2015 DUCATI MULTISTRADA Complaints

THE REAR BRAKE HAS NEVER FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THEY HAVE TRIED TO FIX IT AND I HAVE PAID TO BLEED IT SEVERAL TIMES. IT WORKS FOR ONE RIDE AND THEN IT IS BASICALLY NON FUNCTIONAL FROM THERE ON AGAIN. TO OBTAIN ANY ACTION I HAVE TO REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE PEG AND PUSH THE LEVER DOWN TO EXTREME LEVELS AND EVEN THEN LITTLE STOPPING POWER IS PROVIDED.

ON 12 MARCH 2021 FROM HENDERSONVILLE TO CLARKSVILLE TENNESSEE, DURING A 1.5 HOUR RIDE ON BOTH HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS, I EXPERIENCED A REAR BRAKE MALFUNCTION. AT THE START OF HE RIDE, APPROXIMATELY 5PM, WHILE ON CITY STREETS I WAS ABLE TO USE THE REAR BRAKE WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. IT HAD ADEQUATE FEEL AND RESPONSIVENESS AT THE LEVER. APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES INTO THE RIDE, I NOTICED THE REAR BRAKE LEVER BECAME MUSHY TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO ROTATE MY FOOT FARTHER INTO THE LEVER'S ROTATION TO APPLY THE REAR BRAKE. THIS MUSHY FEELING RESULTED IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. NEAR THE END OF THE RIDE, I NO LONGER FELT LIKE I HAD AN ACTIVELY WORKING REAR BRAKE. THE REAR BRAKE LEVER WOULD ROTATE TO THE STOP WITHOUT ANY PERCEIVED SLOWING OF THE MOTORCYCLE. BRAKE FLUID WAS LAST CHANGED ON APPROXIMATELY JUNE 16 2020.

DEFECTIVE TPS UNITS IN MANY BIKES. THIS CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD IN THIS SPECIFIC BIKE. VERY DANGEROUS ALMOST CRASHED ON HIGHWAY. THIS NEEDS ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY! WAS TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR AND LOST ALL POWER ON BIKE. STUCK ON SIDE OF ROAD. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM MAKING IT MORE DANGEROUS.

1) WHEN DRIVING THIS MOTORCYCLE IN SECOND GEAR AND APPLYING THE THROTTLE, THE BIKE HAS A 2-4 SECOND RESPONSE DELAY THAT IS FOLLOWED BY AN EXTREME ENGINE AND POWER SURGE. THIS SURGE IS VERY STRONG IN SECOND GEAR AND CAUSED THE RIDER TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE BIKE. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. DUCATI SUGGESTED THAT I ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE SURGES BY REDUCING THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL THAT LIMIT FRONT WHEEL RISES. THIS IS BOTH A DANGEROUS SUGGESTION AND INEFFECTIVE AS IT ONLY A PART OF THE PROBLEM. SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS TOLD TO WAIT UNTIL DUCATI ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM. NO SUCH UNDERTAKING HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED OR COMPLETED. 2) THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ALSO CAUSED POWER SURGES THAT FORCED THE BIKE TO MOVE ERRATICALLY AND DANGEROUSLY IN AND OUT OF TURNS. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD TO TURN THE SAFETY DEVICES TO LOWEST SETTINGS OR OFF. THIS IS AN UNSAFE RIDING CONDITION AS THIS BIKE IS DESIGNED TO USE THOSE CONTROLS. 3) ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE DASH INDICATED THAT THE BIKE WAS ENGAGED IN A RUNNING GEAR WHEN IT ACTUALLY WAS IN NEUTRAL. THIS RESULTED IN A FALL AT A STOP LIGHT AND SEVERAL DANGEROUS SITUATIONS ON THE ROAD. THE GEAR INDICATOR WAS ADJUSTED BY THE DEALER BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPORTED ON SEVERAL MODELS IN THE DUCATI LINE AND HAS NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED. I SPOKE WITH DUCATI AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A "DANGEROUS" CONDITION BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN REPORTED TO OWNERS OR FIXED.

AFTER TRAVELING FOR A FEW MINUTES AT 35 MILES PER HOUR IN SECOND GEAR I APPLIED THE THROTTLE TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND FOR SEVERAL SECONDS LEAVING ME EXPOSED IN THE PASSING LANE. THEN IT ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND STRONGLY CATCHING ME BY SURPRISE. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I TRY TO ACCELERATE IN 2ED GEAR FROM 35MPH. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY IT IS AN ECU PROBLEM AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX. I BELIEVE THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE TRYING TO MERGE INTO FASTER TRAFFIC AS WHEN ENTERING THE FREEWAY. I AM IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR MOTORCYCLE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE INTERVENE BEFORE SOME IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.