DUCATI Complaints

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

OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF THE REAR BRAKE HAS FAILED OVER 10 TIMES, IT WILL HAPPEN AFTER MOTORCYCLE IS RIDDEN OVER 30-40 MILES IN WARM TEMPS AT LOWER SPEEDS, AND OF RIDDEN OVER 100 MILE STRAIGHT AT ANY SPEED. THE BRAKE WILL FADE AND THEN WILL DO NOTHING ON THE REAR, THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED ON THE RIDE HOME FROM THE DEALER AFTER PURCHASE 05/11, BUT DID NOT FAIL COMPLETELY, THE NEXT TIME ON 06/10/11 THE BRAKE FAILED COMPLETELY AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH, BIKE WAS REPAIRED BY DUCATI AT 600 MILE SERVICE BY A BRAKE BLEED, THE BRAKE FAILED MANY MORE TIMES ON LONGER TRIPS INSTILL IT WENT COMPLETELY OUT AGAIN ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP FOR A CAR THAT CRASHED IN FRONT OF ME, I MISSED THE CAR BY FEET. THE MOTOR CYCLE WAS TAKEN TO DUCATI AGAIN FOR REPAIR, THIS TIME THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR WITH AN "UPDATE" KIT. I PICKED UP THE MOTORCYCLE AND WENT ON A LONG TRIP, THE BRAKE FAILED AGAIN AND THIS TIME PUT MORE STRESS ON THE FRONT BRAKE THAT IT STARTED TO FADE, THIS OCCURRED ON A STATE HIGHWAY. MOTORCYCLE WAS RETURNED TO DUCATI FOR REPAIR AGAIN AT WHICH POINT THEY INSTALLED "HIGH TEMP" BRAKE FLUID. AFTER THIS THE BRAKE HAS FAILED AGAIN 2 MORE TIMES. THIS FIRST AFTER 100PLUS MILES ON THE FREEWAY IN 60-70*TEMPS AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 AND 75 MPH. THE SECOND AFTER 20 MILES ON STATE HIGHWAYS IN 80-90*TEMPS. THINGS I HAVE NOTICED WHEN THE BRAKE FAILS, THE ROTOR IN THE REAR IS COOL TO THE TOUCH AFTER I STOP AND GET OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE BRAKE LINE THAT IS ROUTED WITH IN INCHES OF THE CAT CONVERTER IS SO HOT I CAN NOT GET CLOSE TO IT. DUCATI HAS TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TO DUCATI STANDARDS AND IS IN STOCK TRIM. *TR

GAS TANK HAS EXPANDED TO SUCH A POINT THAT THE LATCH SECURING THE TANK TO THE BODY CAN NO LONGER FUNCTION. THE GAS TANK COULD BECOME LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *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

PLASTIC FUEL TANK HAS EXPANDED TO RENDER THE MOTORCYCLE UNSAFE AS IT INTERFERES WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLEBARS. ETHANOL IN THE PUMP FUEL IS THE CAUSE. *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

THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK HAS EXPANDED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE AND INSTALL FOR REQUIRED MAINTENANCE. IT IS MISALIGNED WITH BODY PARTS AND THE SIDE COVERS DON'T FIT WELL ANYMORE AND POP OPEN. IT IS DAMAGING TO THE OTHER BODY PARTS. I HAVE READ THAT FUEL LEAKAGE WILL BE THE END RESULT OF THE PROBLEM AS IT CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND THAT THE TANK CAN COME OFF IN A CRASH. *TR

ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE OF RADIATOR MOUNT CRACKED AND STARTS TO LEAK. I HEARD FROM MY FRIENDS, DEALER AND RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND DUCATI.ORG FORUM. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2008 DUCATI 848 AND MANY OTHERS WERE SAYING THIS IS THE FACTORY FAILURE AND KNOWN DEFECT. RADIATOR LEAK CAUSED BY WEAKENED MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS DESIGN FLAW IS DUE TO EXTRA WEIGHT PLACED ON THE LEFT SIDE MOUNTING BRACKET FROM THE BATTERY MOUNTED ON THE SAME BRACKET. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AS IT CAUSED EXTREMELY HOT COOLANT TO SPRAY OUT OF THE LEFT FAIRING ON TO THE RIDER'S LEG, IN ADDITION TO CAUSING A CRASH DUE TO LUBRICATED FLUID BEING EXPELLED UNDER THE BIKE WHICH COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR TIRE AND THE ROAD. THIS ITEM NEEDS A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE. *JS

SUDDEN A SIGNIFICANT LEAKAGE OF GASOLINE FROM FUEL PUMP, STEADY STREAM OF GASOLING LEAKING ON BACK TIRE AND CHAIN DRIVE. *JS