I've got a soft spot for motorcycles that refuse to fit into a neat little box. Give me something that makes people stop and go "wait... what actually is that?" and I'm in. So when I got the call to jump on the Ducati XDiavel V4, I knew exactly what I was in for. 168 horsepower, forward controls, a 240mm rear tyre, it's not a cruiser in the traditional sense, honestly don't know what it is.
Truth is, every single Ducati I've ever ridden has felt like an event. Not just a ride, an occasion. You throw a leg over one of these exotic Italian machines and you just know you're on something special. Something with a bit of theatre built into the DNA. And somewhere along the way, owning one became one of those quiet, background goals I carry around. Not urgent, but always there.
Here's the thing though I'm 52. And as much as I love the idea of owning a Panigale, if I'm honest with myself, it's not the bike I'd be dragging out of the garage every Saturday morning to go meet the boys for a pie and a coffee. It's a weapon, and I respect it as one, but it's not really me at this stage of life.
The XDiavel V4, though... well, that's a different story.
The engine and the handling
Underneath it all is the same V4 Granturismo engine you'll find in the standard Diavel V4, a 1,158cc V4 derived from the Desmosedici Stradale, making 168hp at 10,750rpm and 126Nm of torque at 7,500rpm. It even shares that MotoGP trick of a counter-rotating crankshaft, which cancels out gyroscopic effect and makes the whole bike feel far more agile through direction changes than something this size has any right to be.
It was an early, cold morning when I first took it out, so I backed off Sport mode early and settled into Urban. Sport is genuinely fantastic on this bike, properly eager, but it's peaky, and on cold tyres and cold roads I'd rather ease in than get caught out.
And that's what makes this bike so interesting to me, it sits in this strange in-between category. Feet-forward, cruiser riding position, laid back and relaxed. But the handling? Pure sports bike. You're not muscling it through corners, you're just tipping it in and it follows, beautifully. For something running a 240/45 rear Pirelli tyre, that completely caught me off guard. At 229kg wet, it's lighter than it looks too, and it never once felt like a heavy bike out on the road.
Brakes are excellent, Brembo Stylema 4-piston callipers up front with cornering ABS. Cruise control is standard, though not adaptive, and on that cold morning I'll admit I was wishing for heated grips.
The seat is genuinely comfortable, spoon-shaped in that classic cruiser style, but with noticeably deeper foam and a subtle lip at the back that locks you in nicely. Seat height sits at 770mm, so it's approachable, not intimidating. I actually rode this one in the rain heading to a footy game at Homebush not long ago, for anyone wondering, there's free motorcycle parking at P1, in and out quick, handy little tip. The rear guard, by the way, is purely for looks. Doesn't do much functionally, but it suits what is otherwise a genuinely aggressive, muscular-looking motorcycle.
"Diavel" translates to devil, and once you're rolling, that feels about right. What makes the X version so interesting to me is that underneath, it's essentially the same engine and same bones as the standard Diavel V4 but Ducati has completely reworked the ergonomics. Forward footpegs, wider bars, that deep spoon seat, all of it repositions you to sit like you would on a cruiser rather than a naked bike. Same devil, different posture, and it completely changes the character of the ride.
So, would I own one?
Honestly? Out of every Ducati I've thrown a leg over, the XDiavel V4 and the standard Diavel V4 are right up there as my absolute favourites so far. Riding them back to back, I think I still lean very slightly toward the Diavel V4. But the XDiavel, the comfort, the relaxed stance, that theatre of a V4 underneath you this is the one I could genuinely see myself rolling out every Saturday morning with the boys. Not a bike I need to grow into. Just jump on twist the throttle and hang on.
Let me know in the comments is the XDiavel your kind of bike, or is it a hard pass?
Ducati XDiavel V4: Is This the Most Interesting Bike on the Market?
Comment (1)
These are the two fun bikes for adults – XDiavel and Diavel.
The previous generation had concerningly shallow suspension, hopefully these have increased depth and comfort of riding, especially when you ride feet forward – the back is then particularly vulnerable to vertical jolts. I know some mates have reworked the pegs on the V2 versions to mid-controls… Two of them had also crashed, IDK if that was due to suspension or they got too high speeding on these. Nobody with a V4 Diavel yet. I’d like to test-ride one but they’re not in my budget.