For a company like Ducati, categories have always been more like suggestions than rules. This is a brand that thrives on building superbikes that dominate racetracks, naked bikes that double as precision scalpels for the street, and adventure machines that blur the line between sport and utility. But back in 2010, Ducati did something that left everyone scratching their heads. It built a cruiser. Except, it wasn’t really a cruiser at all.
That bike was the original Diavel, and from the very start, it never fit the mold. It had the long, low stance and oversized rear tire of a power cruiser, but everything else about it screamed Ducati. Sharp handling. Explosive acceleration. A kind of swagger that was equal parts muscle car and superbike. Riders who swung a leg over one realized quickly that this wasn’t Harley’s world or Yamaha’s VMAX territory. The Diavel was something else entirely. And for more than a decade, it has remained the most un-Ducati Ducati in the lineup.
Fast forward to 2023, when Ducati replaced the old Testastretta L-twin with the 1158cc Granturismo V4. The Diavel became smoother, faster, and more sophisticated, pulling off the neat trick of being comfortable for longer rides while still tearing up the quarter mile. But for all its appeal, one thing was missing: Ducati’s RS magic. That changes for 2026 with the launch of the Diavel V4 RS, a machine that doesn’t just up the ante—it flips the whole table over.
