Ten years after it was first launched on an unsuspecting motorcycle world at EICMA, Ducati’s XDiavel is back for a redo, and Gen 2 has left no stone unturned in the redesign. And much like the original XDiavel blew through the usual cruiser-segment tropes, this one’s looking to buck convention too; it’s a V-4.Why not? Ducati entered the cruiser market on its own unorthodox terms with the Diavel back in 2011, and seeing as how that model inherited the 1158cc Granturismo V4 engine in 2022, it looked like the XDiavel was next in line for a revamp. For 2025 the X gets the new mill, a fresh aluminum frame, upgraded Brembo brakes, and more suspension travel, along with a host of other improvements; Ducati says nearly 90% of the 2025 bike’s components have been revised compared to the outgoing 1260 L-twin.Of course the Bologna brand made it clear (again) that the two Diavels are distinctly different machines intended for different purposes. The Diavel V4, it says, is the “muscle roadster,” while the XDiavel V4 is a “sport cruiser,” with forward controls, a lazier rake, and lower seat. Just to make sure we understood the design brief, Ducati flew us out to France to ride the new X on parts of the old Route Napoléon, which winds along the foothills of the Alps in a tangle of hairpin bends and staggering mountain views. Scraping pegs on winding hilltop lanes with a ridiculously scenic backdrop? Seems like the perfect way to test a new bike.Related: First Ride: Ducati’s Diavel V4 Defies Categorization

Design and EngineAt the tech briefing, Ducati’s ingeniere made sure we knew first and foremost that the 2025 XDiavel V4 is completely reworked, with the lion’s share of the spotlight going to the Granturismo V4, now a stressed member of the new aluminum monocoque frame. As with the standard Diavel V4, that liquid-cooled 1158cc mill is borrowed from the Multistrada V4, with the same MotoGP-derived counterrotating crankshaft and nearly identical 168 hp at 10,750 rpm and 93 lb.-ft. torque peaks, though there is different tuning on the XDiavel to deliver more low-end grunt across a wider range (the peak is 7500 rpm here). The XDiavel V4 shares its new engine and much of the chassis with the Diavel V4 (which we rode in 2023), so some of our notes are echoed there.Also emphasized at the launch was the XDiavel’s rear cylinder deactivation feature: At low speeds in traffic or when idling, the two rear cylinders switch off to keep emissions and heat down, and all four switch on again when the throttle is opened and the bike hits 4000 rpm. The process is almost identical to the Diavel V4’s except duration on the XDiavel is extended.

In the flesh, the new model carries on with established Diavel design language, though there are obvious changes, given the new engine’s wider footprint and the switch from an exposed trellis frame. To Ducati’s credit, we didn’t spy any awkward transitions, and the new XDiavel V4 somehow looks even sleeker than before, with less obtrusive intakes and a tank-seat interface that looks practically seamless. The bike’s mass is concentrated up front and low, with the sculpted tank carrying the most visual weight, and a new headlight with distinctive DRL blinking atop the fork. New indicator lights are integrated into the intakes, a design unique to the X, while the stubby, minimalist tailsection incorporates a dual seat and a semicircular brake light design underneath. As before, the 240mm rear Pirelli tire steals the show, spooned onto an elegant five-spoke contrast-cut wheel and vying for your attention with the new four-exit muffler.

ElectronicsAlong with the V-4 engine, the XDiavel V4 inherited some top-notch electronics from the Multistrada V4 getting a six-axis inertial measurement unit to manage the cornering ABS and traction control, but also wheelie control, Ducati Power Launch, an up-and-down quickshifter, and cruise control features. There are also four riding modes: Sport, Touring, Urban, and Wet, each tuned to match the XDiavel V4’s personality, with each one offering different power levels and sensitivity of cornering ABS, traction control, and wheelie control. You can also choose from three power modes—High, Medium, and Low—and further tweak those in the bike’s menu. Sport and Touring makes use of the full 168 hp, while Urban and Wet limit power to 115 hp.

