The Diavel is built to have a commanding presence, though it is lightweight and agile like all Ducatis with 162bhp of authentic Ducati performance. The bike has got a super high tech backbone, and some outrageous performance figures. Merging the worlds of power and style has never been achieved with such convincing precision.

The heart of the Diavel is the 1,198cc Ducati Testastretta 11° – developed directly from the incredibly powerful, world-beating race engines of Ducati Corse. The Diavel Testastretta 11° harnesses the immense power of the superbike engine and makes it smooth and adaptable. With its 162bhp and colossal 127.5Nm of torque, the Diavel Testastretta 11° engine is all about authentic Ducati Desmodromic performance. Because of the lower angle, the result is much smoother combustion in addition to improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions. Twin lateral radiators – positioned on either side of the bike – cool the Diavel Testastretta 11° engine. This unique feature combines with a new 64mm water pump impeller to increase flow rate by 35% at high rpm – enabling highly efficient cooling from the stylish air ducts.

The revised intake and exhaust ports, combined with some radical adjustment to the cam timing, have enabled Ducati to achieve a fantastic torque curve at low rpm, which remains strong through a wide rev-range. This is possible because of Ducati’s Ride-by-Wire (RbW) system, which is an electronic interface between the Diavel’s twistgrip and engine, which configures an ideal power response depending on the riding mode selected – sport, city, and touring are selectable from the left-hand switchgear. The twistgrip no longer has a throttle cable connected directly to the throttle body butterflies, but instead delivers a signal to a control unit, which in turn operates the butterfly opening electronically.

The Diavel’s 6 speed gearbox uses high-strength materials to manage the increased power output and enhanced grip generated by the 240 section rear tyre, which also requires the use of a 16mm longer gearbox output shaft for drive chain routing. The transmission features an oil bath clutch with ‘slipper’ function, and super-light feel at the lever. Its design uses a progressive self-servo mechanism that presses the plates together when under drive from the engine, enabling the reduction of the clutch spring rates. This results in a much lighter clutch lever at the handlebar, ideal in stop-start traffic or during long journeys.

The Diavel front brakes use Brembo’s incredibly powerful Monobloc calipers, which are strong enough to stop a tank. The 4-piston, twin radially-mounted calipers grip 320mm discs, while a single 265mm disc on the rear is gripped by a two piston caliper, also by Brembo.

On top of all the performance exuberance, the constant investment in quality – through the use of advanced materials and engineering techniques – have enabled the distance between major service intervals (valve clearance check) to be increased to a highly competitive 24,000 kilometers (15,000 miles). This has been achieved with the introduction of new valve seat materials, improved combustion efficiency, and temperature management designed into the Testastretta 11° engine.

So, is the Diavel Perfect? Apparently not, because it does have an even better version – the Diavel Carbon. This version is lighter because of the carbon fibre used on certain parts, which makes it lighter, and thus, very near perfect. But, we would argue otherwise! You see, the Diavel will cost around $16,000 ( ` 7.2 lakhs, not including duties) and the Diavel Carbon much more than that. The perfect motorcycle should be something affordable and practical, and so the Diavel might be damn good, but it’s nowhere near perfect. Nonetheless, I still WISH I had one.