The look, the sound, the riding position, and the torque-rich power of a cruiser motorcycle are what makes this category great for long stretches of highway and smooth, banking twists. But in order to attract riders with sportbike backgrounds to the segment, manufacturers not only have to modernize design, but also provide a superbike-like powerplant. Enter the 2020 Ducati Diavel 1260 and 1260 S. Originally introduced as simply “Diavel” in 2010, this power cruiser from the Italian manufacturer marries both elements from its assertive lines to the slightly forward footpegs and let’s not forget the 2019 upgrade to Ducati’s Testastretta DVT 1,262cc engine. For an even sportier package the S is fitted with fully adjustable Öhlins suspension at both front and rear, light alloy casted and machined wheels, Ducati’s quick shift system, and an even higher-performance braking system.
The 2019 Italian big-bore power cruiser spun its 17-inch Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tire on the in-house dyno to produce 138.45 hp at 9,860 rpm and 85.44 pound-feet of torque at 7,770 rpm.
The power cruiser category consists of the Triumph Rocket 3, Harley-Davidson FXDR 114, Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114, and Yamaha VMAX.
The H-D FXDR 114, Fat Bob, and Diavel 1260 S bumped heads in our three-way comparison where the Ducati was “in a world of its own” by being “an incredibly powerful beast, but not wild or unwieldy.” “It was plush and controlled, with excellent overall stability, and was the best-handling bike in this comparison.”
Vastly redesigned in 2019, the Ducati Diavel was updated with a new exhaust, reduced rake, new 63-inch wheelbase, a boost in power, with the “most sophisticated edition of the Testastretta L-twin, the 1,260cc DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing)” we claimed in the 2019 First Look. Now for 2020, you will find a new colorway for both models, total black for the base and Ducati Red with white graphics and alternating black elements.
