Ducati XDiavel Black Star Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The Black Star sits at the top of Ducati's feet-forward cruiser line, and it never pretends otherwise. A 1262 cc liquid-cooled L-twin runs in plain sight, rated at 160 hp at 9,500 rpm and 94 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm, with a belt taking drive back to a 240/45-17 rear tire. Forged wheels, fully adjustable DLC-coated suspension, a suede seat and the exclusive livery separate it from an ordinary cruiser build. The rider aids are all standard: cornering ABS, traction control, ride modes, plus cruise control, a TFT dash, keyless ignition and phone connectivity.

There is no faked character here, which is why it holds up. Build quality is high in the way you notice at a standstill, the chassis stays composed once the speed climbs, and the whole shape reads as one deliberate piece rather than a styling exercise bolted over a radiator. This is for the rider who wants presence and mechanical drama without giving up modern control. The honest caveat: 545 lb wet and that enormous rear tire set the terms. Walking pace and tight parking lots ask for real commitment, and the equipment list favors riding over long-haul convenience.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	160 hp (118 kW) @ 9,500 rpm
Torque	94 lb-ft (127 Nm) @ 5,000 rpm
Displacement	1262 cc
Engine	L-twin
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Belt
Fork	Upside-down (USD)
Front brake	320 mm
Front tire	120/70-17
Rear tire	240/45-17
Seat height	29.7 in (755 mm)
Wet weight	545 lb (247 kg)
Fuel capacity	4.8 gal (18 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard
Cruise Control Standard

Connectivity

Keyless System Standard

Safety

ABS Standard

The Truth on the Street

This part is not my test ride. It is what riders have told me over the years, in paddocks, at club nights, and in the messages owners send me directly. For the Black Star the chatter runs one way: praise for how it rides, complaints about what it costs.

Where the praise keeps landing

The engine comes up first, every time. Riders describe power and torque well beyond what this class normally serves, with a pull that stays flat and muscular instead of peaky. Handling is the second thing they keep raising: for a bike with the pegs out front and that wide rear tire, it steers with more precision than owners expected. Brakes draw the same reaction, well above cruiser norms for stopping power and for the confidence riders feel leaning into a corner.

The costs riders keep flagging

The price is the loudest complaint. Owners state it plainly: at this money the Black Star lands against premium cruisers and fast sport tourers. The rest of the gripes are quieter. Some find the dash small for this level, some run short of comfort on long days and go looking for the accessory seat, and a few mention how quickly that big rear tire wears when ridden hard.

Known issues

Passenger backrest breakage risk

bodywork occasional Recall

The passenger backrest may break if incorrectly installed or misused, potentially causing the passenger to fall. A recall (SRV-RCL-23-005) addresses this by inspecting the installation and adding a warning sticker.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Ducati XDiavel Black Star pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Metal-and-Muscle Presence

Rumble & Character

Low-Speed Confidence Despite Mass

Relaxed Boulevard Ergonomics

Living-Machine Feel

Relaxed Torque Authority

This bike Class average

The shape of the Ducati XDiavel Black Star — numbers and character vs. the average Cruiser

Head-to-head: Ducati XDiavel Black Star vs. its rivals

Power

160 hp This bike 85 hp Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy FLFB 165 hp Triumph Rocket 3 GT 96 hp Moto Guzzi Eldorado 87 hp Honda CMX1100 Rebel

Torque

94 lb-ft This bike 111 lb-ft Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy FLFB 163 lb-ft Triumph Rocket 3 GT 89 lb-ft Moto Guzzi Eldorado 72 lb-ft Honda CMX1100 Rebel

Displacement

1262 cc This bike 1745 cc Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy FLFB 2458 cc Triumph Rocket 3 GT 1380 cc Moto Guzzi Eldorado 1084 cc Honda CMX1100 Rebel

Wet weight

545 lb This bike 699 lb Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy FLFB 699 lb Triumph Rocket 3 GT 692 lb Moto Guzzi Eldorado 494 lb Honda CMX1100 Rebel

Seat height

29.7 in This bike 26.6 in Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy FLFB 29.5 in Triumph Rocket 3 GT 29.1 in Moto Guzzi Eldorado 27.6 in Honda CMX1100 Rebel

The 'Should I Buy It?' Score

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the XDiavel Black Star is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best cruiser for Sturgis?

If Sturgis and Daytona anchor your calendar, this delivers the stance, the metal and the sound, just with an Italian accent. Right if you want the ritual on your own terms, wrong if brand belonging is the whole point.

Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week

Best retro motorcycle for road trips?

Small towns and an unhurried pace suit the low seat and the relaxed reach. Nothing about it is period-correct, though. You are buying a long, low modern machine, so be sure that is the look you want.

Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

It settles into a steady highway stride with cruise control set and stays composed all day. But a 4.8 gal tank, no center stand and a feet-forward stance make loaded two-up weeks harder work than they should be.

Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road

Alternatives to the Ducati XDiavel Black Star

If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.

Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Ducati XDiavel Black Star. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.