Ducati XDiavel S

[fhaneef]

Hi, First time poster,

I have set my sight on the Ducati XDiavel for my 40th birthday, I've been driving fast sports cars all my adult life. but want to move over to bikes for the summer.

Question, I do not have a bike license but intend to get a direct route one. Should I get a smaller temporary bike first or complete my test on a Ducati?

[jjones]

Just use whatever bike you learn on for the test. Then buy whatever bike you want.

[Birky_41]

Beautiful bikes them

That are pretty quick. Some will say go through the ranks of power. Others will say it's all in the wrist

Are you used to fast cars? Like really fast...

Are you competent in your ability? Do your test and try one. Don't be a helmet initially and go Billy big bks and you know what it might just be the best thing you've done for a 40th

[RemaL]

No matter what you have been driving over the years bikes are a different level. Unless your driving a Zonda etc..

Yes my advice would be to get a cheaper bike you don't mind dropping to get used to riding.

[tonyinbrighton]

For what it's worth I'd say start off with a 600cc bike (quite possibly what you'll use for training & test purposes) and get a season of biking experience under your belt before going to a Diavel. It won't cost the earth and it will be cheaper to insure.
There are some circumstances such as awkward uphill T junctions when a lighter - say 200kg - bike is easier to manage; the Diavel carries its weight low down but it would still be a pain to pick up if it should find itself on the deck, and most noobies will find themselves looking at a prostrate bike at some point.
I used a 600cc Honda Hornet for 3 years and loved it: now changed up to a CB1100.
Welcome to the biking world - you will have a great time!

[jimmyslr]

Plenty of folk have gone both routes. Sounds like you’ve been around the motoring block a bit so if you think you can trust yourself then why not go for the Duc. Having said that, the cost to change a bike is modest and there’s fun in swapping models so not much downside in that approach either.

Me, I got a Street Triple R as my first bike, a 675 lighting naked, and more recently swapped to a Thruxton R for sunny days and an Africa Twin for commuting duties. I have yet to kill myself, but do ride very prudently.

[black-k1]

There's no reason you shouldn't go straight from passing your test to a Diavel. A few will suggest that you should take smaller steps but there is no evidence that this makes life safer or makes you a better rider.

While you may have driven some very fast cars before, bikes really are in a different league! The Diavel will (I'm sure) shock you with just how quickly it adds speed and how quickly, without even trying, your travelling at speeds that will get your license removed and potentially get you locked up.

[Harry H]

I think that those that go straight to a big bike are missing out on so much. Ringing the neck out of a 125/250 is great fun initially.

Yes it's gets frustrating after a while hence why most move to something bigger but by starting on something smaller you at least stand a chance of exploring the limits of the bikes performance. This will stand you in good stead later on.

To put it car terms, in a small hatchback you can learn all about under/over steer etc at relatively safe speeds where when it all goes wrong a mere moral has a chance of saving the day. Try that in a Ferrari and you're going an awful lot faster when adhesion starts to break. It's far more likely to end in tears.

Modern electronics on both bikes and cars tend to dilute the above to a certain extent but really understanding what a car/bike behaves like on the limit is surely a good thing for the enthusiast and doing so at lower speeds initially is only a good thing in my book. A Ducati Diavel is a bloody fast bike it'd take thousands of miles for the average new rider to get anywhere near exploiting it's ability whilst staying alive at the same time.

[Biker's Nemesis]

I wouldn't expect anyone to be able to "find the limit" on the road.

That only ever ends one way.

[black-k1]

Biker's Nemesis said:

I wouldn't expect anyone to be able to "find the limit" on the road.

That only ever ends one way.

Wise words!

... and, if the limit is found, it'll almost always be the rider and not the bike.

[The Beaver King]

I subscribe to the 'buy what you want' train of thought.

I started straight on my Brutale 3 years ago and I'm still not dead. That said, I have absolutely no doubt that working your way up through the ranks of power probably leads you to become a better all-round rider.

You'll follow the same process as me:

1. Pass your DAS on a fairly placid 600cc Jap bike that you think is the fastest thing in the world.
2. Buy something with even more power and claim you'll grow into over the next 3 years.
3. Take it out the first time, go easy for the first 30 minutes before pinning your wrist back on a straight.
4. st pants. Swear you'll never do that again.
5. Do it again. st your pants slightly less.
6. Keep doing it until you become complacent (about 3 months).
7. Do it again. Something goes wrong. st your pants.
8. Realise you still have loads to learn, can't control everything and that this thing can kill you if you take the piss.
9. Revert back to riding within your comfort zone, with the occasion push on your boundaries when you feel brave.

