2023 Ducati Diavel V4 Review [11 Sport-Cruising Fast Facts]

November 25, 2023

Let’s get to it—the 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 is a cruiser in name only. While that may seem like a knock against the burly Italian machine, it’s meant in the most flattering way possible.

Since its introduction in 2011, the Diavel has been faithful to one thing—the Diavel. The story goes something like this: A superbike-born engine is mounted in a chassis with a sparkle of racetrack DNA in its eye, gussied up with brooding looks, as mean and stocky as a junkyard pit bull.

This year, the Diavel graduated to the 1158cc V4 Granturismo engine, marking the end of its V-twin propulsion—you saw the V4 in its name, didn’t you? While that might seize the headlines, what’s supporting the sporty mill is all new, from the electronics, chassis, and appearance. The 2023 Ducati Diavel V2 is lighter, faster, and stronger, yet still very much the genre-defying motorcycle we’ve known since its 2011 debut.

It was high time we became reacquainted with Bologna’s barroom brawler, where we prowled city streets and hightailed into the canyons to bring you these Fast Facts.

The 1158cc V4 Granturismo is a loveable marvel of a mill. Its 168 horsepower at 10,750 rpm and 93 ft-lbs at 7500 rpm delivers a wallop that will strike fear into the V-twin hearts of any conventional cruiser. Massive low-end will have the Milwaukee boys blushing, while its midrange makes it daily-rider friendly. The top-end tug offers the paint-peeling performance needed to nab pole position at your favorite GP circuit—few engines can offer that kind of versatility.

The V4 raises the refinement ante well above what the 1260 DVT could claim. It’s smooth, damn smooth, even down low. Toss it in a tall gear and let its buttery torque tug you off apexes—at least, that’s one way to go about it. Or you can run through the tidy gearbox with the excellent up/down quickshifter and hear the four-barrel exhaust’s sweet song, getting properly sporty while you chase down your knee-dragging buddies. It’s got enough gumption to do it all.

A handful of tweaks make the Granturismo fit for a Diavelish life. After being repurposed for rough-and-tumble ADV action in the Multistrada V4 range, it makes its way here. That does mean we’ve got a higher displacement than the racetrack-ripping superbikes and ditched the desmodromic valvetrain in favor of a conventional spring valve closure, netting an unmatched 37,000-mile valve service interval. Model-specific updates to the Diavel’s heart include new camshafts and timing. That’s combined with a shorter-ratio gearbox to complement that all-important low-rpm punch, which this engine has in spades. If that isn’t enough, the 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 is 11 pounds lighter than the outgoing twin-cylinder iteration.

New heat management strategies come into the fold. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that you’ll feel a bit of warmth emanating from a massive V4 engine pumping out heaping helpings of horsepower. That’s not so much a knock as it is a fundamental reality. Engineers were looking out for our thighs, and rolled out “extended rear cylinder deactivation.” Ducati has offered V4 rear cylinder deactivation on other models when idling. However, the Diavel takes things further and will shut down the rear bank, not only at idle, but also when operating below 4000 rpm in gears 2 through 6. The transition is almost imperceptible, as there isn’t a kick through the drivetrain or surge, but you will hear an exhaust note change when the back row cylinders rejoin the action.

Advanced rider aids add to the fun of the 2023 Ducati Diavel V4. Reeling in this beast is no small feat, and assisting in that cause are four selectable riding modes: Sport, Touring, Urban, and Wet. Within those modes live your cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, and engine power modes. Launch and cruise control are there for good measure. Ducati is leading the way in electronics, with its nannies working as any sport rider has always intended—out of sight and out of mind until necessary, and not a moment too soon. The throttle response is nearly perfect with Sport mode’s crispiness, which is suitable for our dry SoCal conditions, and Touring feels to be within the same realm. Urban and Wet dull the Diavel’s edge quite a bit, chipping peak HP down to 115.

