Ducati Diavel V4 upgraded with more power, India launch in 2023
The new Ducati Diavel V4 is expected to hit the streets in Europe in January 2023, while it will reach the US market the following month.
Ducati’s racing pedigree is not unknown to bike enthusiasts the world over. The Italian marque has a wide range of motorcycles—from sports tourers, scramblers, and naked streetfighters, to all-out race-spec sportbikes.
Recently, Ducati unveiled an upgraded version of its power cruiser–2023 Diavel V4—for the global market, which gets a more potent powertrain, besides revisions in its styling and hardware.
The new Diavel is expected to enter the Indian market, although the company is yet to disclose details of its launch.
Updated design
In its current form, the new V4 looks unmistakably a Diavel. with its low-slung stance and long wheelbase. Ducati retains signature styling elements on the new Diavel, including large air vents on both sides of the headlamp, a muscular fuel tank, a fat rear tyre with a hugger, and a slender tail section.
2023 Ducati Diavel V4
The most noticeable styling change is the use of a single-sided swingarm, giving the power cruiser a more contemporary look. Another significant update is the new LED headlight surrounded by C-shaped LED DRLs on either side. At the rear, Diavel features a futuristic-looking LED taillamp comprising an array of small LEDs under the tail section.
Other visual highlights include quad exhaust tips, stylish five-spoke alloy wheels and dynamic turn signals integrated into the handlebars. Ducati will offer the new Diavel V4 in two paint schemes—Ducati Red and Thrilling Black.
High on tech
Diavel V4 is loaded to the gills and comes with a sophisticated electronics package with a plethora of features, including a six-axis IMU, traction control, ABS with cornering functions, cruise control, launch control, wheelie control, three power and four ride modes — Sport, Touring, Urban, and a new Wet mode.
Diavel V4 tail section with LED taillight
Other creature comforts–a five-inch colour TFT instrument panel, Bluetooth connectivity, backlit switchgear, turn-by-turn navigation, and full LED lighting—complete the package. Diavel V4, however, misses out on the radar tech for adaptive cruise control available on its other V4 cousins like Multistrada.
More oomph
The biggest upgrade in the 2023 Diavel is its new heart, featuring a 1158cc liquid-cooled, V4-cylinder, Granturismo engine ditching the old 159hp, 1262cc V-twin engine from the outgoing model. The new V4 dishes out 165.7 bhp at 10,750rpm and a peak torque of 126 Nm at 7,500rpm.
Diavel V4 highlights- alloy wheels and quad-tip exhaust
The motor is linked with a six-speed gearbox, which gets a bi-directional quickshifter for smoother gear shifts. It comes equipped with a cylinder deactivation system, which shuts down the rear two cylinders while riding at low speeds to reduce fuel consumption and engine heating.
New hardware
Despite transitioning from a twin-cylinder motor to a four-cylinder unit, the new Diavel V4 is 13 kilos lighter than its predecessor at 211 kg (dry)–translating into a much better power-to-weight ratio from 0.717 hp/kg to 0.785 hp/kg.
A major reason for this is the new chassis, made of an aluminium monocoque frame, 8 kg lighter than the steel trellis frame of the outgoing model.
However, the rear subframe remains a steel trellis unit, while the single-sided swingarm is made of cast aluminium. The frame is suspended on 50mm USD forks up front and a cantilever-pattern mono-shock at the rear, both of which are fully adjustable. The front unit has a travel of 120mm, while the rear gets a travel of 145mm.
2023 Ducati Diavel V4 underpinned by a new aluminium chassis
Braking duties are handled by dual Brembo Stylema four-piston callipers and 330mm discs at the front, while the rear employs a two-piston floating calliper and a single 265mm rotor. The five-spoke cast alloy wheels are wrapped around with Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres.
(Images courtesy: Ducati)
Edited by Suman Singh