2007 DUCATI MONSTER Complaints

2008 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS VOLTAGE RECTIFIER/REGULATOR OVER HEATS AND CATCHES FIRE. MELTS AND DESTROYS OTHER COMPONENTS SURROUNDING THE UNIT, SUCH AS THE OIL BREATHER TANK AND THE SEAT. THIS PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE FOR OTHER DUCATI MODELS. THE VOLTAGE RECTIFIER IS USED ON MANY DUCATI MODELS AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, IN PARTICULAR THE 2007 TO 2008 S4RS MODELS WHICH HAVE IDENTICAL PARTS. THIS ISSUE IS WIDELY KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY. AS PROOF, AFTERMARKET PARTS AND RELOCATION KITS ARE AVAILABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, HTTPS://TPOPARTS.COM/CAT093/INDEX.PHP?ROUTE=PRODUCT/PRODUCT&PRODUCT_ID=165 HTTP://WWW.ELECTROSPORT.COM/STREET-BIKES/DUCATI/MONSTER-696-2.HTML NOTE TO NHTSA: DROP DOWN MENU IN COMPLAINT FORM DOES NOT HAVE THE 2008 S4RS AS A SELECTION ITEM, THUS I SELECTED THE 2007 S4RS. *TR

THE PLASTIC GAS TANK IS SWOLLEN AND WILL NOT MOUNT PROPERLY TO THE FRAME NOR ALLOWS FREE OPERATION OF THE HANDLEBARS, WHICH MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FRAME. GAS TANK HAS SWOLLEN TO THE POINT THAT THE PAINT HAS CRACKED AND THE MOUNTS ARE PAST THE FRAME...BRINGS CONCERNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR RUPTURE ONTO A HOT ENGINE.

THIS DUCATI MONSTER S4RS MOTORCYCLE IS ONE OF THE MANY THAT EXPERIENCED DEFORMATION OF THE FUEL TANK AND COMPROMISE OF THE INTERNAL FUEL PUMP OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CAUSE OF THE DEFORMATION IS DUE TO INCOMPATIBILITY WITH FUEL ITSELF; VERY POSSIBLY ETHANOL IN PARTICULAR. THIS MOTORCYCLE'S GAS TANK WAS REPLACED LAST NOVEMBER. IT IS ALREADY IN NEED OF ANOTHER NEW TANK. THE COST OF A NEW ONE IS APPROXIMATELY $2500.00. *TR

MY DUCATI MONSTER S4R 2007 (PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2009 AND ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 5K MILES, ALWAYS GARAGED, AND NEVER HAD SEEN A DROP OF WATER), AND WHICH WAS JUST RECENTLY SERVICED AT CYCLES 128, BEVERLY MA, LITERALLY WENT UP IN FLAMES ON JUNE 10, 2012. YES, IT LIT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN AND WENT UP IN FLAMES, BURNING TO A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS HAVING A NICE RIDE ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY, STOOD THE BIKE UP ON ITS KICKSTAND, SHUT-OFF THE ENGINE AND REMOVED THE KEY. AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE BIKE, I SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES SHOOT OUT TO THE SIDE FROM UNDER THE SEAT. I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT CALL 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE BIKE WAS COMPLETELY IN FLAMES AND HAD FALLEN TO ITS SIDE. DUCATI OF NORTH AMERICA HAS BASICALLY IGNORED MY STRONG URGENCY TO INVESTIGATE THE FIRE IN CASE OF A POTENTIAL PRODUCT DEFECT ISSUE THAT COULD REOCCUR AND PERHAPS CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS, NOR HAVE THEY OFFERED TO HELP IN ANY WAY. THE DEALER, WHICH ONLY TWO MONTHS PRIOR HAD DONE A COMPLETE SERVICE MAINTENANCE ON THE BIKE COSTING $400 (NO PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED WITH THE BIKE IN PRIOR TWO YEARS), COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE SINCE IT HAD BURNED SO BADLY AND SIMPLY COMMENTED: "? IF THERE IS A SHORT OR HIGH RESISTANCE IN ONE OF THESE CIRCUITS THEY CAN CREATE ENOUGH HEAT TO SET PLASTIC ON FIRE (EVEN THE INSULATION ON THE WIRES THEMSELVES) THIS IS WHAT I THINK MOST LIKELY HAPPENED BUT I CAN'T TELL FOR SURE." IN A NUT SHELL, AND IN MY SINCEREST OPINION, NEITHER DUCATI OF NORTH AMERICA NOR CYCLES 128, BEVERLY, MA HAS SATISFACTORILY ADDRESSED WHAT COULD BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PRODUCT OR SERVICE ISSUE. VERY DISAPPOINTING AND CONCERNING TO SAY THE LEAST. *TR

