Ducati’s stance and characteristics in recent years
On September 19, 2025, Ducati Japan held a press conference at an event hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, to announce the XDiavel V4, which will be released in the Japanese market on October 4. Attending this event, I was able to truly appreciate the momentum and originality of the company in recent years.
Ducati Japan President Mads Lindström is quite fluent in Japanese.
The first thing that impressed me was a statement made by Ducati Japan President Mads Lindström: “By 2025, we will be launching more than 10 new models.”
That said, some of these models are derivatives, but the lineup, which covers a wide range of categories such as super sports, adventure tourers, neo-classics, sports nakeds, cruisers, and motocrossers, conveys a different energy from the company’s past.
Rocco Canosa, product sponsor, came to Japan from Italy to talk about the development process of the XDiavel V4.
What really struck a chord with me was the keyword “MotoGP-derived technology” that came up in a talk by product sponsor Rocco Canosa, who came to Japan from the Italian headquarters.If you think about it, the Diavel V4 and XDiavel V4 are the only cruisers in the world (or is that only two, since there are only two?) that inherit the DNA of MotoGP.
The 90-degree V4 engine, named the V4 Gran Turismo, incorporates Desmosedici technology from the MotoGP. However, the intake and exhaust valves are controlled by a conventional coil spring system rather than the desmodromic system.
Of course, there are no common parts between the Desmosedici, which has been overwhelmingly strong in MotoGP in recent years, and commercial models, but the V4 series currently sold by Ducati makes use of the know-how it has cultivated in the world’s top races.
And among these commercially available motorcycles, I feel that the models competing for first and second place in terms of friendliness are the cruiser Diavel V4 and XDiavel V4.
Differences from the Diavel V4
The XDiavel V4 comes in two body colors: Burning Red and Black Lava. All brake parts are Brembo, with a 330mm diameter front disc.
Details of the XDiavel V4, which was first unveiled at the Ducati World Premiere in February 2025, have already been reported by many media outlets, including this site. In the following article, we would like to introduce the differences between the XDiavel V4 and the Diavel V4, which has similar but different qualities, as well as our impressions of riding the XDiavel V4 on display.
The muffler is a unique quad exhaust, with a shape similar to but different from that of the Diavel V4. The front and rear wheels are designed with muscle car in mind, with the rear tire size being 240/45ZR17.
First, to note the differences with the Diavel V4, the 168ps V4 engine, some chassis parts, and a wide variety of electronic devices to support the rider are all common, but the exterior, lighting, riding position related parts, front and rear wheels, quad exhaust system, etc. are designed specifically for each vehicle.
The Diavel V4, which went on sale in 2023, was developed with the aim of making the entire engine visible. The price starts from 3,139,000 yen.
The wheelbase, seat height and caster angle, which determine the vehicle’s character, are 1593mm, 790mm and 26° for the Diavel V4, and 1620mm, 770mm and 29° for the XDiavel V4.
Although they belong to the same cruiser genre, the Diavel V4, with its small size, high seating position and steep caster angle, prioritizes sportiness, while the low and long XDiavel V4 is more stability-oriented.
Although maneuverability has not been made a secondary priority, the XDiavel V4’s body is designed to be low and long. The price starts from 3,335,000 yen.
Well, that’s just my opinion, but you can still enjoy cruising on the Diavel V4, and I don’t think the XDiavel V4 makes sports riding any less enjoyable.
Unexpected friendly qualities
Coming from someone who is 182cm tall, it may not sound very convincing, but the XDiavel V4 looks like it would be enjoyable even for smaller riders.
Next, he sat atop the XDiavel V4 display model, and my first impression was, “Huh?”
The previous XDiavel, which was equipped with a V2 engine, had a riding position that was difficult for smaller riders, but the XDiavel V4 seems to have a much less restrictive feel for riders of all builds, with the distance between the handlebar grips and the seating position now shorter and the position of the forward control footpegs now slightly set back (adjustable by ±20mm).
Compared to its predecessor, the handlebars are 20mm lower and 14mm closer to the rider, the TFT full-color display is 6.9 inches, and the steel fuel tank has a capacity of 20 liters.
Moreover, compared to its predecessor, the XDiavel V4 feels lighter when putting down the side stand and standing the vehicle upright (weight is 6kg lighter than the previous model), and the comfort of the front and rear seats seems to have been dramatically improved (front seats are 54mm thicker, while the rear seats are 30% wider, 50% longer, and 25mm thicker).
The front and rear split seats show consideration for comfort, but the seat height is 770mm, 15mm higher than the previous model.
The XDiavel V4 tends to attract attention for its innovative looks and overwhelming engine power, but with this feel, even a small rider and even with the stop-and-go traffic on Japanese roads would be able to enjoy long runs.
Like the Diavel V4, the tail stop lamp is located on the back of the seat cowl, but the design is different.
However, this feeling is common to many of the models that Ducati has sold in recent years, and it is precisely because the company has been actively incorporating cutting-edge technology from MotoGP while also developing its products with an awareness of familiarity and comfort that it has been able to expand its support base around the world in recent years.
Debut fair will be held from October 4th to November 2nd
Ducati Japan will be holding a debut fair for the vehicle for approximately one month from Saturday, October 4th to Sunday, November 2nd. Riders who test ride the XDiavel V4 and get a quote during this period will receive an original tumbler as a gift (while stocks last), so if you’re interested in this model, be sure to visit any Ducati dealer nationwide.
