2007 DUCATI SPORT CLASSIC Complaints

DEFORMATION OF PLASTIC GAS TANK ON DUCATI MOTORCYCLE SO THAT THE FRONT MOUNTING BRACKETS NO LONGER HOLD THE TANK IN PLACE. *TR

MOTORCYCLE POLYCARBONATE (PLASTIC) FUEL TANK MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ARE SPREADING AND SAGGING AWAY FROM VEHICLE MOUNTS. FUEL TANK SAGS FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM MOUNTS TO POTENTIALLY COME LOOSE FROM VEHICLE AND CAUSE FUEL TANK AND FUEL TO COME LOOSE IN THE EVENT OF A FALL FROM THE MACHINE. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ISSUED RECALL FOR PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THREE YEARS. CUSTOMERS ARE GIVEN ARBITRARY REPLACEMENT OF FUEL TANKS UNDER WARRANTY. REPLACE FUEL TANKS HAVE IDENTICAL DEFECT. VEHICLES NO LONGER COVERED BY MANUFACTURER WARRANTY ARE NO PROVIDED ANY OPTION FOR UNSAFE FUEL TANK ON MOTOR VEHICLE. VARIOUS STOP GAP ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE TO VEHICLE BY CUSTOMERS BUT THE CONTINUAL DEGRADATION OF POLYCARBONATE FUEL TANK MAY CONTINUE. FILING THIS COMPLAINT UPON PURCHASE OF MACHINE NO LONGER COVERED BY MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. *TR

PLASTIC FUEL TANK SPREADS AT FRONT MOUNTS AND BECOMES LOOSE AND EASILY DISLODGES. THIS CAN OCCUR AT ANYTIME. SHIMS ARE ADDED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BUT TANK MAY CONTINUE TO SPREAD. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 DUCATI GT1000 MOTORCYCLE IN LONGWOOD, FLORIDA IN JULY 2006. SINCE THAT TIME IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE TO FIX AN ENGINE IDLE PROBLEM; THE VEHICLE WILL NOT IDLE CORRECTLY AND DIES WHEN STOPPING AT STOP SIGNS AND TRAFFIC LIGHTS, FORCING A RE-START. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR THIS ISSUE WAS APRIL 2007 FOR THREE (3) WEEKS. AT THAT TIME, THE SHOP REPLACED THE "STEPPER" MOTOR AND IT RAN ADEQUATELY FOR A FEW MONTHS. IN SEPTEMBER, THE SYMPTOMS RETURNED AND WORSENED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NOVEMBER 9. IT IS NOW FOUR WEEKS LATER. IN THE INTERIM, THE SHOP ORDERED AND REPLACED TWO ECU UNITS (A EURO VERSION WAS SAID TO HAVE WORKED FINE, BUT WAS NOT TO BE USED IN THE USA AND SO WAS RETURNED), A SECOND "STEPPER" MOTOR WHICH WAS KNOWN TO BE GOOD, AND TODAY I WAS INFORMED THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE "THROTTLE BODIES" WHICH HAVE TO BE ORDERED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING ISSUE, AND IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES THAT THE ONLY REAL WAY TO "CURE" THE PROBLEM IS TO PURCHASE AN AFTER-MARKET EXHAUST SYSTEM WITH A NEW "OPEN CIRCUIT" ECU THAT CAN TWEAKED. THE FACTORY ECU IS SUPPOSEDLY A "CLOSED CIRCUIT" ECU AND NOT AMENABLE TO ADJUSTMENT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND A LIFE THREATENING HAZARD. DUCATI SHOULD EITHER PROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE FIX AND EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP, OR DO A FULL RE-PURCHASE. *TR