Ducati XDiavel V4 (2025) – Technical Review

Ducati’s XDiavel has been something of an outlier in the company’s lineup ever since it first appeared back in 2016 – taking the Diavel muscle bike as its basis and skewing it into an unconventional cruiser format with forward-mounted foot controls and pulled-back bars.

While the standard Diavel switched from the 1262cc Testastretta V-twin to the 1158cc ‘V4 Granturismo’ motor from the Multistrada V4 two years ago, the XDiavel quietly disappeared from Ducati’s lineup. Now it’s back, completely redesigned and packing the same V4 engine as the Diavel to create a machine that’s perhaps the most head-turning in the company’s lineup.

Pros & Cons

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Price

At the time of writing Ducati hasn’t confirmed the XDiavel’s exact RRP but we’re expecting it to align fairly closely with the Diavel V4 at around £24,000. That’s a substantial wodge in anyone’s book, but no Diavel has ever been a cheap machine and even back in 2023 the XDiavel S cost about the same amount before it was discontinued.

This time around there’s no ‘S’ model – there’s just one XDiavel in the range – although it would be no surprise to see more exotic, limited-run versions in the future, along the lines of the Diavel for Bentley.

In terms of sales, the XDiavel might have been off the market for the last year or so but in the UK its popularity is roughly on a par with the shorter, sportier Diavel. Neither bike is a huge seller, but around 1000 of the previous-gen machines found buyers in this country since its 2016 launch, compared to about 1100 normal Diavels during the same period.

The bikes are expected to reach dealers in May this year.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Engine & Performance

It’s not just the cylinder count of the ‘V4 Granturismo’ engine that breaks with Ducati tradition – it also does without the Desmodromic valvetrain that’s been a signature of the company’s engines for decades. Essentially the same engine that’s used on the Multistrada V4 and Diavel V4, it means the XDiavel V4 also benefits from reduced maintenance costs and longer service intervals, while not giving up anything in terms of performance because these bikes don’t need to exploit the high rpm regime where Desmo really starts to help.

Valve clearance services, as on the other V4 Granturismo-engined bikes, are 60,000km apart (37,000 miles), which for many of these bikes could be a decade or more of use between valve adjustments. Oil changes are needed every 15,000km (9320 miles) or every two years.

There are plenty of MotoGP-inspired elements to the engine, though, as its basis is still the Desmosedici design. That means there’s a reverse-rotating crankshaft to cut gyroscopic forces, helping turn-in and a key element of the surprisingly lithe handling of Ducati’s big V4 bikes, as well as the ‘Twin Pulse’ firing order that mimics the company’s GP bikes and superbikes thanks to crank pins staggered by 70 degrees.

Like the other bikes to use the latest-generation V4 Granturismo motor, the XDiavel gets cylinder deactivation that turns off the rear cylinder bank when the bike is stationary or riding slowly, with a smooth switchover between two and four-cylinder modes that’s heard more than felt, with a lower tone in twin-cylinder mode and a sharper note when all four are operating. As well as improving fuel economy and emissions performance, the deactivation helps reduce heat from the rear cylinder bank reaching each the rider, a common criticism levelled at Ducati’s V4 machines.

Performance-wise, the XDiavel get 168hp at 10,750rpm and 93lbft of torque at 7500rpm, matching the Diavel V4’s figures. The bare figures aren’t a huge increase over the old V-twin XDiavel, which made 160hp and around 1lbft more torque than the V4 thanks to a larger, 1262cc capacity, but the V4 represents an engine that’s early in its development arc, while the last of the twins were the culmination of years of incremental improvements.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

Weight is normally something of a footnote when talking about cruisers: they’re expected to be heavy, and most of them are. Ducatis, however, are known for being lightweight and the XDiavel follows that path.

While the bike’s 229kg mass, in riding condition but without fuel (contents of the bike’s 20-litre tank will add about 15kg to that total when it’s brimmed) isn’t superbike-light, it’s in a completely different league to many of the XDiavel’s competitors. Triumph’s Rocket 3 Storm R, for example, is 317kg wet.

That low weight comes from the fact the XDiavel is designed more like a sports bike than a cruiser. The engine might be a big, complex V4, but it weighs only 68kg, for example. It also doubles as a large chunk of the bike’s structure, clamped into an aluminium monocoque frame, with a cast alloy seat subframe.

The bike might be unconventional, but it hasn’t followed the latest trend seen in Ducati’s sports bikes by going to a dual-sided swingarm. No, styling is vital to the XDiavel, and the way the single-sided swingarm exposes the right-hand side of the rear wheel, while also making space for the bike’s distinctive quad exhaust exits, is an essential element.

