In the power cruiser segment, the XDiavel stands alone.

There was once a time when a single bike fit into many categories. The UJM (universal Japanese motorcycle for those who haven’t yet greyed) of the 1970s and ’80s, for instance, slipped into many categories. Honda CBs, Kawasaki KZs, Suzuki GSs and Yamaha Secas could zip through traffic comfortably on the way to work during the week, and then confidently grind down footpeg feelers while blazing backroads on weekends. Throw on a set of soft luggage and a universal windshield and they could just as easily cross the country. Since then, motorcycles have become much more specialized, branching out into a multitude of niches, from adventure bikes to cruisers to supersports to luxo-tourers, to name but a few.

The Ducati XDiavel V4 is one of those motorcycles that is difficult to fit into a specific category — or at least one that is populated by more than a single model. It is neither sport bike nor tourer nor cruiser. By a more contemporary definition, its long wheelbase, raked fork, low seat, forward footpegs and powerful engine make it a power cruiser. 

Not that long ago, it could have rubbed elbows with bikes like the Yamaha V-Max or a couple of Harley’s more aggressive V-Rod models. However, those bikes are long gone, leaving the XDiavel the solitary survivor in a category aimed primarily at North American riders. By that same definition, the Suzuki M109R could fit the bill with its low-slung dragster-like styling and torquey V-twin. But it has been around for almost 20 years and, aside from varying colour schemes, it hasn’t seen any changes since its introduction in 2006. 

The XDiavel’s closest competitor these days would be the Triumph Rocket 3, which itself is an anomaly that currently boasts the largest displacement engine in a motorcycle, at 2.5 litres. However, the XDiavel is lithe in comparison, weighing a full 88 kilos less than the big Triumph, or equivalent weight of a Honda CRF125F. 

To help clarify some of the confusion, Ducati officially calls the XDiavel V4 a sport cruiser — the Italian company does, after all, specialize in sporting motorcycles, and is currently and comfortably leading the MotoGP and WSBK rider and constructor championships. This sporting heritage is evident the first time you twist the grip on the XDiavel and tip it into a series of bends. 

BACK AFTER TWO YEARS

The Ducati XDiavel returns after a two-year hiatus, but this time around it gets two more cylinders and more power. Its former 1,262 cc Testastretta DVT V-twin has been replaced by Ducati’s 1,158 cc Granturismo V-four, which claims 168 horsepower and…