the Diavel Carbon.

EQUIPMENT

Ducati Traction Control (DTC)

The racing-derived Ducati Traction Control (DTC) is a highly intelligent system which acts as a filter between the rider’s right hand and the rear tyre. Within milliseconds, DTC is able to detect and control rear wheel-spin, considerably increasing the bike’s active safety and performance. The system offers eight levels of “sensitivity”, each programmed with an amount of rear wheel-spin tolerance. These levels are in line with progressive levels of riding skills classified from one to eight. Level one is programmed to offer the least amount of interaction for sport-oriented riders, while level eight uses the most amount of interaction for complete confidence. DTC levels are factory pre-set in each of the three Riding Modes, but can be individually customised and saved to suit the rider by accessing the new user-friendly set-up menu. A “default”option is available to easily return all settings to factory pre-sets.

Lighting

The Diavel uses two clear vertical strips of LED lighting to provide tail and brake light illumination as well as directional indicators. The strips follow the precise line of the under-seat panelling, providing great visibility of the rear-end while keeping the external lines of the bike clean. The front directional indicators are clear lens LED strips mounted vertically down the leading edge of the lateral radiator covers. The headlamp gives the Diavel immediate Ducati identity and is supported by an aluminium outer body. The light uses high and low beam double reflectors to illuminate the road ahead, in addition to incorporating a horizontal strip of LED positioning lights for optimum visibility.

Innovative number plate mount

Employing the double strip of multi-functional LEDs for the rear lighting of the Diavel required an innovative solution for the mounting of the number plate. The unique design uses mounts on the rear hub of the single-sided swingarm to extend an elegant and Ducati signature Trellis framework around the 240 section rear tyre, enabling a central mounting of the plate. The framework carries a hidden power feed to dedicated LED illumination for the number plate, eliminating any reliance on the main rear lights and creating a clean feature around the rear of the seat. This design solution represents the first of its kind and an example of the incredible attention to the Diavel’s detail.

Controls

The Diavel handlebar shape and arrangement leaves the rider feeling comfortable and in command. Wide, tapered section aluminium bars with new custom designed provide a clean and minimalist set-up, while stylish, forged-aluminium supported mirrors deliver a generous view to the rear. Switchgear control is taken care of by Ducati’s latest and most minimalist design with slim-line bodies housing easy-to-use switches and buttons and a unique weapons-like “trigger catch” that slides down to cover the starter button when activating the kill-switch. While the indicator cancel button doubles as a scroll-and-select for fast and easy Riding Mode changes, switches above and below serve to navigate the new high-resolution display control panel.

ABS

The Diavel is equipped with the latest, most compact, Ducati Bosch-Brembo ABS system as original equipment, providing a major contribution towards performance control. Top Brembo components combined with Bosch ABS, the special Diavel chassis configuration and Pirelli’s Enhanced Patch Technology (EPT) result in a braking performance even greater than that of the awesome Ducati Superbikes.

Pirelli tyres

Ducati’s technical partner, Pirelli, worked with the Diavel’s designers and engineers to develop the incredible new Diablo Rosso II tyres. While the front uses a conventional 120/70x17 section with a new tread pattern designed for enhanced wet weather performance, the 240/45x17 rear represents the latest innovation in tyre design with a sport-oriented profile being applied to custom-style width. The massive rear employs bi-compound technology to enable high grip levels at full lean angle while providing high mileage and uses Enhanced Patch Technology (EPT) to maximise the contact patch at all angles. The tread pattern and compounds deliver great performance in all conditions, especially the wet.

Marzocchi fork with low-riction fork legs

The Diavel Dark uses 50 mm Marzocchi front forks with black-finished fork legs in low-friction diamond-like carbon (DLC). These forks are fully adjustable for spring pre-load, compression and rebound damping. The forks are equipped with slash-cut triple-clamps - the bottom yoke in die-cast aluminium and the steering head in forged aluminium - with a rubber-mounted tapered alloy handlebar clamp.

With a 28° steering rake,130 mm trail and 24 mm offset, the set-up provides a sure-footed and agile front end for incredible handling and a total steering rake of 70° for maximum manoeuvrability.

Split-level instrumentation

The upper LCD display is mounted on the bar-riser and provides main information such as speed and rpm, in addition to warning lights, time and temperature. The lower, full colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display is styled into the fuel tank and provides an incredibly clear account of current Riding Mode, gear selection and DTC setting as well as total mileage and trips. Used on mobile phones and computers, TFT technology is a variant of LCD and displays easy-to-read high resolution graphics. The Diavel’s TFT display goes one step further by using the sensitivity of its surrounding light to decide upon black or white background colour. When stationary, the lower display also doubles as the latest user-friendly control panel to personalise DTC and RbW settings within each Riding Mode before saving.

