Ducati may be thinking about ways to chew a larger piece of the North American market, at least this is what the latest spy shots show. Borgo Panigale is about to reveal an all-new bike derived from the Diavel platform, and it looks like a potential contender for Harley-Davidson's V-Rod machine.
Even though Ducati showing their teeth at Harley-Davidson on HD's turf may sound like a SciFi scenario to some, we simply cannot ignore this possibility. The United States is one of the most important markets for Ducati, and delivering a bike that's styled closer to what is selling well in the US sounds like a smart idea.
The fairly recently updated Multistrada also opened new paths for Ducati and inspired the fastest-growing segment, the sport-adventure. Still, not even the Multistrada was enough to make the US market shake, as the segment is authoritatively dominated by BMW's R1200GS machines, and this thing doesn't seem to change for the foreseeable future.
Sport bikes have a rather limited customer pool, the sales of sport-adventure motorcycles are "plagued" by BMW and KTM, so you see, a different approach seems natural in Ducati's expansion quest on US soil.
Aside from the name, which is, anyway, a matter that will be cleared soon, there are several important details that make this bike a very interesting build.
One of the key elements for someone thinking about making inroads in the US bike market is, whether you like it or not, the belt drive. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they say. Even before judging a bike upon its performance, a belt-driven one would seem more "natural" to certain customers.
As for its functionality, considering that the new Ducati is a street bike, not having to deal with the entire fuss involved by tightening, lubing and cleaning the chain is definitely the more appealing alternative.
Even shaft drives need an oil change every now and then; as opposed to them, belt drive systems seem ideal for those who don't want to tinker around their bikes.
The raked-out forks are yet another structural and aesthetic element that recommends this Diavel-esque bike to the US customer. It leaves the pure sport, superbike looks of the base Diavel's forks behind, while replacing it with an image that's more palatable stateside.
Ducati's fork angle change might be an indication that the new bike aims at "blending in" with the local powercruiser steeds. Forward-mounted foot controls are, too, one of the most iconic details in the custom/cruiser/chopper culture, and seeing Ducati revising the riding position for the Diavel-inspired machine is a strong message.
The only Euro thing that was retained is the sporty underbelly exhaust. The 2016 Harley-Davidson Night Rod Special comes with the classic dual stacked silencers, as opposed to V-Rod Muscle's classic 2-into-1 beefy can, but none is as radical as this new Ducati.
The bike is brutal and vile, and even worse when ridden aggressively. We loved the lower lumbar support area of the rider's seat when we twisted the throttle hard in city mode, and grew very "attached" to the seat after unleashing the bike's full potential.
Deciding not to provide a passenger seat for the new muscle bike may sound a bit arrogant to some, but believe us, it's not. Carrying passengers on a Diavel, or Diavel-derived bike makes absolutely no sense.
The Diavel-esque machine will most likely be revealed on November 16th in Milan, during a special "wraps-off" event hosted by Ducati, with the press having access to it next day on EICMA debut. No news yet as to the power of the new Ducati, but we can definitely expect a slightly detuned version of the base version.
Until official data surfaces, what do you think? Is Ducati indeed planning a "muscle bike attack" on US ground trying to steal Harley customers?
PS: Other American makers, like Indian or Victory, are still not offering such machines, so the timing may be just perfect...
The muscle bike might be a better "entry wound"
We showed you earlier six photos of the new Ducati powercruiser, and frankly, they seem to tell an American muscle bike story. Ducati has steered clear of the cruiser segment since the old Indiana or so, and made a strong name for themselves in the high-performance sport bikes, and naked versatility with the Monster family.The fairly recently updated Multistrada also opened new paths for Ducati and inspired the fastest-growing segment, the sport-adventure. Still, not even the Multistrada was enough to make the US market shake, as the segment is authoritatively dominated by BMW's R1200GS machines, and this thing doesn't seem to change for the foreseeable future.
Sport bikes have a rather limited customer pool, the sales of sport-adventure motorcycles are "plagued" by BMW and KTM, so you see, a different approach seems natural in Ducati's expansion quest on US soil.
Typical US styling details may hold the secret
Some say that the new Ducati will not be named Diavel, and in the perspective of targeting the US market, we can expect a name that's "more American" while retaining the unmistakable Ducati mojo.Aside from the name, which is, anyway, a matter that will be cleared soon, there are several important details that make this bike a very interesting build.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do
One of the first things making us suspect that Ducati is thinking about delivering a bike for the US is the belt drive. Belt final drives are so common among American bikes that we'd even dare say they are a trademark for these motorcycles.One of the key elements for someone thinking about making inroads in the US bike market is, whether you like it or not, the belt drive. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they say. Even before judging a bike upon its performance, a belt-driven one would seem more "natural" to certain customers.
As for its functionality, considering that the new Ducati is a street bike, not having to deal with the entire fuss involved by tightening, lubing and cleaning the chain is definitely the more appealing alternative.
Even shaft drives need an oil change every now and then; as opposed to them, belt drive systems seem ideal for those who don't want to tinker around their bikes.
The raked-out forks are yet another structural and aesthetic element that recommends this Diavel-esque bike to the US customer. It leaves the pure sport, superbike looks of the base Diavel's forks behind, while replacing it with an image that's more palatable stateside.
Raked forks and forward foot controls have always been a part of the US bike culture
The fork rake has also been one of the traditional milestones in the American bike culture. Suffice to mention names such as Easy Rider or Big Bear Choppers and you'll get the picture right away.Ducati's fork angle change might be an indication that the new bike aims at "blending in" with the local powercruiser steeds. Forward-mounted foot controls are, too, one of the most iconic details in the custom/cruiser/chopper culture, and seeing Ducati revising the riding position for the Diavel-inspired machine is a strong message.
The only Euro thing that was retained is the sporty underbelly exhaust. The 2016 Harley-Davidson Night Rod Special comes with the classic dual stacked silencers, as opposed to V-Rod Muscle's classic 2-into-1 beefy can, but none is as radical as this new Ducati.
A solo Ducati powercruiser?
Ducati's new muscle bike looks like a bike for solo fun only, at least this is what we get from the spy shots we showed to you. Frankly, we didn't exactly understand the need for a pillion seat when we rode the first-ever Diavel.The bike is brutal and vile, and even worse when ridden aggressively. We loved the lower lumbar support area of the rider's seat when we twisted the throttle hard in city mode, and grew very "attached" to the seat after unleashing the bike's full potential.
Deciding not to provide a passenger seat for the new muscle bike may sound a bit arrogant to some, but believe us, it's not. Carrying passengers on a Diavel, or Diavel-derived bike makes absolutely no sense.
The Diavel-esque machine will most likely be revealed on November 16th in Milan, during a special "wraps-off" event hosted by Ducati, with the press having access to it next day on EICMA debut. No news yet as to the power of the new Ducati, but we can definitely expect a slightly detuned version of the base version.
Until official data surfaces, what do you think? Is Ducati indeed planning a "muscle bike attack" on US ground trying to steal Harley customers?
PS: Other American makers, like Indian or Victory, are still not offering such machines, so the timing may be just perfect...
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