Do it, buy it, try not to crash it.

[spareparts]

You may have driven fast cars, but the biggest issue is your natural ability/talent of 'vision'. Regardless of what you drive!

Fast riders+drivers have common traits: they have terrific road vision, visual processing speed, understanding of physical dynamics, and lack of fear.

[tjlazer]

The sensation of going fast on a bike is very different to a car. I have held my licence a couple of years and the street triple still has more go than just about any car you can buy and the feeling of speed at 100 on a naked is plenty enough unless you're on track and fully tucked. A diavel will almost certainly be near uninsurable and terrifying to ride unless you have a lot of cash and huge balls so is a mighty daunting undertaking. I'd be surprised if you think a 675 is underpowered when you try one and that has about 60 less horses than the Duc.

[Prof Prolapse]

I think starting smaller and building up is probably a more rewarding experience personally, but attitude is far more important than anything else.

My only advice to anyone in your situation, is just to say that, statistically speaking, "mature" blokes who jump on big bikes with little experience, are a very high risk group in terms of being involved in a "KSI". So it is highly likely that pride comes before a fall.

That said, get whatever you want and have fun, seven years since I came to bikes from cars and I still absolutely love it.

[crofty1984]

The Beaver King said:

I subscribe to the 'buy what you want' train of thought.

I started straight on my Brutale 3 years ago and I'm still not dead. That said, I have absolutely no doubt that working your way up through the ranks of power probably leads you to become a better all-round rider.

You'll follow the same process as me:

1. Pass your DAS on a fairly placid 600cc Jap bike that you think is the fastest thing in the world.
2. Buy something with even more power and claim you'll grow into over the next 3 years.
3. Take it out the first time, go easy for the first 30 minutes before pinning your wrist back on a straight.
4. st pants. Swear you'll never do that again.
5. Do it again. st your pants slightly less.
6. Keep doing it until you become complacent (about 3 months).
7. Do it again. Something goes wrong. st your pants.
8. Realise you still have loads to learn, can't control everything and that this thing can kill you if you take the piss.
9. Revert back to riding within your comfort zone, with the occasion push on your boundaries when you feel brave.

Do it, buy it, try not to crash it.

LOL - can't argue with the process! I did the step-by-step route, and I would recommend it. I have loads of fun flinging my 49 year old BSA through the countryside. More so than the Kawasaki I had with 5 times the power.
I don't think it would hurt to spend a bit of time on a 600-750, which is still plenty to feel st-your-pants fast, then after a year get the Ducati, if nothing else so you can appreciate it more. I wouldn't bother with a sub-500cc bike though in your case.

Then again, it's your money. I made the mistake of buying the bike I SHOULD have instead of the bike I WANTED. If buying a bike was sensible, we'd all be driving round in Honda Jazz's.

[Gavia]

Why does someone always say that as a new rider you’ll drop your bike? There’s absolutely no guarantee of that, but it gets repeated all the time.

Then there’s the work your way up in increments of 1cc or less and you’ll be an anmazing rider. Again why? Just buy what you want and ride it sensibly.

However, the comment around cars is always a weird one. Why anyone thinks driving a fast car will translate to being able to ride a bike, especially a cruiser like a Diavel is beyond me. I did get a real laugh at the person who wrote some bks about fast drivers / riders and processing speeds, lack of fear etc. Have you been reading too many Tom Clancy novels and fancy yourself as some kind of hero. What a load of tosh.

[MOBB]

Try the Diavel before you buy.

I had a test ride on a basic Diavel black and fell in love - bought it on the spot.

Only afterwards did I realise that the suspension was insanely stiff - I adjusted it to the softest settings but it was still ridiculous.

Sold it 6 months later, gutted as it was my ideal bike in many ways.

I haven't ridden an X Diavel so it could be better?

[Prof Prolapse]

Gavia said:

Why does someone always say that as a new rider you’ll drop your bike? There’s absolutely no guarantee of that, but it gets repeated all the time.

Then there’s the work your way up in increments of 1cc or less and you’ll be an anmazing rider. Again why? Just buy what you want and ride it sensibly.

