I rode the Diavel Strada today...
Size
It looked like a huge bike in the showroom but I didn't get out of the parking lot before wondering what the heck happened to that big bike. I felt like a monkey effing a football. The salesman didn't think so but then he's a salesman. I made him take some pics. What do you guys think? By the way, my stomach is not as big as it looks in the third picture. Just saying. I'm 6'-3", 245 lbs with a 35" inseam. Maybe it felt that way because my setup on the Concours gives me tons of room. Bottom line is that I think I could do 500 mile days no sweat but 1,000 or more might be a problem. Since I've only ridden 1,200 miles in a day once since I've had the Concours, I'm not considering that a problem. It’s much lower to the ground than mine. I liked that. It’s also considered a cruiser.
Power
That thing is FAST. It is definitely quicker than my bike for sure. Ducati claims that it's faster 0-60 than any production bike made. I believe them. I only rolled on it because I was too intimidated to crack it. Like the front wheel might touch the sky if I did it in a lower gear. Salesman guy said it was the second easiest bike Ducati makes to wheelie. I rode in touring mode through half the test ride and sport mode on the way back. Touring mode gives you all the power but it is not as abrupt. It seemed smoother but still fast. I think it adds more traction control but I didn't check that out. Sport mode was fun. It was more punchy and is where I felt I could launch the front end at will. The salesman said it decreases the traction control enough to slide the rear wheel in a turn but it will not let you lose it. He also said it was a very smooth transition when it kicks in. Maybe my skill level is not top notch but I felt like this bike is fast enough to bite me if I wasn't careful. I kind of like that. lol Now you can go into each mode and increase or decrease the TC settings 1-9 and save it as a rider preference. So that's kind of cool. There's also an Urban mode that decreases the hp to 100 at the crank and maxes out TC and ABS. No, this mode will not give you better gas mileage. It's kind of a nice mode to have around. The sound of the engine was pretty good but would be awesome with a full pipe.
Suspension and handling
Top notch without a doubt. Way better than my bike. It took bumps really well. By far the best suspension on a bike that I have ever ridden. Those were stock settings from the factory, so it could be better with a professional set up. The handling is better than my ability. It feels like it weighs 200 lbs lighter than my bike. Extremely easy to maneuver. I was dodging pot hole patches that were really close together just because I could. The brakes were outstanding, second to none.
Touring
The windshield was fine, I only had it up to 75. They make bigger shields if needed. It comes with heated grips. The bags are small and not water proof (they give you dry bags for the inside). WTH? There will be aftermarket options soon, I’m not worried. The bike has only been out for like three months. There is a bracket you can buy for a top trunk to throw on for trips. I would not ride with that on daily like I do my bike.
Overall
It does everything better than my bike except for luggage and comfort. It’s miles ahead in technology, looks, performance, fit and finish. It also costs more but I think that is offset because it holds its value better.
Unless most people think I look like a monkey effing a football, I will buy one as soon as I sell mine.
I also rode the Multistrada today but it sits up too high for me.
