DUCATI Complaints

TANK IS EXPANDING AND RUBBING ON OTHER BODY PARTS. IT IS ALSO BUBBLING IN RANDOM SPOTS. I HAVE NOT TRIED TO REMOVE IT, SO I IT IS UNCLEAR IF IT HAS FITMENT ISSUES. *TR

FUEL TANK ON MY DUCATI SPORT 1000 HAS SPREAD SO MUCH THAT IT ONLY LOOSELY HANGS ONTO MOUNTING BRACKETS. TANK CAN BE LIFTED OFF OF BIKE WITH MINIMAL EFFORT. WIND FORCE COULD POSSIBLY LIFT TANK OFF OF BIKE WHILE RIDING. THIS REPRESENTS IMMEDIATE DANGER IN THE FORM OF FLYING TANK, LEAKING FUEL, FIRE, ETC. *KB

I PURCHASED AN 09 DUCATI SPORT CLASSIC SPORT 1000S ON 12-17-10, FROM ACE MOTORSPORTS IN CONCORD, CA. THE NEXT MORNING, I CHECKED THE GROMMETS AND GAS TANK MOUNTING BRACKETS AND ESTIMATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE'S GAS TANK HAD SPREAD APPROX. .5 TO .75 INCHES ON EITHER SIDE, ALMOST FULLY SEPARATING FROM THE MOUNTING BRACKETS. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO WIGGLE THE GAS TANK WHICH INDICATED IT WAS LOOSELY ATTACHED. ON APPROXIMATELY 12-7-11, I CHECKED MY MOTORCYCLE'S GAS TANK'S MOUNTING BRACKETS. I OBSERVED THAT THE GAS TANK HAD SPREAD EVEN FURTHER, AT AN APPROXIMATE DISTANCE FROM THE BOTTOM SEAT OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET BY .5 TO .75 INCHES. PRIOR TO THIS, THE LOCAL DEALER SHIMMIED THE TANK DURING MY FIRST SERVICE. CLEARLY, THE SHIM 'SOLUTION' DOES NOT FIX THE DEFECTIVE TANK. THE DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURE AND SUBSEQUENT SALE OF THIS SERIES' PLASTIC GAS TANK BY DUCATI AND ITS AFFILIATES IS A SAFETY CONCERN IN THREE IMMEDIATE WAYS: (1) THE GAS TANK, WHICH IS PART OF THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND IS LOOSELY CONNECTED TO THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE, INCREASES THE PROBABILITY OF AN ACCIDENT, OR, IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, THE FUEL TANK MORE EASILY SEPARATING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE ITSELF AND BECOMING AN ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL COLLISION HAZARD TO THE DOWNED RIDER (2) THE FUEL LINE SYSTEM, WHICH IS INHERENTLY CONNECTED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GAS TANK, CAN LOOSEN AND DISCONNECT FROM ITS MOUNTING IN THE GAS TANK. THIS WOULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE, AS WELL AS CONSTITUTE AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD TO THE MOTORCYCLIST BY DECREASING FRICTION BETWEEN THE MOTORCYCLES' TIRES AND THE ROAD SURFACE. THIS WOULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE (3) THE INABILITY TO CONDUCT A FULL-LOCK TURN INCREASES THE CHANCE OF COLLISION BY REDUCING THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE MOTORCYCLE. THE EXPANSION OF THE PLASTIC REDUCES THE AREA BETWEEN THE GAS TANK AND THE FULL-LOCK POSITION OF THE HANDLEBARS OF THE MOTORCYCLE. *TR

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME, THE HANDLEBARS HIT IT ON TURNING, AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH. PREVIOUSLY IT OPENED AND CLOSED WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW I HAVE TO WEDGE IT AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH TO CLOSE IT. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY) AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TANK. I WAS NOT GIVEN A REASON. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW. THE TANK'S SWELLING HAS MADE IT SO THE HANDLEBARS DO NOT TURN CORRECTLY. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT WILL SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING. *TR

MANY OWNERS ARE REPORTING THAT THEIR DEFECTIVE TANK WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE TANK, SO THEY ARE ON THEIR SECOND OR THIRD FUEL TANK. IT SEEMS TO BE PRIMARILY AN ISSUE WITH FUEL IN THE US, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM IS SHOWING UP IN EUROPE. THE CONSENSUS ON THE WEB IS THAT THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE ADDITION OF ETHANOL IN THE GASOLINE, BUT THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF MOTORCYCLES THAT HAVE USED ETHANOL TAINTED GAS FOR YEARS AND HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEMS WITH DEFORMATION. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IN MANY CASES THE DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES. WITH SOME MOTORCYCLES THE DEFORMATION CAUSES THE FUEL TANK TO GET IN THE WAY OF THE HANDLEBARS WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS, AND WITH DUCATI SPORT CLASSICS THE DEFORMATION PREVENTS THE TANK FROM ATTACHING TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME CORRECTLY WHICH MIGHT CAUSE THE TANK TO COME OFF THE MOTORCYCLE DURING A CRASH. THE TANKS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM ARE REPORTEDLY MADE OF PA6 POLYAMIDE PLASTIC AND WERE MANUFACTURED FROM 2005 TO 2010. AT LEAST SOME OF THE TANKS WERE OUTSOURCED BY THE MANUFACTURERS AND WERE MADE BY ACERBIS. AT LEAST ONE MANUFACTURER IS REPLACING THE TANKS FOR FREE UNDER THE US EMISSIONS REGULATIONS FOR FIVE YEARS BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED NO WRITTEN STATEMENT TO CUSTOMERS THAT THE WARRANTY WILL CONTINUE BEYOND THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD. *TR

