Ducati XDiavel wins world’s oldest prize dedicated to design excellence.
It wouldn’t be too far fetched to say that the Ducati XDiavel is the best looking bike of 2016, there were very few bikes that awed us as much as the XDiavel did.
Ducati’s first ever “power cruiser” has proven to be a stand-out in international Design competitions, having already bagged the prestigious European “Red Dot Award 2016”. The XDiavel has now picked up another award from the “Good Design Award 2016”.
The Good Design Award was established in 1950 and is the world’s oldest prize dedicated to the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial products and graphic designs produced around the world. For the 2016 edition of the Good Design Award, the jury evaluated over 900 candidates from 46 countries. The products evaluated ranged from electronics to robotics, from furnishing to graphics and vehicles.
In the vehicles category, the XDiavel won thanks to its unique silhouette, one that is recognised as a style, innovation and performance icon.
Hailed by Ducati as a true “Technocruiser”, the XDiavel wasn’t just a redesign of the standard Diavel, it was meticulously redesigned down to the very last detail; combining futuristic exaltation of mechanics and state-of-the-art technology.
The Good Design Award 2016 prize-giving ceremony took place on 27 January at the New York site of the Chicago Atheneum.
According to reports online, BMW’s Motorrad division is looking to take on Ducati’s award winning power cruiser – the XDiavel.
There is no word on how it is going to look like or what is going to be powering it, but this is not the first time that BMW has ventured into the cruiser market – who can forget the BMW that James Bond rode in Tomorrow Never Dies – the R1200C.
Both Ducati and BMW have wanted to take on the power cruiser market for many years now, and have come away scarred and bruised. Ducati seems to have learned a lot judging from how beautiful the XDiavel is, and BMW seems to be magically balancing good looks and performance in it’s current line-up of motorcycles.
Lets also not forget that BMW recently teased us with its own take on a BMW bagger called the BMW Concept 101, which is based on the K1600.
So what will be powering the new bike? Only time will tell but BMW has a vast array of powerplants to choose from; an inline-four, inline-six and even the well proven boxer engine. It remains to be seen what BMW will ultimately go for though.
So when will we be seeing such a stunning machine from Munich? A concept debut at EICMA this year sounds fitting.
In conjunction with its 90th anniversary next year, Ducati has taken the wraps off nine new models for their 2016 range ahead of the EICMA show in Milan, Italy.
The nine models were:
Scrambler Sixty2
Scrambler Flat Track
XDiavel
Multistrada 1200 Enduro
Multistrada 1200 Pikes Peak Edition
Hypermotard 939
2016 Hypermotard SP
2016 Hyperstrada
Panigale 959
Present during the media preview to unveil the new line up were Ducati’s CEO Claudio Domenicali, three-time WSBK Champion Troy Bayliss, Ducati MotoGP riders Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso, as well as Ducati WSBK rider Davide Giugliano.
Scrambler Sixty2
The Scrambler Sixty2, which Ducati is targeting towards new riders and new markets, is powered by a 399cc, 41hp desmodromic air-cooled L-twin, with styling largely identical to its larger capacity siblings in the Scrambler range. Its Sixty2 moniker is drawn from 1962, the year of the first Ducati Scrambler.
Scrambler Flat Track Pro
Based on last year’s Scrambler’s 803, the Scrambler Flat Track Pro features a dedicated livery, side panel and seat along with a full throttle exhaust. Inspired by Ducati riders Troy Bayliss and Johnny Lewis at the 2015 American AMA Pro Flat Track championship, the model also comes with low variable section handlebars, a Termigoni exhaust and alloy wheels.
Multistrada 1200 Enduro
Designed to go against bikes like the BMW R1200GS and the KTM Adventure 1190, the new 1200 Enduro is a reworked machine that was built primarily for off-road use with 19 inch front and 17 inch rear spoked wheels, semi-active Sachs suspension and a massive 29-litre fuel tank, which Ducati is claiming will get up to 448km per tank. According to Ducati, the new Multistrada is its first full-fledged off-roader, and comes with a huge range of accessories designed exclusively for it, including all aluminum panniers and top boxes.
Multistrada Pikes Peak
The 2016 Multistrada line sees a continuation of the Pikes Peak nameplate, and the same style of upgrades on the DVT version of the Multistrada 1200. Notable features include an Öhlins fork and Öhlins TTX36 shock, Termignoni mufflers, a carbon fiber windscreen, red stitching on the seat, and stripes on the 3-spoke wheels.
XDiavel
Featuring an aggressive ground-up redesign from the 2011 Diavel, the XDiavel is the first Ducati to come with belt drive, and is aimed at those looking for a cruiser. The main highlight of the XDiavel is that its ergonomics are adjustable up to 60 different positions, with a standard fitment which includes an extended seat and passenger backrest. Power on the other hand, is supplied by a 1262cc Testastretta DVT (Ducati Valve Timing)-equipped L-twin that’s been tuned for massive low-rpm torque.
959 Panigale
The Ducati 959 Panigale is essentially the updated 899 panigale with bigger engine capacity, more power and some stylistic and feature related changes. Sharing the stylistic features with the bigger 1299 Panigale, Ducati claims that the 959 is a more useable everyday bike which is also a potent race track tool.
Hypermotard 939
For 2016, Ducati has fitted the Hypermotard with a larger, more powerful 939 motor which will also power the track-oriented Hypermotard 939 SP, as well as the touring-tuned Hyperstrada 939. All three bikes will have fully adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes with Bosch-backed ABS, adjustable traction control, and ride modes.
Check out more pictures in the extensive gallery we’ve prepared below.