Hands-free ignition

The Diavel’s ignition is actuated by an electronic key in the rider’s pocket, which communicates with the motorcycle when within a distance of approximately 2 metres (6.5ft). The motorcycle recognises the dedicated key code and automatically enables the bike’s systems. Pressing the key-on switch then activates all systems to “on” and the engine is ready to be started. The electronic key, which internally consists of a radio circuit, externally doubles as a mechanical flip-key, required to open the seat and fuel tank cap. When parking the motorcycle, an electronic lock can be actuated on the steering simply by applying full steering-lock and pressing the ignition-off button a second time.

Footpegs and grab-rail

Passengers on the Diavel will appreciate the way the slender passenger footpegs ingeniously fold down from the rear sub-frame as well as the innovative, T-bar shaped grab-rail assembly, which slides out from the rear of the seat. Deployed from a mechanism under the seat, the grab-rail provides a comfortable and confidence-inspiring grip for the passenger, while the shape perfectly blends into the lines of the tail-piece when retracted. Both passenger-friendly features are crafted in forged aluminium and shot-peened for strength and uniform finish before being black anodised to become almost invisible when folded away.

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE TYPE	Testastretta 11°, L-Twin Cylinder, 4 Valve Per Cylinder, Desmodromic, Liquid Cooled
DISPLACEMENT	1198.4cc
BORE X STROKE	106 X 67.9mm
COMPRESSION RATIO	11.5:1
POWER	162hp (119kW) @ 9500rpm
TORQUE	94lb-Ft (127.5Nm) @ 8000rpm
FUEL INJECTION	Mitsubishi Electronic Fuel Injection System, Mikuni Elliptical Throttle Bodies With RbW
EXHAUST	Lightweight 2-1-2 System With Catalytic Converter And Two Lambda Probes. Twin Aluminium Mufflers
GEARBOX	6 Speed
PRIMARY DRIVE	Straight Cut Gears, Ratio 1.84:1
RATIO	1=37/15 2=30/17 3=27/20 4=24/22 5=23/24 6=22/25
FINAL DRIVE	Front Sprocket 15; Rear Sprocket 43
CLUTCH	Light Action, Wet, Multiplate Clutch With Hydraulic Control. Self-Servo Action On Drive, Slipper Action On Over-Run.
FRAME	Tubular Steel Trellis Frame
FRONT SUSPENSION	Marzocchi DLC Coated 50mm Fully Adjustable Usd Forks
FRONT WHEEL	14-Spoke In Light Alloy 3.50 X 17
FRONT TYRE	120/70 ZR 17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
REAR SUSPENSION	Progressive Linkage With Fully Adjustable Sachs Monoshock. Aluminium Single-Sided Swingarm
REAR WHEEL	14-Spoke In Light Alloy 8.00 X 17
REAR TYRE	240/45 ZR17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso II
FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL	120mm (4.7in)
REAR WHEEL TRAVEL	120mm (4.7in)
FRONT BRAKE	2 X 320mm Semi-Floating Discs, Radially Mounted Monobloc Brembo Callipers, 4-Piston With ABS
REAR BRAKE	265mm Disc, 2-Piston Floating Calliper With ABS
INSTRUMENTATION	Handlebar Mounted Instrumentation With LCD Display: Speed, Rpm, Time, Coolant Temp. Warning Lights For: Neutral, Turn Signals, High-Beam, Rev-Limit, DTC Intervention, ABS Status, Oil Pressure, Fuel Reserve. Tank Mounted Instrumentation With TFT Colour Display: Gear Selected, Air Temp, Battery Voltage, Trips 1 & 2, Fuel Reserve Trip, Average And Actual Fuel Consumption And Speed, Trip Time, Scheduled Maintenance. Full Status And/Or Management Of Riding Modes, DTC, RbW And ABS.
DRY WEIGHT	210kg (463lb)
ABS WET WEIGHT(KERB)	239kg (527lb)
SEAT HEIGHT	770mm (30.3in)
WHEELBASE	1590mm (62.6in)
RAKE	28°
TRAIL	130mm (5.12in)
FUEL TANK CAPACITY	17l - (4.5 US Gal)
NUMBER OF SEATS	Dual Seat
STANDARD EQUIPMENT	Riding Modes,Power Modes, DSP Ducati Safety Pack (ABS + DTC), RbW
WARRANTY	2 Years Unlimited Mileage
MAINTENANCE SERVICE INTERVALS	12.000km (7.500m)
VALVE CLEARANCE CHECK	24.000km (15,000m)
EMISSIONS	Euro 3