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2016 Ducati XDiavel S

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The Ducati XDiavel is another big step for the Brand from Bologna, as the modell pushes further into the territory first pioneered by the Ducati Diavel, and hopes to give cruiser enthusiasts a design that speaks a little bit more of their native language.

With forward controls coming standard, along with a low and raked chassis design, the XDiavel is unlike any other Ducati on the market, and it takes some time to wrap your head around that fact.

These changes though allow Ducati to move boldly into an area dominated by one brand: Harley-Davidson. That is a tall mountain to climb, as the Bar & Shield brand has a chokehold on the cruiser-riding faithful, who flock to the American brand not because of what it does, but because of who it is.

This makes winning the hearts and minds of cruiser riders an exceptionally difficult task – one too that is not easily undertaken. The first step in mounting the assault on that summit is to develop a motorcycle that has no equal. In this regard, Ducati has a fighting chance.

It looks we’ll see two Ducati recalls this week. In addition to the Ducati 1199 Superleggera recall we saw on Monday, the 2016 Ducati XDiavel S is also getting a recall from Ducati North America.

This recall centers around the rear wheel on the Ducati XDiavel S, which may have been installed incorrectly onto the wheel hub. This recall affects only the XDiavel S model, and encompasses 925 motorcycles in all.

If the rear wheel was incorrectly installed on the hub, this may cause the drive pins to fail, which would result in a loss of brakes and power from the engine.

Since a failure of this type could lead to the motorcycle crashing, Ducati North America has issued a recall with the NHTSA.

The Ducati XDiavel is the latest push by the Italian manufacturer into a market dominated by American brands. The XDiavel evolves the Diavel aesthetic, with its longer and lower power cruiser lines, and the controversial addition of forward-controls and a belt final-drive.

The XDiavel model is designed to evangelize non-Ducati riders into the Italian company, and as such the XDiavel sits somewhere between the Ducati Scrambler and other more “traditional” Ducati models, in terms of its integration into the core Ducati brand.

Abandoning the Rosso Corsa of its siblings, Ducati says that the color of the XDiavel is black. Accordingly, we have a slew of black and white press photos for you after the jump.

The test will be whether the XDiavel can grow Ducati’s cruiser lineup, especially with new Ducati riders, or if it will simply cannibalize on the Diavel’s sales. We will have our thoughts on all that in our ride review – look for it tomorrow.

In the mean time, enjoy the super high-resolution photos after the jump.

In addition to the Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro, the Scrambler Sixty2, and Ducati 959 Panigale that have debuted ahead of the EICMA show, we can also bring you the first photos of the Ducati XDiavel, the much-talked about belt-driven cruiser from Italy.

A lot of the Ducati XDiavel, and its higher-spec sibling the Ducati XDiavel S, is “what you see is what you get” and not really our cup of tea, to be honest. Though, the models represent an expansion of the Diavel line that is certainly intriguing and likely to bring more riders into the Ducati family.

Underneath all the cruiser styling is a potent and new 1,262cc engine, which has variable valve timing and makes a healthy 156hp and 96 lbs•ft of torque.