Better the Diavel?
Ali compares her 1260 S to an R5K member’s original 1198
Alison Silcox, Office Manager Loves to tour, especially if food’s involved, and commutes year-round. What better way to spend a sunny Friday morning than a quick tour of the South Downs with Mike Guy, a fellow Ducatisti and member of our #Ride5000miles Facebook group? Owner of a first-generation Diavel 1198, Mike bought his bike new in 2011. Eight years on and with 24,000 miles on the clock, he’s intrigued to find out whether the latest model is an improvement and I’m curious to see if the 1198 has stood the test of time.
With the sound of a familiar V-twin growl, Mike arrives at the Goodwood Motor Circuit café and we park nose-to-nose. You can tell the bikes share the same gene pool: there’s the familiar trellis frame, aggressive front-end and massive 240-section rear tyre.
Mike’s on his home turf and takes me on a 40-mile loop, a perfect mix of dual-carriageways, fast-flowing A-roads and minor B-roads to give us both a chance to find out how the different Diavels perform.
I start on Mike’s original and instantly notice it’s easier to ride than my 1260S. The throttle response is sharper and clutch lighter and not as snatchy. But the two have similar plush seats and riding positions so feel equally comfortable.
I find the switchgear and instruments of the older bike a little dated. Its digital clocks are split in two and the speedo position makes it difficult to read. Mike disagrees: “I like the reassurance of the second clock.” He does have one complaint, though. “It’s a bug-bear there’s no fuel gauge on my bike. There’s a fuel warning light but no gauge, so the 1260 is better in that respect.” Both bikes are in Touring mode and it’s interesting that Mike has a similar view about the Sport setting. Neither of us are that enamoured and barely use anything other than Touring. “In Sport my bike’s an animal,” he says adding that fuel economy suffers, too. “I get around 44mpg in Touring but in Sport was only getting 27mpg.”
So, the all-important question: would Mike swap his Diavel for the latest model? “I liked it but it’s not enough of an improvement to make the change. The new bike has the soul of the Ducati but I think they got it right first time with mine.”