Quote:
Originally Posted by fitchesbass
^ how do you like the Diavel? or is that maybe an obvious question given your comments above LOL.
Not sure I understand that bike. I didn't have much interest in that bike after seeing it and sitting on it... and I even like Ducati's. The rear tire looks wider than necessary which I'd presume would make the handling worse.  Looks mean though.
Took a ride tonight in my area. These damn warm temps do not make my air-cooled bike too happy when having fun or hitting stop lights around town. 
On a separate note: I posted pictures early in this thread from the trip I recently took in Europe... but here is a little video I put together on one of the many mountain passes (Passo di Manghen in Italy).
Thought I'd share... the camera is shooting off the back of the 1200S Multistrada I had on the trip. |
Wow that scenery is breathtaking, I hope one day to be the dad riding with my kids in Europe like that. Great music and editing by the way, made for an entertaining viewing.
Anyway yes I love my Diavel. The first time I sat on one at a dealer, I hated it, and actually got depressed because I thought it felt like a cruiser and that I am all of a sudden an old man.
My previous bikes ...
1990 Suzuki GS500 (starter but beat crap out of it at track days)
2000 Suzuki SV650 (awesome bike, raced it in WSMC)
2001 Ducati 748S (the love of my life)
2001 Aprilia SL1000 Falco (amazing and mean sounding Mille cousin)
2006 BMW K1200R (the terminator, got first day moved to FL)
As you can see, mostly nakeds or sportbikes, but nothing cruiser-esque. Hence my initial dislike of the Diavel seating position.
I live in Florida which has influenced my last 2 bike choices greatly. Originally in So Cal, I would never have considered the Diavel. But here there are no canyons and no winding roads, except onramps.
I had issues with my K1200R tranny and decided to sell the bike rather than fix it, and I really wanted to get another Ducati (my last one was a beloved 2001 748S). Out of the current Ducati lineup I felt a Superbike would be a waste in Florida, as I am not doing track days or racing anymore, and there are only onramps for turns. The Multistrada just didn't do it for me visually, so that left Diavel, Monster, Streetfighter, or Hypermotard.
I started to research and read lots on the Diavel, how it handles amazingly, feels sportbike-like, and how the 240 rear tire was co-developed wih Pirelli to maximize performance and cornering ability. I also revisited the looks of it and realized its a drop dead gorgeous bike, and my main issue was feeling like an old man sitting on it that one day at the dealer.
I bit the bullet and put a deposit on one without a test ride, waited 2 months to get the bike, and WOW. All the reviews are true. You can ride it hard, scrape pegs on 90 degree street turns, and it handles unlike anything you would expect from the way it looks.
I have about 1500 miles on mine now, after almost 1 year ... My first Ducati had 1500 miles after a month, but I had a lot less other stuff going on back then in my life. For a pleasure cruiser here in FL, it's comfy, sporty, and can handle like a sport bike even with the 240 size rear tire.
If I was still in Cali, I'd have a Streetfighter S, although honestly I would keep the Diavel too, as I have really come to love the bike (from the moment I took delivery) and looking at it while taking a break on a long ride, or in my garage, never gets old. My longest ride so far has been 265 miles, around lake okechobee....
Ever heard of The Dragon, 311 turns in 9 miles or something? Well here in FL we have lake okechobee... 9 turns in 311 miles (more or less!). Only in Florida do they figure out how to put straight roads going around a Round lake!