We’re also stoked to see a new 6.9-inch color TFT display lifted from the new Panigale here; menus are viewed and accessed via backlit buttons up on the left-bar pod that also control the standard cruise control. The latest version of Ducati’s Multimedia system can be seen here too, and we found the interface fairly intuitive and the screen super clear and easy to read at any speed.

Chassis and ErgosAttached to the XDiavel V4’s aluminum monocoque frame is a 50mm upside-down Marzocchi fork and aluminum single-sided swingarm paired to a cantilever shock, as on the Diavel V4, though the X gets a lazier steering angle (29 degrees instead of the Diavel’s 26) and rake (124mm/4.9 inches instead of 112mm/4.4 inches), with a longer wheelbase and lower seat height—just 30.3 inches off the pavement. Both fork and shock are fully adjustable, with wheel travel at 4.7 inches for the fork and 5.7 inches at the shock—the latter an increase of almost an inch over the XDiavel 1260. Along with the lower seat, the XDiavel V4 gets forward-mounted controls and lower handlebars, all of which combine to get you at least partway to that rangy cruiser vibe. With the new engine, lighter frame, and new five-spoke star wheels, you’re also looking at a 13-pound weight reduction compared to the outgoing 1260 L-twin.

The RideStraddle the low seat and poke the button beneath the handlebar, and the TFT display flickers on, while thumbing the starter wakes up the V-4 with a smooth growl. There’s palpable thrust right off the line. With a wide handlebar that’s now 20mm (0.8 inch) lower and closer, and forward yet not too far forward—more like mid-forwards—the riding position feels almost upright but slightly forward, and just about ideal for my 5-foot-6 frame. The roomy, spoon-shaped seat is plush but firm thanks to an extra 2 inches of foam, and at 30.3 inches off the ground, flat-footing the XDiavel V4 at stops is a piece of cake, even for me. According to Ducati the pillion portion is 30% wider and 50% roomier lengthways; we’ll take their word for it. A rear handgrip is provided with the bike and can be easily mounted on the tailsection if you’re rolling with a friend.Our first on-road stint is into the heart of the Alpine foothills outside of Grasse, navigating a seemingly never-ending series of roundabouts through tiny mountain villages. Picture the most scenic 30-mile commute in slow-moving traffic possible and you get the idea. Through all this low-speed maneuvering we get a feel for how well-balanced the bike is, and with 168 hp on tap and a 505-pound dry weight (assuming around 540 with fuel), the XDiavel V4 is a surprisingly willing partner, merging into first-gear roundabouts without much protest or input. We assumed the rear-cylinder deactivation was working; it’s so subtle the only cue is a slight change in engine note.In town it’s all about short-shifting, and there were zero issues extending my 30-inch inseam to the shift lever. But while Ducati chose to fit the Diavel with its latest DQS 2.0 up/down quickshifter, it proved glitchy early on, so we opted for manual swaps. Initially, even manual shifting was a mixed bag, with first and second gears feeling fairly short and the bike not sure what gear it wanted to be in; the bike did not seem that happy under 30 mph and a lot of rowing was needed to keep things on the boil. As the day wore on, the abruptness went away, so it’s quite possible that was an anomaly.

Fortunately the six-speed gearbox resolved itself and well before lunchtime, every cog swap came with a satisfying snick; even finding neutral at a stop was no sweat. Several roundabouts later we hit a higher-speed secondary road, and once we cracked the throttle, all became right with the world. The throttle is responsive and smooth, with zero snatch, and as you open ‘er up and watch the revs climb, the engine truly shines. North of 7000 rpm, the intake sounds delicious, with the twin pulse firing order of the V-4 putting out that unmistakable Ducati two-tone bark.And all that power gets down to the ground quickly—the bike is so long and the rear tire so fat, the electronics don’t even need to kick in. Acceleration off the line is bonkers, and you won’t come close to the redline for a while.

