Ducati’s Wildest Moto Gets A Dose Of Retro Cool From Belgium’s Best Customizer

By Miles Branman Published January 2, 2020

Anyone who tells you the Ducati XDiavel is boring must either get their kicks from extreme sports or experimental drugs. Easily one of the wildest motorcycles on sale, the XDiavel pairs immense power with some outlandish styling for a distinct cruiser combo.

While the common man sees completed menace in the design of the XDiavel, motorcycle customizers see a two-wheeled canvas. Already, Roland Sands and the Ducati Center have transformed the XDiavel into unique expressions of the motoring kind. Now Belgium’s best bike builder is taking a crack at Ducati’s heavyweight.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Fred Krugger has won the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building and has received a number of other honors during his 20-plus years of tinkering. When it came to the XDiavel, Krugger decided to retain the bike’s aggression, while giving it retro flair.

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Up front, the ‘Thiverval’ maintains the original bike’s headlight and front fork, but swaps in a custom wheel fender. In profile, you can see the biggest tweaks, including a distinct tank, seat, and rear cowl. Krugger’s also keeps the XDiavel’s silver-on-black paint scheme with his new bodywork, starting at the front wheel and wrapping around the tail.

Around back, a single, square LED taillight mimics early 90s sport bikes with a pair of exhaust ports tucked neatly beneath the seat. The Thiverval commands just as much or more attention as the regular XDiavel, but with a more cohesive aesthetic.

Apart from the visual touches, the Thiverval carries over the XDiavel’s 1262cc L-twin motor. 156 horsepower and 95 pound-feet of torque give the Thiverval ample thrust. Peak torque is available at 5,000 rpms, and another surge of torque appears at 7,500 rpm. We were more than impressed with how the XDiavel handled itself in a straight line and through corners when we tested it last year.

The Thiverval was shown this past weekend at the 2017 Bikers’ Classics in Belgium. Krugger hasn’t given his latest creation a price tag, but considering the standard XDiavel starts at $20,000, expect the one-off version to cost significantly more.

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