Braved to righteous indignation of America’s hard-core Harley-Davidson brotherhood in August when the unveiled a new Roland Sands designed Ducati XDiavel special at the 76th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (from August 5 to 14 at Sturgis, South Dakota, USA), the largest motorcycle 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 was Ducati's first official participation at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally,” the company says, “and we brought the entire XDiavel world along with us. The Black Hills surrounding Sturgis are home to some of the planet's most legendary motorcycling roads and with the XDiavel they have been turned a shade darker.”
Presented in 2016, the Ducati 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 XDiavel, 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 - together with Ducati - his own interpretation of the Bologna-built cruiser.
“An exercise in pure style, this XDiavel-derived concept bike built by Roland Sands features a top-class finish and a design that reflects the strong personality of this 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.
“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, featured in the Ducati Performance catalogue, and currently available at Ducati dealers.
“The response to our presence at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was exceptionally welcoming. The passion for two wheels, twin-cylinder engines, and beautiful roads is shared by everyone at this gathering of the motorcycle community,” said Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America.
“As motorcyclists we are part of a tribe, but we also embrace our individuality. This custom-built XDiavel by Roland Sands Design embodies the spirit of personalization that makes this Rally so special. The XDiavel and this interpretation provides us an opportunity to share Ducati with all in attendance.”
"The XDiavel is a beast. A wolf in wolves’ clothing and a serious piece of speed equipment,” said Roland Sands, owner of Roland Sands Design and lead designer on the custom build. “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,” said Roland of the build.