Ducati Thiverval
Thiver-what?
Words Martin Fitz-gibbons Pictures Ducati The name comes from a tiny circuit on the fringes of Paris. Never heard of it? Us neither – apparently it was big in karting during the 1960s and70s. It’s a curious choice, given there’s not exactly an obvious connection between that tiny track and this enormous beast. Created by award-winning Belgian customiser Fred Krugger, the Thiverval was revealed to the public during the Bikers’ Classics Event at Spa-francorchamps.
What’s the hardware?
The Thiverval is based on a Ducati Xdiavel S, the £20k hi-tech flagship techno-cruiser that apparently just isn’t special enough for some. Much of the original bike’s fundamentals remain as standard, including the 1262cc V-twin, the belt final drive, the machined 12- spoke wheels, and the superb ike stand ar dB remboM50o ne-piece front brake calipers. Even the Xdiavel’s LED headlight has been retained.
What Krugger has changed completely is the bike’s attitude – both in terms of its stance and its purpose. The Thiverval has a completely new tank and tail, giving it a much more squat, square, butch and blocky look. Where the Xdiavel’s silhouette follows a rollercoaster drop down from the fuel tank to the seat and back up to the tail, the Thiverval’s bodywork highlights horizontal lines. Even the steel trellis frame has been deliberately covered up to “simplify the lines of the bike.”
What’s the trickest detail?
The seat unit now incorporates the exhaust – on the regular Xdiavel the silencer sits below the rider, on the right-hand side, between the rear wheel and the engine. Now the pipework runs up behind the motor into a custom-built twin-exit muffler beneath the tail light, freeing up a fair chunk of space and giving the bike a cleaner, more strippeddown look.
“What Krugger has changed completely is the bike’s attitude”
The ergonomics have changed radically too. Krugger got rid of the Xdiavel’s feet-forward footpegs and added sportier controls in the conventional place, directly below the rider’s hips – hence the long link rod fitted on the right side, necessary to connect the rear brake pedal to its master cylinder.
The new handlebars are a lot flatter and the seat is slightly higher, tilting the riding position forwards. Another subtle change is that the forks now sit much lower in their travel than the standard Xdiavel – as a result the headlight now sniffs the front mudguard, where on the regular Xdiavel, it floats higher above it. It all helps shift the bike’s balance forwards, turning a relaxed cruiser into a hot-rod, 150bhp muscle bike.