Lap of Luxury: Ducati motorcycles
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Fox 5 visited Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati to check out the new limited edition Diavel Diesel.
Andrea Buzzoni, sales and marketing director for Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., says the name of the bike tells its story. "Diavel" comes from the dialect of Bologna, Italy, where Ducati is based. It means devil. The bike is limited in number, a significant number. Just 666 exist in the world.
The Ducati Diavel Diesel is a collaboration with Italian denim line Diesel. The inspiration is a post-apocalyptic, retro-futuristic world. Buzzoni says the rough and rusted metal, leather seat, and red details on the lights, the tank, and the front brake are all reminders of the devil.
So why not take that devilish bike for a spin? We rode it through the mean streets of the Upper East Side and didn't need to go very fast to get hooked.
About 100 of these bikes are available right now in the United States. Ducati Triumph New York in SoHo has one of them. Sticker price: $25,795.
Buzzoni calls Ducati an approachable dream but with a cult following. He says Ducati is one of the most emotional two-wheel brands in the world.
The Ducati family created the brand in Bologna in 1926. Over the last 91 years, Ducati has developed such a strong following that refers to its customers as "fans." Last year, those fans bought 55,451 bikes worldwide, a new sales record for the brand.
Buzzoni says Ducati bikes start around $8,000 and run up to about $80,000 for the most exclusive bike, which launched 6 months ago.
The new Superleggera is also a limited edition. Buzzoni says it is the most technologically advanced and light sport bike in the world. Ducati sold all 500 of them in less than three weeks, he says.
Just three years ago, Ducati introduced a line of more affordable bikes called the Scrambler. Buzzoni describes it as a post-heritage, lifestyle bike, where performance and technology take a back seat to lifestyle values, self-expression, outdoors, and adventure. The Ducati Scrambler costs from $8,000 to about $11,000.
The Multistrada is Buzzoni's favorite bike for a weekend away and starts at $13,995. He says this dual bike is great for travel because of its comfort, economy, and safety. It's also able to do light off-roading. Buzzoni says it is designed to go everywhere, so you don't stop when the asphalt does.