Ducati DIAVEL 1200 DIESEL 2017 — Specifications

When Bologna decides to play fashion designer, the result is inevitably something excessive. The Ducati Diavel 1200 Diesel, born from a marriage between the Italian manufacturer and the Diesel brand, wasn't unveiled at a motorcycle show but on the runways of Milan Fashion Week. The message is crystal clear. This machine doesn't seek to seduce through its performance, identical to that of the standard Diavel, but through its visual character. A limited series of 666 units, priced at €25,490, that transforms the Bolognese power cruiser into a rideable collector's item.

On the mechanical side, we find the 1,198 cc L-twin Testastretta engine, capable of belting out 162 horsepower at 9,250 rpm and 132.4 Nm of torque at 8,000 rpm. Enough to propel the 239 kg wet weight up to 250 km/h. Nothing new under the hood, then. Three engine maps allow you to adapt the beast's temperament. In Sport mode, all 162 horses are available unfiltered and the traction control stays discreet. Touring mode retains the same power but smooths out the delivery for eating up miles without fatigue. In the city, Urban mode restricts the twin to 100 horsepower and strengthens electronic intervention — a wise choice when riding a machine fitted with a 240 mm rear tire through traffic. The steel trellis frame, 50 mm inverted fork, and radially mounted Brembo brakes do their job with seriousness, no surprises compared to the catalog version.

The entire appeal of this Ducati Diavel 1200 Diesel lies in its dress. The hand-brushed stainless steel tank, stitched with rivets and deliberately visible welds, imposes a raw style that contrasts sharply with Ducati's usual polished finish. The flyscreen and passenger seat cowl receive the same treatment, as if the bike had ridden through a dusty science-fiction film shot in the Nevada desert. The Zircotec-coated black exhausts, anodized air intakes, red-tinted LCD dashboard, and scarlet Brembo calipers complete the picture. Five chain links painted red add a touch of obsessive detail that only connoisseurs will notice. The quilted brown leather seat, stamped with the pyramidal DDD logo — an intertwining of the Ducati, Diavel, and Diesel initials — brings a rather successful vintage touch.

The question of positioning remains. At over €25,000 for a bike mechanically identical to its production version, the bill is steep. What you're paying for here is the customization work, the rarity of 666 units, and the numbered plate engraved "Never look back" fixed to the frame. This is not a motorcycle for the rider who compares power-to-weight ratios or seeks the best street-track compromise. It's an object meant for those who consider their machine an extension of their wardrobe, a continuation of their identity. Against a Yamaha VMax or a Harley V-Rod, the Diavel Diesel isn't playing on the same field. It targets an urban, affluent audience, one attuned to design and willing to accept the premium for a numbered piece. For everyone else, the standard Diavel delivers exactly the same mechanical sensations for several thousand euros less. The Testastretta engine makes no distinction between fashion and the road. It pushes just the same.