However, the comment around cars is always a weird one. Why anyone thinks driving a fast car will translate to being able to ride a bike, especially a cruiser like a Diavel is beyond me. I did get a real laugh at the person who wrote some bks about fast drivers / riders and processing speeds, lack of fear etc. Have you been reading too many Tom Clancy novels and fancy yourself as some kind of hero. What a load of tosh.

Not wishing to push the "Gavia-Social-Suicide-Switch" here, but I think in the case of the former, a 250kg bike being wheeled around by someone who doesn't have experience in doing so is more of an issue than 600cc bike which weights 100kg less. It's just the physics being less forgiving, the angle by which you can't recover the bike is much lower. It's also far to say that newbies drop their bikes more, most of us did it, and those who didn't would probably agree it's more luck than skill at that means you got away with it.

Obviously you're exaggerating to make a point about capacity, but the same applies with the "building up" attitude towards performance. The physics of high performance bikes, and in this case things like the low down torque and weight of the Diavel, means you really do have smaller margins of error. A misjudged throttle input in a bike with loads of low down torque and high power output is far more likely to upset the bike than in a revvy 600. Similarly when you've misjudged your braking point, you're going to both get there with a lot more speed to shed, and a lot more weight, so you're going to manage your braking far more expertly. Turning is obviously the same, more weight to turn, is more difficult to get right.

Now you might be fine with reduced margins of error, and I think you can be, it's ultimately preference and I'd argue first and foremost you should do what you want. But having fewer concerns about binning it, and ultimately less pressure to feel you should be pushing harder, I think increases confidence. I think that makes the learning process more profitable, and more enjoyable.

I agree that there isn't a lot of transferable skills from fast cars to bikes. I found (find?) it very frustrating learning to ride for that reason.

[Fleegle]

Ignore everyone.

Get one bought, but before you pick it up make sure the dealer fits every performance upgrade available.


And don't forget....Ducati is more than just a bike, it's a lifestyle (so get your T-shirt and belt ordered too)

[Gavia]

Prof Prolapse said:

Not wishing to push the "Gavia-Social-Suicide-Switch" here, but I think in the case of the former, a 250kg bike being wheeled around by someone who doesn't have experience in doing so is more of an issue than 600cc bike which weights 100kg less. It's just the physics being less forgiving, the angle by which you can't recover the bike is much lower. It's also far to say that newbies drop their bikes more, most of us did it, and those who didn't would probably agree it's more luck than skill at that means you got away with it.

Obviously you're exaggerating to make a point about capacity, but the same applies with the "building up" attitude towards performance. The physics of high performance bikes, and in this case things like the low down torque and weight of the Diavel, means you really do have smaller margins of error. A misjudged throttle input in a bike with loads of low down torque and high power output is far more likely to upset the bike than in a revvy 600. Similarly when you've misjudged your braking point, you're going to both get there with a lot more speed to shed, and a lot more weight, so you're going to manage your braking far more expertly. Turning is obviously the same, more weight to turn, is more difficult to get right.

Now you might be fine with reduced margins of error, and I think you can be, it's ultimately preference and I'd argue first and foremost you should do what you want. But having fewer concerns about binning it, and ultimately less pressure to feel you should be pushing harder, I think increases confidence. I think that makes the learning process more profitable, and more enjoyable.

I agree that there isn't a lot of transferable skills from fast cars to bikes. I found (find?) it very frustrating learning to ride for that reason.

There’s only one way to work out if you can do either though and that’s to wheel a bike around and to ride it.

All I’m saying is anyone can drop a bike. I was far more careful as a newbie and didn’t drop my bike, but I did later on when more experienced as I got cocky.

I jumped onto an R1 within 18 months of passing my test. I was unbelievably st (still am to a slightly lesser extent), but I’m still here and that was a lively bike, with no electronic aids and a desire to rev its nuts off and the merest hint of applying any throttle. If anything the OP as a new rider is more likely to be scared to open the throttle anywhere near where it needs too.

Braking, turning am down the rest is all down to being relaxed. Many will crash as they think they’ve overcooked it at a point where a more experienced rider probably hasn’t even started to turn in.

Anyway, horses for courses and all that. The OP will undoubtedly go away more confused than when he arrived as the advice will be split 50/50 on opposing sides.