It’s a long, low bike, and that’s reflected in a 1620mm wheelbase (27mm longer than the Diavel V4) and a relaxed 29-degree rake with 145mm of trail. As on the Diavel V4, there’s are 50mm Marzocchi USD forks and a Sachs monoshock, each fully adjustable, and despite the low stance the new XDiavel V4 manages to have more suspension travel than the V-twin machine it replaces, with 120mm at the front and 145mm at the rear.

Ducati’s longstanding partnership with Brembo continues when it comes to the brakes, with Stylema radial front calipers and 330mm discs, plus a 265mm disc and two-piston caliper at the back.

Like the Diavel, the XDiavel features a whopping 240-section rear Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, paired to a more conventional 120-section front, both on 17-inch rims.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Comfort & Economy

While the XDiavel V4’s silhouette follows a similar set of proportions to its V-twin predecessor, Ducati claims the new model is a more comfortable proposition.

That, in part, comes down to the longer-travel suspension that can afford to provide a more compliant ride, but also to changes in the riding position. The seat is low, of course, at 770mm – that’s 20mm lower than the standard Diavel – and it’s 58mm thicker than the old XDiavel 1260’s. It’s paired with bars that are lower and pulled further back than the old bike’s, making tight manoeuvres less of a stretch, and while feet-forward pegs are standard, Ducati has added the option of an accessory kit that moves them backwards for a sportier, more Diavel-like riding position.

Pillions aren’t forgotten, either, getting a seat that’s 30% wider and 50% longer than the old model, as well as 25% thicker at the sides to improve comfort. A removable grab handle comes as standard to be fitted when you want to ride with a passenger.

While fuel consumption isn’t likely to be huge deciding factor for buyers, the V4’s cylinder deactivation promises to make it surprisingly good – the standard Diavel V4 hits a claimed 44mpg and the XDiavel isn’t expected to stray far from that mark – while the large, 20-litre tank should give a potential range approaching 200 miles between fill-ups.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Equipment

In recent years Ducati has always been among the frontrunners when it comes to onboard technology and the XDiavel V4 comes complete with all the gadgets we’ve come to expect from the company.

Thanks to a six-axis IMU, the bike has all the lean and pitch-sensitive rider assists you could hope for, including cornering ABS and traction control, plus wheelie control and Ducati’s ‘Power Launch’ launch control. Cruise control is standard, too, as is Ducati’s Quick Shift 2.0.

Dig into the options on the TFT dash and you’ll find three power modes – high and medium giving access to the full 168hp, just with different response curves, while low drops the output to 115hp. Those power levels are tied to four riding modes: Sport gives full power and quick throttle response, Touring combines full power with softer response, while Urban and Wet modes use the 115hp setting. Each mode has its own parameters for the traction control, ABS and wheelie control to suit the conditions their aimed at.

Modes aside, the bike’s tech includes a 6.9-inch colour screen, shared with the Panigale V4 and featuring a smartphone-operated multimedia system as standard, along with full LED lighting and keyless ignition. Turn-by-turn navigation is available as an option.

The styling is an evolution of the XDiavel shape, and while key cues like the headlight shape – designed, apparently, to look like a superhero’s face – are shared with the latest Diavel V4, the XDiavel has a longer, lower-profile look overall than that machine. Key details include the front indicators, built into brushed alloy panels on the sides of the bike rather than sprouting on stalks.

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Rivals

Bikes that might be considered rivals to the XDiavel vary depending on whether you prioritise performance, style or handling, but little else in the cruiser category combines the three as effectively as the Ducati. You might consider:

Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R | Price: £23,195

Read more

Power/Torque

180bhp / 166lb-ft

Weight

317kg

Harley-Davidson Sportster S | Price: £15,145

Read more

Power/Torque

121bhp / 92lb-ft

Weight

228kg

Indian Sport Chief | Price: £20,295

Read more

Power/Torque

89bhp / 119.5lb-ft

Weight

311kg

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Verdict

It’s been a couple of years since the Diavel got a V4 engine, and we said this about it back in February 2023:

“The V4 is a significant improvement over the old bike. The handling feels lighter, more natural and easier, both at slow speeds and when pushing the limits with pegs brushing the road. The Diavel is much more than a big muscle bike now and more like a Ducati Monster on steroids. The brakes have taken a step forward, the clocks are far more appealing and the overall design, while still clearly a Diavel, makes the bike more desirable and exclusive than ever. Just look at that gorgeous combination of four protruding exhaust pipes that stop short of that stunning huge rear wheel that's linked to that single sided swing-arm that's... I could go on.”

Only time will tell if Ducati has taken muscle cruising to a new level.

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2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 - Technical Specification

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