2014 Ducati Diavel Dark, The dark side of powerTotal black, powerful, assertive. Sophisticated design meets the powerand exuberance of 162 hp. The striking engine colour dominates the details, revealing the Diavel¿¿¿s very essence.The Diavel project was born when Ducati designers applied their wish-list of bike ¿¿¿basic instincts¿¿¿ to a blank canvas. With a ¿¿¿what if?¿¿¿ approach to creating a dream bike, they sketched inspiring shapes which became a lower and longer motorcycle. ¿¿¿The challenge of building a muscular silhouette over a pure-bred competition motor had to be met with determination and a delicate touch, and the result is a frontal area that looks like a power athlete on the starting blocks,¿¿¿ explains the team at Ducati Design responsible for the project. ¿¿¿With the front wheel kept close to the Diavel¿¿¿s body and using the short tail of a sport bike, we were able to blend this muscular design with a chassis that matched.¿¿¿The Diavels heart is the Ducati Testastretta 11¿¿ ¿¿¿ developed directly from the incredibly powerful, world-beating race engines of Ducati Corse. Ducati¿¿¿s Testastretta 11¿¿ harnesses the immense power of the Superbike engine and makes it smooth and adaptable, a massive step forward in balancing high-performance with an enjoyable ride. For an engine with brute power on tap when needed and smooth, user-friendliness available for an effortless and comfortable ride, Ducati revised the configuration of the cam timing with particular focus on the valve overlap angle. The overlap angle is defined as the interval of crankshaft rotation, measured in degrees, during which both the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time. This overlap occurs between the end of the exhaust stroke and the start of the intake stroke. High performance engines, which are subject to compromising smoothness for extreme power delivery, use high values of this parameter in order to benefit from the pressure waves to improve engine performance by maximising volumetric efficiency. On the Testastretta 11¿¿ engine, this angle has been reduced from 41¿¿, used in the Testastretta Evoluzione engine which powers the 1198, to 11¿¿. As a result, the fresh inlet charge flow is less compromised by the exiting exhaust gases, resulting in a much smoother combustion in addition to improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions.