DUCATI Complaints

CPSC: I1480595A. DUCATI DIAVEL MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE HAD NO WORKING REAR BRAKES. *LN

WHEN I RECEIVED THIS MOTORCYCLE SECOND HAND, IT WAS JUST ABOUT OUT OF WARRANTY. I DID TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR SERVICE AND NOTED TO THEM THAT THE REAR BRAKE WAS NOT WORKING WELL AT ALL. THE SAID THEY WOULD ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BUT NOT TO KEEP MY HOPES TOO HIGH! I FOUND OUT LATER FROM A SALES MANAGER THAT THE REAR BRAKES ON DUCATI'S ARE NOTORIOUSLY POOR. I EVENTUALLY HAD THE REAR BRAKE LINE BLED BY ANOTHER MECHANIC AND THAT ONLY HELPED SLIGHTLY AND FOR A SHORT PERIOD. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT BRAKES ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT ON A MOTORCYCLE, THE REAR BRAKE HAS SAFETY IMPLICATIONS AS WELL. FIRST, IT CAN ADD 15% OR MORE TO PURE STOPPING POWER. ALSO, BEING ABLE TO USE A REAR BRAKE (FEATHERING IT) WHILE MAKING A TURN HELPS CONTROL THE BIKE. USING THE FRONT BRAKE CAN CAUSE A CRASH. NOT HAVING A USABLE REAR BRAKE THEREFORE IS NOT GOOD. I HAVE ALERTED DUCATI ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY PROMISED TO HAVE THE USA DIVISION CONTACT ME, WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE PAST MONTH SINCE I COMPLAINED. SINCE THE BIKE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY, I FEEL I WOULD BE WASTING MY TIME TO KEEP BRINGING INTO A DEALER TO FIX AND UNSOLVABLE PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS A DEFECT AND THAT ALL MOTORCYCLES SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT REAR BRAKE SYSTEMS PUT INTO THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. IT APPEARS THAT AT LEAST SOME HIGH END EUROPEAN BIKES DO NOT PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO MAKING QUALITY REAR BRAKES. BY THE WAY, I ALSO LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CPSC. *TR

THE STARTER CLUTCH IN MANY DUCATI 848 / 1098 AND 1198 SPORT BIKES FAIL PREMATURELY AROUND 4 - 6 K MILES AND AGAIN WHEN BEING REPAIRED. THIS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES BY NOW. IF NOT ACKNOWLEDGED AND REPAIRED IT CAN CAUSE THE ENTIRE ENGINE TO FAIL AT ANY SPEED AND BLOCK THE REAR TIRE. THERE ARE MANY OWNER OF SAID MOTORCYCLES EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE BUT DUCATI HAS STILL NOT MADE IT A RECALL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "DUCATI STARTER CLUTCH" OR "DUCATI STARTER SPRAG" REVELS MANY FORUM POSTS FROM AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. I ASKED DUCATI IF THEY HAVE REVISED THE STARTER CLUTCH IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE PROBLEMS BUT DID NOT GET AN ANSWER MASKING ME BELIEVE THAT THEY KEEP IGNORING THIS ISSUE. I WILL SELL MY 1198 BECAUSE I'M NOT WILLING TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE WITH A RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

REAR BRAKES HAVE FAILED FOUR TIMES. THEY HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES AFTER THE LAST RECALL. THE BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR HEATS UP BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION NEAR THE EXHAUST PIPE AND CHEMICALLY BREAKS DOWN CAUSING FADING AND FAILURE OF THE BRAKE. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES. ACCORDING TO DUCATI SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, DUCATI KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT THINK THE REAR BRAKE IS NECESSARY FOR STOPPING THEREFORE, THEY HAVE NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSED THE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DUCATI 1199 PANIGALE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, HE ENGAGED THE CLUTCH DEVICE AND ACCIDENTALLY ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH DUE TO BOTH FUNCTIONS BEING TOO CLOSE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VIEWING OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

THE REAR BRAKE DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. I HAVE ASKED DUCATI TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, AND AFTER 4 SEPARATE REPAIR SESSIONS IT IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. THIS WILL CAUSE NO REAR BRAKES NEEDS A OFFICIAL RECALL! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DUCATI MONSTER 1100 EVO 1100. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE REAR WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE REAR MASTER CYLINDER, THE BRAKE PADS AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE DEALER NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V188000 ( SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,800. UPDATED 08/12/14*LJ

RIDING ON LEVEL ROAD, CRUISING ABOUT 40 MPH. FRONT BRAKES LOCK AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THIS PITCHED ME OVER THE HANDLE BARS, I.E. STOPPIE. THE PROBLEM WAS THE REAR BRAKE PADS "DISAPPEARED" AND THE REMAINING REAR PAD BACKING PLATE CAUSED OVER HEATING OF REAR ROTOR AND REAR MASTER CYLINDER. RED HOT. BOILED FLUID. UPON COOL DOWN, (ME AND THE DUCATI) FRONT BRAKES RELEASED AND BIKE WAS ABLE TO MOVE BUT WITHOUT REAR BRAKES. MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL. BIKE IS STILL AT SHOP WITH REPLACEMENT OF PADS, ROTOR AND MASTER. ~ 600+ I'M A BIT OF A WRENCH TURNER AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN REAR BRAKES ON ANY VEHICLE FAIL AT LESS THAT 10,000 MILES. WHO USES THE BACK BRAKES ON A MOTORCYCLE ANYWAY? I'VE BEEN RIDING FOR 30 YEARS, AND I NEVER HAVE. BIKE IS 15 DAYS OUTOF WARRANTY. :O( *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DUCATI 1199 PANIGALE MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE KICKSTAND SUDDENLY BECAME DETACHED AND ACTIVATED THE KICKSTAND SAFETY SWITCH, ALSO CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE KICKSTAND WOULD NOT REMAIN ENGAGED AND WOULD CAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BOLTS THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE KICKSTAND BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200.

DRIVETRAIN CHAIN SCRAPING AGAINST SWING ARM. POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER DAMAGE TO CHAIN CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND INJURY TO RIDER AND DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *TR