My 959 Corse is in for service / MOT / new tyres today. I asked for a loaner bike with a low seat as I'm 5' 6" short, and was given a xDiavel. I've never seen the appeal of cruisers, so this was my first go on one. The good news is that I could indeed touch the floor comfortably, though not flat-footed. I was warned that the feet pegs being forward would take some getting used to, and they got that right. Though I began to get used to it, and eventually stopped flailing my feet around as if peddling, trying to find the pegs. Although I could touch the floor, the ergonomic problem I had was that I actually found it a stretch to change gear, and had to stretch my left foot. It was also more awkward to switch from above to below the lever with my foot. I'm actually surprised that a 17K bike, in 2021, doesn't have a quick-shifter - it really needs an auto- up/down shift given the awkward gear lever position. The seat was wide and comfy. The 1260 engine is clearly powerful, but tuned for a relaxed ride and that was nice, but I found the wind buffeting uncomfortable [ironically] cruising at 80mph. On a naked roadster / street bike, such as my Street Triple, there is a degree of forward lean which helps counter the wind. On the xDiavel, I felt I was sat upright and holding bars at low speeds. At higher speeds, I felt I was forming a parachute shape, my body being the canopy at higher speeds, and hanging on to the bars. There is also an odd droning noise noticeable at higher speeds (40+?), which I suspect may be the belt drive. I was told by dealer, that as a cruiser sceptic, I'd be amazed and surprised, and should expect to be won over. I wasn't. I suspect someone used to an older design cruiser, such as classic Harley, might be more likely be amazed and surprised. I'm not posting here to hate on cruisers, there are lots of criticisms regarding comfort, noise, etc that could be levelled at my 959, we all make our choices. These are my impressions, as a short rider who is used to a 959, and trying a xDiavel.
My dealer lent me one when my bike was being serviced last year. I was worried I’d buy one as I loved the look of it, and always wanted a Diavel. I couldn’t wait to take it back, for the reasons you’ve mentioned, which was the end of that dream.
Certainly not on the 21-plate registered one I tried. Maybe the odd placement of the gear lever makes it difficult and would require a bespoke design, given quickshifters are mechanically linked to the change lever.
While I also didn’t gel with the Xdiavel’s ergonomics instantly, it’s the most adjustable bike I have ever owned. There are several options for the foot controls (incl. mid-mounted or feet-forward), three handlebar choices, several seat options of varying heights, etc. All in all, I guess there has got to be over a hundred riding positions possible on an Xdiavel. Mine is now fantastic to ride and fantastically comfortable. I thought of the Xdiavel’s ergonomic setup like a suspension setup: a little tweaking can make a big difference. However, Ducati messed up with the standard ergonomic and suspension settings alike. Out of the factory, both are poor. When it had the factory’s suspension settings, my Xdiavel was bone-jarring and understeered. After a professional suspension setup, the bike corners almost like a sportsbike and (almost) handles pothole Britain without issue.
