2021 Ducati Diavel 1260 vs Triumph Rocket 3: Photo Comparison

Two of the most powerful sports cruisers in India compared in pictures

Ducati India launched the Diavel 1260 yesterday in the Standard and S variant. Awaiting its unveiling was the Triumph Rocket 3. So, we’ve put the Italian and the British offerings against each other, visually, to see how they fare. 

Design-wise both the bikes have a very butch appearance, courtesy of their minimal yet muscular bodywork. The Ducati Diavel 1260’s front fascia is pretty no-nonsense -- an LED headlight with DRLs complimented by the brawny tank shrouds on the sides. Contrastingly, the Triumph Rocket 3 gets a pair of circular LED headlights with a small visor on the top sitting in proportion with the overall size of the bike. 

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In typical cruiser fashion, both get large, swooping fuel tanks and the handlebars are positioned towards the rider. Moreover, one can’t help but notice the Rocket 3’s mammoth of an engine with the triple exhaust headers popping out.

Talking about the motor, the Italian cruiser is powered by a 1,262cc liquid-cooled L-twin motor belting out 162PS and 129Nm. On the other hand, the Triumph has plonked a gargantuan 2,458cc liquid-cooled triple-cylinder mill pumping out 167PS of power and a gut-wrenching 221Nm of torque at just 4,000 rpm. Both the bikes get a 6-speed gearbox. 

The Diavel 1260’s electronic suite includes riding modes, cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, launch control as well as cruise control. Moreover, the S variant also gets a bi-directional quickshifter as standard. All the parameters can be toggled on the TFT display. 

The Triumph Rocket 3 also features three riding modes (rain, road, sport and rider-configurable), cornering ABS and traction control. It too gets a TFT screen. 

The Diavel 1260’s standard version is sprung by a fully adjustable 50mm inverted fork and a rebound/ preload-adjustable monoshock. The S variant gets fully adjustable Ohlins suspension at both ends. Suspension duties on the Rocket 3 are done by Showa 47mm upside-down fork and fully adjustable Showa piggyback reservoir RSU with remote hydraulic preload adjuster. 

Dropping the anchor for the Diavel 1260 are Brembo M4.32 callipers with twin 320mm discs on the base model (Brembo M50 front callipers for the S model) and a 265mm rear disc. The Triumph Rocket 3 uses the same braking setup as the standard Diavel. 

Rolling on 17-inch alloys, the Diavel 1260 gets a 120/70 front and 240/45 rear Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 rubber. And, the Rocket 3 gets a 150/80-17 front and a massive 240/50-16 rear alloy wrapped in an Avon tyre. 

The Ducati tips the weighing scale at 223kg and gets a 17-litre fuel tank whereas the Rocket 3 weighs 291kg and gets an 18-litre fuel tank. 

Seat height shouldn’t be a bother on either of the bikes. The Diavel 1260’s saddle is 780mm high and the Rocket 3 gets a seat height of 773mm. The wheelbase for the Ducati is 1,600mm and the Triumph is 1,677mm. 

Prices for the 2021 Ducati Diavel start from Rs 18,49,000 for the base variant and go up to Rs 21,49,000 for the S model. On the other hand, the Triumph Rocket 3 is available in four variants: GT, R Black, R and GT Triple Black. Its price ranges from Rs 19,35,000 to Rs 20,95,000 (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).