Thumping Viper Diamondback

American motorcycle maker Viper has taken the wraps off its new Diamondback 'super cruiser' which it claims is the most powerful V-twin in the world, producing "unmatched" torque and overall power.

Conveniently, exact power figures are not crystal clear at this stage, but the US company says the 152 cubic inch (2490cc) engine will slam out 195Nm of torque at 3000rpm.

Viper is also making use of a proprietary engine vibration dampening system to give the bike an "ultra smooth ride unlike any before", and the big donk also makes use of a dry sump, which is fed by external oil lines connected to the oil-in-frame reservoir.

With plenty of power, the Viper Diamondback hopes to challenge Harley-Davidson's grip on the top end of the cruiser market, and it won't be cheap either, with carbon bodywork adding a "sexy, lighter and stronger feature" says the company.

Interestingly, the new Viper also gets air-ride suspension, which is adjustable on the fly. At the push of a button, riders have the ability to tighten up or smooth out the ride quality, which could be useful when carrying pillion passengers.

Lighting is taken care of by clusters of LEDs and the Diamondback gets "fully adjustable lower controls", which means the pegs can be shifted around to suit riders of different heights or leg lengths. This last application could have uses in many other motorcycle categories and would certainly broaden the appeal of some models.

Check out Viper's website for details on the brand and its bikes.