A casual riding position is the most neutral aspect of this motorcycle. Designers were keen to harness the brash, exaggerated, muscular aesthetics that help define the cruiser space. With the V4 iteration, they have stayed true to that message. Hell, I’d say it leans in further with the honeycomb LED taillight and Gatling-gun exhaust tip. The stylistic choice of a slammed cruiser can often compromise the riding position. Instead, the Diavel is akin to your average standard bike (think Scrambler 1100). You sit upright in the wide and accommodating 31.1-inch seat, with handlebars roughly three-quarter-of-an-inch closer to the rider, while mid-mount foot controls allow good weight distribution. Appearances can be deceiving, as this bike provides a cozy cockpit, which isn’t a claim we can pin on most backside-bruising power cruisers.

The 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 can boogie with the best of them. A laundry list of reasons makes up why the Diavel doesn’t fit into the cruiser mold, though its Italian handling heritage is at the top. Compared to the outgoing 1260 V-twin variant, the 523-pound bike is now 29 pounds lighter (without fuel), and its latest monocoque chassis is responsible for saving 10.4 pounds alone. Whatever blood pact Ducati engineers made with the Diavel is working, as it manages to get its lengthy rake, wheelbase, and massive 240 rear tire to flick from side to side as if it were one of the brand’s thoroughbred naked bikes. Rock-steady as it may be, the Diavel V4 yearns to be tossed around curves, where you’ll quickly learn to customize its peg feelers on the passing tarmac. In that sense, that’s about the most “cruiser” aspect seen here.

The Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires are spooned onto the immaculately machined 17-inch wheels, which are two pounds lighter this year. While the PDRIII is an off-the-shelf model, and the 120/70 front won’t raise any eyebrows, the rear 240/45 is not exactly common anywhere in the motorcycle world, through previous Diavels have employed it. The prevailing point is that the Pirellis grip well and will likely see respectable mileage.

Marzocchi suspension is part of the handling puzzle. Fully adjustable suspenders rest at both ends, with a chunky 50mm fork and a cantilevered shock. Taking the Italian bits at face value, we’re left with good ride quality, even when bopping through rough urban streets. On that note, it’s a welcome characteristic, as prior generations were known to pass more road-feel to the rider than we’d appreciate. Semi-active suspension seems warranted on a model this bonkers; however, as this is the inaugural run of the Diavel V4, Ducati is leaving room for the inevitable S-badged model replete with an electronic Öhlins package.

Brembo brings the braking hardware. Among all the new bits that the Diavel is flexing are some seriously upgraded brakes. To that end, we have the stuff we’re seeing from its superbikes with 330mm rotors and Stylema calipers up front. As you’d expect, feel at the lever is beyond reproach, providing a confident bite that will quickly hustle this broad-shouldered meanie to a stop. The rear brake pedal is easily manipulated thanks to the relaxed riding position, and the dual-piston caliper with a 265mm rotor works well for tightening lines or managing low-speed maneuvers.

The 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 raises the stakes in every aspect while staying true to its roots. The Diavel has always marched to its own drumbeat and, as it adopted the prodigious V4, gained more tools to continue blazing its trail. Labeling it as a cruiser, sport bike, or what-have-you and allowing it to fall under any single banner seems unfair to a bike that can happily plod at city paces or let out a raspy howl and blur scenery just as quickly. Are there gripes? Well, other than engine heat, no—we’ll file that under the cost of high performance. One thing is for sure, the Diavel is the kind of motorcycle that gets under your skin and refuses to conform to a category, which is just the way we like it.

Action photography by Don Williams
Static photography by Nic de Sena

RIDING STYLE

• Helmet: Arai Contour-X

• Jacket: Alpinestars GP Plus R V3

• Gloves: Alpinestars GP Tech V2

• Jeans: Alpinestars Copper V2

• Shoes: Alpinestars Faster 3

2023 Ducati Diavel V4 Specs

ENGINE

• Type: V4 Granturismo w/ counterrotating crankshaft

• Displacement: 1158cc

• Bore x stroke: 83 x 53.5mm