We toggled through the various modes over the course of the day, but we found Urban and Wet chopped power more than we liked. Sport delivers full output and reduced TC so the bike is snapper and we quickly forgot we were riding a cruiser, railing through big sweepers, but we ended up going back to Touring again and again, which gives you full power and all safety systems enabled, and was the most predictable of the lot, even when we hit a gnarly rain squall toward the tail end of our ride.With its new mill, the XDiavel V4 pulls hard with linear power at nearly any point in the rev range, feeling impressively smooth all the way up to about 6300 rpm, after which point a subtle vibration creeps in—but not enough to keep you from twisting the throttle harder even more. Triple-digit speeds come so fast and so often you sometimes forget you’re in that range, the journey is so smooth. We continued along through the upper reaches of the soaring Verdon Gorge, occasionally dropping down to strafe the riverside on perfectly paved roads, emerald green-blue waters rushing just a bike length away. The bike is rock-solid stable at speed, with the 17-inch front wheel and 50mm fork tracking true and predictably even if that fork feels a bit vague in the feedback department.

Getting more familiar with the bike’s nuances, the group’s speed increased, but the turns got tighter too. And here, you learn that the XDiavel V4 turns lightly into the bend with smooth but gradually more forceful inputs, getting more resistance the further you lean the rear tire onto its edge. You can push it more—there are 39 degrees of lean angle—but once the pegs touch down it’s best to back off. The stock Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires handled decreasing-radius mountain switchbacks impressively, and with sand in spots, we kept the TC up as a safety net; the ABS also performed extremely well, never inhibiting performance (and rear can be switched off).And those brakes are, in a word, stellar. There’s piles of stopping power on the XDiavel V4 thanks to twin 330mm Brembo rotors with Stylema four-pot calipers up front and a 265mm disc with a twin-piston Brembo at the rear. Add a radially mounted Brembo master cylinder and we had two-finger stopping power all day long, with progressive feel, great power, and very little dive evident in front, even with a hard squeeze.

Although it carries over the inverted 50mm fork from its predecessor, the new XDiavel V4 does get more attention to an area that was lacking before: rear suspension travel. And even though it’s just an additional 0.09 inch, the XDiavel feels composed and predictable over pavement ripples, with the rear Sachs unit doing an admirable job of sucking up the fairly benign road acne we rolled over, at least at low-to-medium speeds. Credit to Ducati for listening to complaints about that jarring rear on the previous XDiavel, though there were some points in the ride when we were WFO and things felt a bit wiggly out back on the new bike; we didn’t mess with the settings but maybe a semi-active unit to control the ride could be offered as an option. Just a thought.

As we left our lunch stop, the skies opened up on us and speeds came down dramatically as a result. We dropped from the mountains into Grasse through lots of traffic, steep hills, and then into the city’s walking streets. Despite the miserable conditions, the bike was still remarkably comfortable to ride from the riding position to the bike’s stability, and even the wind management was surprisingly effective—no small thing for a naked bike without a windshield that fully exposes the rider. I’d like to say the seat was comfy throughout, but we found out the hard way that the new saddle shape collects water at its lowest point, so we were all sitting in a puddle by the time we got back to the hotel. Other minor gripes include the angle of the TFT screen; while it is easy to read on the road, you have to drop your eyes, and we’d like a better angle or a higher mount.

Is The Move to V4 On The XDiavel Worth It?A decade on, Ducati has transformed the XDiavel from an overpowered oddity to an easy-to-ride, easy- to-handle, comfortable cruiser—with sporting V-4 heart. It addressed some of the complaints of the Gen 1 machine, and added capability and improvements elsewhere, all without compromising its signature style and muscular presence that still gets stares at stoplights. Back at the hotel we’re reminded of the bike’s presence: The sculptural lines demand attention. The tire is huge, the wheelbase is long, and fit and finish is spectacular, with care given to every piece. Also, oil service every 9000 miles, with a 36,000-mile interval for the valve check? Insane. Inevitably however, all eyes will turn to the biggest number on the spec sheet: $28,995.Ducati will tell you a premium product demands a premium price. And with a feature set as robust as this, it is not wrong, though some folks are bound to point out that the Triumph Rocket 3 offers similar stats for a bit less money. But that misses the point; the XDiavel V4 is simply its own thing, and in terms of stopping, going, handling, weight, electronics, and presence, there are very few things that it’s missing.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 Specs