THE GAS TANK ON THIS MOTORCYCLE IS PLASTIC AND HAS SWOLLEN TO THE POINT THAT IT WILL NOT SECURELY LATCH TO THE FRAME. IT HAS SWOLLEN AGAINST THE LATCH THAT CONNECTS IT AND INTO THE IGNITION SYSTEM. IF YOU RIDE THIS BIKE, YOU ARE RIDING IT WITHOUT THE TANK CONNECTED TO THE BIKE. *TR

THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI MONSTER 695 IS DEFORMING ON THE SIDES. THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK USED TO BE SMOOTH ON ALL SURFACES BUT NOW THE SIDES ARE RIPPLED AND THE RIPPLING IS STEADILY GETTING WORSE. TODAY IS MAY 30, 2012 AND I FIRST NOTICED THE RIPPLES IN NOVEMBER 2011. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS NEVER BEEN CRASHED OR EVEN DROPPED AND IT IS GARAGE STORED. I SUSPECT THE GASOLINE IS SOFTENING THE TANK OR THE TANK IS ABSORBING SOMETHING. IT IS WINTER HERE, SO IT IS NOT TEMPERATURE RELATED. *TR

PLASTIC FUEL TANK IS EXPANDING LATERALLY. TANK DOES NOT FIT ONTO FRAME AS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AND AS SOLD. STEERING STOPS HAVE BEEN ALTERED TO THE POINT THAT THE BIKE CANNOT BE LOCKED IN PARK POSITION. THIS IS TO ACCOMMODATE THE STEERING CONTROLS NOT DAMAGING THE TANK. *TR *JS

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND AND DISTORT. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS NOW SERIOUSLY DISTORTED. PREVIOUSLY THE TANK WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW IT IS WEDGED TIGHTLY AGAINST THE IGNITION. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME PROPERLY SUCH THAT THE TANK IS NOT SUPPORTED ADEQUATELY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND TESTED. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST AND SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP AT ALL. I TOOK MY BIKE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY) AND THEY REPLACED THE TANK. I WAS NOT GIVEN A REASON FOR THE TANK SWELLING. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW AS THE REPLACED TANK IS ENLARGED AND DISTORTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS ONE AT ONLY 10050 MILES. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT MAY POSSIBLY SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING OR WHEN PARKED INSIDE A BUILDING SPILLING GAS THAT COULD IGNITE OR THE TANK COULD SIMPLY FALL OFF THE BIKE. I HAVE TAKEN THE BIKE BACK TO THE DUCATI DEALER AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED YET ANOTHER CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA TO REPLACE THE TANK WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED. HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS CAUSES DEATH OR INJURY? WE NEED A RECALL OF THESE TANKS AND SAFE NON SWELLING FUEL TANK REPLACEMENTS. DUCATI IS JUST RUNNING THE CLOCK OUT ON THEIR OBLIGATIONS. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD FUEL TANK ON THIS BIKE IN UNDER 11000 MILES OF USE. *TR

2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS PLASTIC TANK IS SWELLING. WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE. NEW WARRANTED TANK HAS NOW SWELLED. DUCATI HAS THUS FAR, SAID IT IS ONLY A COSMETIC ISSUE. HOWEVER THERE ARE THE CHANCES OF THE TANK SPLITTING, SWELLING TO THE POINT THAT IT WILL NOT LATCH DOWN OR SWELL TO THE POINT THAT IT PUSHES THE SEAT AND POSSIBLY UNLATCHING IT. *KB

I HAVE A WARPED/EXPANDING GAS TANK ON A 2007 DUCATI MONSTER 695 MOTORCYCLE. *TR