Ducati dipped its toe into the sport cruiser segment with the original
Diavel, which the company
unveiled in 2010, but with the new
XDiavel, the Italian brand jumps into the popular niche with both feet. The bike still has the Ducati DNA of modern styling and a powerful V-twin engine, but the XDiavel combines those strengths with a relaxed, foot-forward riding position. Jay Leno welcomes the higher S trim of the cycle into the garage this week and gets the details from Jason Chinnock, the CEO for the US.
As Leno quickly realizes during his ride, the XDiavel S straddles the line between a sportbike and a traditional cruiser. The long, low setup makes for an easy ride when you want it. Jay also notes the bike is quite nimble and handles well when you push, too. The 1,262-cc V-twin with 156 horsepower offers plenty of power, but we agree with the comedian that the exhaust note could be a little meaner. Currently, the sound is a little too subdued for the cycle’s aggressive look.
Jay starts out somewhat apprehensive about the bike because he doesn’t tend to like cycles with a foot-forward riding position, but he steps away far more convinced about the XDiavel’s capabilities. After you take a ride with Leno, check out
the episode of Translogic where host Jonathon Buckley also gives it a shot.
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