ducati + roland sands xdiavel: an exclusive debut of bike built by californian customizer

ducati + roland sands ‘xdiavel’ custom: the latest ducati ‘xdiavel’ took part at the 76th annual sturgis motorcycle rally the largest bike rally in the USA and the world’s renowned cruiser event. dating back to 1938, the sturgis motorcycle rally draws over half a million bikers from every corner of the globe, all like-minded enthusiasts looking to celebrate and share their passion. this is ducati’s first official participation at the rally and they brought the entire ‘xdiavel’ world along with them, including a never before seen edition of the cruiser.

ducati’s ‘xdiavel’ has an elegant form with custom detailing from roland sands
see more of the original project on designboom here

presented in 2016, the ‘xdiavel’ brings two worlds together: the american cruiser world of high-torque at low RPM, foot-forward controls for long road trips, and the ducati world of italian style, refined engineering, unparalleled performance and adrenaline-fueled sports riding. the unmistakable look of the motorcycle, the recent winner of the red dot design award in 2016, now has an american design influence by californian customizer roland sands. at sturgis he presented his own interpretation of the bologna-built cruiser.

a recent winner of the 2016 red dot design award

an exercise in pure style, this concept bike built by sands features a top-class finish and a design that reflects the strong personality of the celebrated californian customizer. with a one-piece body fixed to the distinctive ducati trellis frame, a 19” front wheel for a bold look, and a collection of billet aluminum details that deliver a unique result, this ‘xdiavel’ has transformed into an even more decisive, radical sport-chopper cruiser that still retains its inimitable ducati DNA. 

‘xdiavel’s’ luxury custom paint finish shimmers in the evening sun

this special one-off build is indeed something of a logical evolution for roland sands who has always had a thing for the ducati cruiser. in addition to the custom design ‘xdiavel’, roland sands design has created an exclusive line of special accessories and components.

the one-piece body fixed to the unmistakeably ducati trellis frame

‘the xdiavel is a beast. a wolf in wolves’ clothing and a serious piece of speed equipment,’ said roland sands. ‘we really wanted to pivot off all that amazing technology and not mess it up by tearing it out. so the bike is still very stock from a functional standpoint. the bike was a 3-month build, with careful consideration and deliberation about the direction of the design. ultimately, we decided to twist the aesthetic while retaining decidedly ‘stock’ bike functionality. i’m proud to say that’s exactly what we’ve achieved.’