TOPGEAR.COM → JULY 2019 043
the Diavel gets Bosch’s new cornering ABS EVO which lets
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corner. It’s so good that through the ride, I was messing
around with the brakes mid corner just because I could.
And it never skipped a beat.
Of course, there are other electronic bits that add to the
capabilities even more. The Diavel 1260 S gets the whole
suite of Ducati electronics which includes traction control,
wheelie control, a two-way quickshifter and even launch
control. The only thing missing seems to be Skyhook. But
honestly, I don’t see any need for it.
Aside from the chassis and suspension, there are also
changes made to the other important part – the engine.
Aside from the obvious change in displacement, there are
other electronic and mechanical changes that have been
made it the scorcher it is now. The 1262 cc Testastretta now
makes almost 160 horsepower and 129 Nm of turning force.
This is at the behest of your right hand and is delivered to
your rear wheel via ride-by-wire and one of the best engine
management systems around. It gets three riding modes –
Sport, Touring and Urban. You can further customise these
modes by choosing how much inter vention you want from
the electronics in each of them.
In factor y settings, the Diavel delivers full power in
Sport and Touring modes with Urban running a limited
power map. If you’re not looking for spirited riding, the
Touring mode works best. In Sport mode throttle response
is instant and you do get tiny spikes in power thanks to
incremental wrist movment over rough roads. But in Sport
mode, the Diavel is an absolute beast. It accelerates like its
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in place, you’d have your behind parked on the tarmac and
serious case of road rash. The acceleration is sheer violence
and you end up thanking your stars for all the electronics.
You can even feel the wheelie control reigning in the front
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The new Diavel 1260 S is ever y thing that Ducati
promises it to be. It occupies the middle ground between
the XDiavel and the Monster and delivers a riding
experience that is like nothing that you will experience
any where else. It corners like it’s on rails, it accelerates
like a bat out of hell and it looks like a million bucks. And
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and forget about ever y thing else that you hold dear in your
heart. The new Diavel makes you say, “I love you” with
quivering lips and a tear in your eye! It’s really that good!9
10DUCATI DIAVEL 1260 S
Engine: 1262cc, liquid cooled. v-twin
159bhp@9500rpm, 129Nm@7500rpm
Gearbox: 6M with DQS
Weight: 218kg (dry)
Seat height: 780mm
Fuel capacity: 17 litres
Price: Rs 19 lakh (estimated)
Pros: Looks, handling, performance
Cons: Not much, really
Bottomline: The Diavel 1260 S takes the
explosive experience of the previous
generation to a whole new level. Once you
6,%&32&,8|7,14377,#0&23883;"2832&uPHOTOGRAPHY: MANUFACTURER