Ducati DIAVEL 1200 CROMO 2013 — Specifications

When Ducati decides to sprinkle a bit of nostalgia onto its most brutal machine, the result is bound to intrigue. The 2013 Diavel Cromo is exactly that: take a roadster with dragster looks, already built to impress, and give it a retro wardrobe without touching what earned its reputation as a blunt instrument. The chromed tank catches the light like a barbershop mirror, the ribbed seat recalls Italian production from the golden years, and the Ducati lettering adopts a vintage script that contrasts sharply with the overall aggressiveness of the machine. The gloss-black bodywork panels underline everything with an elegance that feels almost contradictory on such an outsized motorcycle.

Beneath this neo-retro dress, nothing changes. The 1198 cc L-twin Testastretta engine still belts out 162 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and delivers 126.5 Nm of torque from 8,000 rpm. This is a powerplant that doesn't do subtlety. With an 11.5:1 compression ratio and an oversquare 106 mm bore, throttle response remains immediate, almost violent in the lower gears of the six-speed gearbox. The tubular steel trellis frame, reinforced by its aluminum side plates, handles it all with a reassuring rigidity, even though nobody buys a Diavel to set lap times through chicanes. The 50 mm inverted fork and rear monoshock offer limited travel — 130 and 120 mm respectively — confirming the machine's road-going and show-off vocation rather than any sporting pretension.

The rear end remains the Diavel's visual and mechanical signature: that 240-section tire mounted on the rear rim gives the machine the stance of a muscle car. The braking follows the same logic of controlled excess, with two radially mounted 320 mm discs and four-piston calipers up front. Enough to haul the 210 kg dry weight down from a 250 km/h top speed without too many cold sweats. The low seat, perched at just 770 mm, makes the machine accessible to most rider builds — no small detail for a motorcycle this visually imposing. The 17-liter tank, on the other hand, demands frequent stops if the right wrist lacks restraint.

Against the competition, the Diavel Cromo plays in a very particular league. Yamaha's VMAX offers a similar program of raw power and intimidating posture, but with a four-cylinder engine and a heavier philosophy. The Diavel retains that typically Ducati edginess, that instant responsiveness often missing from big Japanese or American cruisers. At €19,190 — barely €200 more than the previous model year and the standard version — the premium for the Cromo treatment is purely symbolic. You're essentially paying for an exercise in style, not a performance upgrade.

This Diavel Cromo is aimed at the rider who wants to turn heads without compromising on mechanicals. The urban motorcyclist or weekend tourer looking for a machine that delivers visual thrills as much as mechanical ones will find what they're after. Custom purists will dismiss the approach as superficial, sportbike riders will lament the lack of genuine dynamic handling. But the Diavel has never claimed to please everyone. It provokes, it divides, and this Cromo edition simply adds a layer of old-school charm over a temperament that is anything but.