Devil of the Mountain

Choosing a motorcycle to ride on Jebel Hafeet is tough. Ducati made the choice for us. Here is a detailed account of our date with the devil on a hallowed road

- Joshua Varghese

THE DIAVEL IS ONE OF THOSE bold motorcycles that created a space for itself both in the hearts of enthusiasts and in the market of many countries worldwide. One of the Diavel’s unique attributes is that it enjoys the best elements of multiple motorcycle categories, including superbikes, sport nakeds, and cruisers. The Megamonster” nickname that it enjoyed during the early stages of development sounds appropriate even today.

Sometime in early 2020, fresh after a ride on the Diavel 1260 S, if I were asked to choose between that and the Panigale V4 S, I would have chosen the latter simply for the ballistic Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine. Placing such a manic power unit in the Diavel did not seem realistic back then, but when Ducati introduced the smooth and torquey V4 Granturismo motor in the Multistrada range, yours truly was one among many who looked forward to seeing it in the Diavel.

Our prayers were answered in October 2022 when Ducati announced the imminent arrival of the Diavel V4 and, a few months later, we received an exclusive invitation to the international press test where Bike India was the only Indian media house.

Ducati is a manufacturer that understands form and the emotion it invokes. To that effect, they have a portfolio of motorcycles that do full justice to the description of fast and fabulous”. In its latest iteration, I believe the Diavel has shed some of its butch-cruiser character in favour of a shape that justifies the Granturismo engine’s pace while also highlighting the details that make the Diavel unique.