Diavel

[houdini]

What model was it?

Ducati Diavel 1198cc based on the multistrada engine with 11 degree overlap, 162 bhp traction control and abs, carbon red version

When did you buy it and how much did it cost?

Bought new Aug 2011 for approx £16,025 (gulp)

Good points?

Ok where do I start.... Always wanted a duc (and no it isnt because my bestie got one), sublime handling as the 1098 is the clutch and lack of 2 up ability said no, I wasnt even in the market for a bike I just thought it'd be fun to test ride it. It's the only time ever Ive taken a bike out and couldnt stop giggling, the acceleration was mindblowing christ its bonkers; the handling may not be razor sharp but Im fast because I have more faith in grip levels, a lot of that is down to the tyres and the rest is on the technology working away (can see why they say you couldnt ride the bmw sr1000 without it now). At 207 kilos for the carbon version its light on its toes but unlike a sportsbike per say its not front biased, more 50/50 so you dont feel like your hanging over the front into a bend. Unfazed by a pillion both in handling and power was a massive plus. A great point for me was the light (wet) clutch it used, looking around yes the 696 think the 796 has lighter clutches but I wanted big bike torque and a screaming 600cc was no good for me.

It is a marmite big granted, I love it you gotta choose which way you go on the looks but it really is a bike you MUST ride once, you cant just look at a jpeg and decide, it is a fast, comfy, stylish (dependent on taste granted) biiiiiiiiiiiig crowd puller (not for the shy!) you can keep up and probably pass pretty much everything.

Ive read all the reviews and yeah gets a bit bleedin the same all the wow never expected it to be this good blah blah, personally Im sceptical of reviews as its me thats gotta pay £16k, I didnt care, when you wake up in the middle of the night thinking I have to have it its like Im gollum and the diavel is my princess.

Bad points?

Eats tyres......... or is that my attempts to do a 2.6 sec 0-60 lol

Initial cost... but really it isnt, I decided Id prefer to go hungry than be without it, thats not a bad point thats lurve

Would you get another?

Let me pay this one off first lol, but yes I would, there is no other bike that does what I want it to so well (including my dream bike 1199)

Any other comments?

Youll have some members of the outlaws coming up to you saying I wanna fit that swingarm on my harley (dont do as I did and puff up yer chest and say I sincerely hope you dont mean mine!, before hiding)

dogs bark as you pass

babies cry

youll appear in a lot of tourists photos

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/houdini_2006/20072011059.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/houdini_2006/293517_10150333754384596_670584595_8116240_1615766899_n.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/houdini_2006/16072011045.jpg

[NearOn]

Excellent review! And if I won the lotto, would be first bike I bought. I know some people will find the look odd but to me it looks amazing. Keep enjoying it

[bakes0310]

Brilliant review, i know very little about ducati bikes but apart from the myth that their expensive to service and get parts. But ive got about 2 years before i change my Hornet for a newer bike, and im really thinking a ducati could be on the table.

[Stuno1]

Top bike, love it! Would bennefit from a tail tidy and different zorst though.

Stu

[houdini]

Cheers, the sound the stock can makes burbles and pops enough to be good without it making your ears bleed, personally the termis dont look as good as say the sportsbie termis and at £2500 no thanks, you can buy a side mount for the number plate to give you an unobstructed view of the tyre but again Im happy with the look stock.

As for it being a bike for lotto winners no I have to disagree, purely because half the time Im skint I just planned to pay this off over three years and ok I am lucky family stepped in and loaned me a good chunk so its slightly less of a burden but I have to stress, if youve got a love of bikes and I mean Im taking this bike with me to the grave then price doesnt come into it. Every time I open the garage door I feel lucky, and that feelings priceless.

[NearOn]

Cheers, the sound the stock can makes burbles and pops enough to be good without it making your ears bleed, personally the termis dont look as good as say the sportsbie termis and at £2500 no thanks, you can buy a side mount for the number plate to give you an unobstructed view of the tyre but again Im happy with the look stock.

As for it being a bike for lotto winners no I have to disagree, purely because half the time Im skint I just planned to pay this off over three years and ok I am lucky family stepped in and loaned me a good chunk so its slightly less of a burden but I have to stress, if youve got a love of bikes and I mean Im taking this bike with me to the grave then price doesnt come into it. Every time I open the garage door I feel lucky, and that feelings priceless.

 

I see where you are coming from as majority of people with good income could get one on finance. But for me personally I would have to win the lotto due to mistakes made with finances when younger and now paying it back so even with my love of bikes, price has to come into it which is a proper bummer!

[houdini]

I appreciate that NearOn, wasnt meant to sound flippant, I was prepared to go on finance and like I said Im very lucky I was helped out, still gonna cost me a grand in interest but its less than black horse aka robbing bar stewards.

Ive not got kids, wife er even house lol, this is my only real asset and people do think Im crazy for buying it, I think I am but you only live once and i couldnt think of a better reason for busking.

Im a member of the diavel forum, they did recently have a thread on what else is in your garage and the majority had porsches thought itd be funny to post up a pic of my clapped out builders van. It has been earmarked a rich mans toy which piddles me off, I didnt buy it as a fashion accessory I sure dont treat it like one, rain or shine itll be out.

[Guest]

Now there's a bike that tears up the copy book! Ducati build their first 'Cruiser' and turn it into the fastest accelerating Ducati ever made and the monobloc Brembo's turn it into the the fastest stopping Ducati ever made

It might have marmite looks but the power delivery is pretty special

[Devans]

I want monoblocks, saying that the back already slides on the standard brembo single pot rear, let alone anything bigger. btw Diavel is a sexy bike!

