Ducati Philippines launches Diavel cruiser
Ducati is best known for its sport and naked bikes. Now, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, through local distributor Ducati Philippines. has its sights on the country’s local cruiser motorcycle market by launching the Diavel .
The Diavel is, without any doubt, the most exciting innovation in the Ducati 2011 line because it represents a new concept of motorcycle, said Toti Alberto, chief executive of Ducati Philippines. It’s styled like a cruiser but it has the power of a muscle bike and the performance of a sport bike .
Alberto can confidently claim that the Diavel is all that, having flown to Ducati’s home base in Bologna, Italy, to sample the motorcycle before distributing it here.
It weighs only 456lbs but its engine has an output of 162hp that it can go from zero to 100kph in just 2.7 seconds . It can also lean by as much as 55-degrees when going around the corner so it has the performance figures to back its aggressive looks, added Alberto.
Helping to ensure that the Diavel has enough traction to go with its power, the motorcycle rides on a massive 240-section rear tire for maximum contact on the road. Its seat height also measures 30.3in, one of the lowest seat heights in the Ducati range that, in addition to a low-slung chassis set-up enables the rider to get both feet on the ground for a sure-footed and confident stance. Other special innovations that complement the Diavel’s physical design are the front wheel that’s kept close to the bike’s body, its short tail just like that of a sport bike, and its broad-shoulder look courtesy of its aerodynamic lateral radiators that taper down across the engine.
Powering the Diavel is a retuned version of the same Testastretta engine used by Ducati’s 1198 superbike. Besides the revised intake and exhaust ports, the main difference between the Diavel’s engine and that of the 1198 is that the Diavel’s Testastretta mill has an 11-degree angle, a 30-degree difference from 41-degree angle utilized by the Testastretta Evoluzione engine which powers the 1198. According to Ducati, the result is a fresh inlet charge flow that is less compromised by the exiting exhaust gases, resulting in a much smoother combustion in addition to improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions.
Ducati Philippines has been pre-selling the Diavel since January and all five units that have been delivered recently have already been spoken for. Another five units are due to arrive in two weeks and, according to Alberto, four units already have owners.
For the year, we’re expecting to sell 20 Diavels. We’ve already reached nearly half of that figure so we’re confident of reaching that before the year ends, Alberto added.
The Diavel is available in two variants, with the base model being sold at P1.250 million and the top-of-the line, carbon-fiber-clad Diavel Carbon has a price tag of P1.450 million .
- 2010 Ducati 1198 R Corse – Used 2010 1198 R Corse at Motorcyclist Magazine
- Gone in 8 seconds – Turbo Ducati 749 Ducati News Today
- Phillip Island MotoGP test times – Tuesday (Final) MotoGP Results
- Superbike World Championship
- Motodisiac
