2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4R 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

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

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS SWELLING AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK ON TO THE MOTOR IN WHICH THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING THE SWELLING FUEL TANK BUT THE DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT WITH ANY INFORMATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,800.

NYLON MOTORCYCLE FUEL TANK EXPANDS & CHANGES DIMENSIONS WHEN E10 IS USED. NYLON ABSORBS WATER FROM E10. *TR

THE PLASTIC GAS TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI MONSTER MODEL S4RS HAS BECOME DEFORMED TO THE POINT THAT THE GAS TANK MOUNTING CLAMP HAS BEEN OBSCURED SUCH THAT THE TANK CANNOT BE PROPERLY SECURED TO THE MOTORCYCLE, CREATING A RISK OF BECOMING LOOSE WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE IS IN OPERATION.

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI S4RS HAS EXPANDED TO THE POINT IT COULD NO LONGER FIT ON THE BIKE. THIS TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM LESS THEN A YEAR AGO. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK REACTING THE FUEL. IT MAY BE RELATED TO ETHANOL IN THE FUEL. THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO REPLACE THE TANKS UNDER WARRANTY BUT I BELIEVE A RECALL SHOULD BE STARTED SINCE THIS PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO A TANK BEING UNLOCKED ON THE FRAME WITHOUT KNOWING IT. IN ADDITION THE FUEL LINES CAN LEAK DUE TO THE SHIFTING OF THE TANK AND THIS CAN LEAD TO FUEL SPILLING ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST LEADING TO FIRE. DUCATI SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REDESIGN THE TANK EITHER IN A BETTER PLASTIC OR METAL. *TR

MOTORCYCLE PLASTIC GAS TANK HAS EXPANDED. THE FAILURE IS DUE TO INCOMPATIBILITY OF MATERIALS AND FUEL ADDITIVES. COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, CONTROL INTERFERENCE, POSSIBLE CRASH. *TR