[JamBerryKing]

That is one sexy bike! Phwwwoooorrrr

[Guest]

Zard are very good with ducati. im getting some with the hyermotard!

[dimmers]

I want this bike so bad!!!

Saw it at Alton cafe the other day, but with a few mods on it, sounded amazing!

[techno]

I want this bike so bad

Seek help now!

[NearOn]

I want this bike so bad

Seek help now!

 

Yes financial help to make that dream happen, absolutely beautiful bike, go for it!

[techno]

I want this bike so bad

Seek help now!

 

Yes financial help to make that dream happen, absolutely beautiful bike, go for it!

 

we are looking at the same picture, the ne of the fat monster

Having sat on it, i can also confirm the riding position is horrible too!

Well to me anyway

[dimmers]

Yes financial help to make that dream happen, absolutely beautiful bike, go for it!

 

we are looking at the same picture, the ne of the fat monster

Having sat on it, i can also confirm the riding position is horrible too!

Well to me anyway

ok, i'm gonna bite here, this bike is AWESOME! the seat could be a made out of granite and i'd still want one, it looks the dogs danglies, and if i had the money i'd go buy one today.

anyway, everyone knows that the fat ones are a better ride!!!

[Guest]

Yes financial help to make that dream happen, absolutely beautiful bike, go for it!

 

we are looking at the same picture, the ne of the fat monster

Having sat on it, i can also confirm the riding position is horrible too!

Well to me anyway

ok, i'm gonna bite here, this bike is AWESOME! the seat could be a made out of granite and i'd still want one, it looks the dogs danglies, and if i had the money i'd go buy one today.

anyway, everyone knows that the fat ones are a better ride!!!

 

Oh noooo, feeding the Admin Troll

Houdini bought a genuine Ducati comfy seat for it the other week, really plush thing with a small backrest for the pillion. cost him around £100 lol the dealers did double check the price as they figured it was waaay too cheap.

The Diavel isn't what I'd buy but it is a fabulous manic 'cruiser' type ride.

They built it to make inroads into the USA market and it seems to be what they wanted with sales in 2011 up 43% and up again in 2012 by another 21% and something like half of the Diavels sold go to 1st time Ducati customers.

As a motorcycle, the figures speak for themselves it's a winner.

as an excercise in impressing a style guru from Dewsbury it fails. Wonder how many sleepless nights that gave them

[techno]

Nice to see I caught the fish I was after with my trolling it really must bug Ducati fanboys like yourself that someone doesn't like 80% of the range So just for you dessa let's get it all down here

Monsters hate them and the diavel is just a fat one in my eyes regardless of the intent of Ducati when making it!

Liked the 999, 749, your 1098 even tho I couldn't live with it every day probably like you, and the panigale looks sweeeeet!

Your multistrada seems decent and if its as good as you say all power to ducati, the old multistrada oh dear!

Your Paul smart thing yuk but that goes for any retro bike by any company hate them all, hell even old classics from BSA etc not my thing never were.

The hypermotard back to Ducati nice idea gets caned by one of my all time favourites from KTM.

Last but not least the desmo probably fantastic just you'd have to explain its worth 40 grand to people who don't know and that is just sad!

So there you go dessa my opinion shock horror its different to yours as for Ducati I don't think they give a rats ass about my or your opinion just I dont hand them my hard earned for any old shit.

[Guest]

Nice to see I caught the fish I was after with my trolling

 

 

Yay glad I made your day Techno, sorry I can't do anything about the knickers you've got in a twist tho

and yes I knew you were fishing for me, you're as easy as a book to read lol

Glad you got that tirade off your chest (again!) you must cut and paste it from web history lol

35 or so years of biking, owned 18 bikes 6 being Duc's 5 being Honda's.... hell I'm a Honda fanboy as well lol

Do you think it's ok for Admin to go off topic on this thread and then troll and 'attack' a forum member?

could be seen as dragging a forum down the pan.

not making a complaint tho, don't value your opinion enough to take offence

[Joeman]

With its bold design so its bound to split opinions..

I can see how it would appeal to some, but as Techno says, to me it looks to me like a "fat monster" for the American market...

bet its good fun to ride though

[techno]

Nice to see I caught the fish I was after with my trolling

 

 

Yay glad I made your day Techno, sorry I can't do anything about the knickers you've got in a twist tho

and yes I knew you were fishing for me, you're as easy as a book to read lol

Glad you got that tirade off your chest (again!) you must cut and paste it from web history lol

35 or so years of biking, owned 18 bikes 6 being Duc's 5 being Honda's.... hell I'm a Honda fanboy as well lol

Do you think it's ok for Admin to go off topic on this thread and then troll and 'attack' a forum member?

could be seen as dragging a forum down the pan.

not making a complaint tho, don't value your opinion enough to take offence

[dimmers]

this bike is soooooooo much better than anything else, period, especially a Yamaha FZ1

[ManInASuitcase]

Not rode one myself but all the journo's can't be wrong.

If you're in the market for this type of bike,whatever this type of bike is,no doubt the Ducati can't be beaten.

Now I know why I don't take many test rides unless I'm serious about changing bikes.

Can be very expensive

[Devans]

Rode many sports bikes now and the Diavel trumps most unless you want to do 180mph everywhere. It's the ultimate 70mph cruiser bike to throw around an chase sports bikes. Ask Roy I over took him on a road id never ridden

[Guest]

OMG,

I saw one of these beasts for the first time the other day, it looks amazing. I want one. I need one. Why has no one else thought of slapping the number plate down there. Why don't Ducati do finance that mortals can afford. Does it sound like most Ducati's on tick over (like a bag of spanners). Can it really blow Audi R8's away. I'm in love.