FUEL TANK OF SAID 2006 DUCATI SPORT CLASSIC, 1.) FUEL TANK HAS EXPANDED NO LONGER FITTING INTO THE BRACKETS THAT HOLD THE FUEL TANK SECURELY IN PLACE. (FUEL TANK WOULD MOVE ABOUT) 2.) FUEL TANK DEVELOPED DEFORMATION ALONG THE TOP PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK APPROXIMATELY A 10 MM IN LENGTH AREA (LEFT OF FUEL FILLER CAP). 3.) FUEL TANK DEVELOPED PROTRUDING DIMPLES ALONG RIGHT SIDE AND LEFT SIDE OF FUEL TANK. 4.) FACTORY DECAL ON FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A 1.5 MM DIA. X .3 MM PROTRUDING BUBBLE ON THE FRONT PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

THE MOTORCYCLE HAS STALLED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS. TYPICALLY STALLS WHEN DOWN-SHIFTING. THE LAST TIME IT STALLED, I WAS WEAVING THROUGH TRAFFIC AND WHEN THE BIKE STALLED, THERE WAS A CAR RIGHT ON MY REAR (SCARED ME TO DEATH) - LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STEER INTO THE MEDIAN (AND THERE WAS NO OBSTACLES IN THE MEDIAN). I'VE ASKED MY DEALER TO LOOK INTO IT. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS A FORUM WITH 23 PAGES OF THREADS ON THIS TOPIC. ALSO, DUCATI HAD A RECALL ON THE MULTISTRADA FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE MULTISTRADA IS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE DIAVEL. *TR

PLASTIC FUEL TANK IS SWOLLEN OR WARPED MAKING IT HARD TO LIFT THE TANK FOR SERVICE. ALSO, TANK DOESN'T SIT CORRECTLY ON THE FRAME, THE RUBBER FRAME BUMPERS SEEM TO HAVE MOVED OUTWARD ENOUGH TO NOT SIT FLUSH WITH THE FRAME. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS MODELS IN THE DUCATI LINE WITH PLASTIC FUEL TANKS. *TR

MY PLASTIC FUEL TANK IS UNSAFE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A 2007 DUCATI 1098S TRICOLORE SUPERBIKE. ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE SERVICES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED BY A FACTORY AUTHORIZED DUCATI DEALER. I WAS SHOCKED THAT DUCATI NORTH AMERICA HAS PLACED THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AT RISK BY USING COST-CUTTING METHODS TO AUTHORIZE THE MANUFACTURE OF AN UNSAFE AND DEFECTIVE PLASTIC FUEL TANK. THE SHOCK CONTINUES AS DUCATI NORTH AMERICA HAS FAILED TO STEP UP AND OFFER THE REPLACEMENT OF A SAFE OEM METAL FUEL TANK TO RESOLVE THE ASSOCIATED SAFETY PROBLEMS, COSMETIC TROUBLES, AND OVERALL RESALE VALUE OF THESE VERY VALUABLE AND COLLECTIBLE MOTORCYCLES. DUCATI NORTH AMERICA HAS UTILIZED METAL FUEL TANKS ON BOTH PRIOR AND SUBSEQUENT SUPERBIKE MODELS. I HAVE ALREADY HAD MY PLASTIC FUEL TANK REPLACED ONCE UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. (1) I AM ASKING DUCATI NORTH AMERICA TO HAVE A FACTORY AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP REPLACE MY 2007 DUCATI 1098S TRICOLORE SUPERBIKE PLASTIC FUEL TANK WITH AN OEM ALUMINUM REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK (OEM PART NUMBER: 969A06907B) SHOWN ON PAGE 36 OF THE 2011 DUCATI PERFORMANCE ACCESSORIES CATALOG AND ON PAGE 24 OF THE 2012 DUCATI PERFORMANCE ACCESSORIES CATALOG. (2) I AM ASKING DUCATI NORTH AMERICA TO HAVE A FACTORY AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP REPAINT MY OEM ALUMINUM REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK TO ORIGINAL SPECIFICATIONS WITH THE FACTORY-CORRECT COLOR SCHEME AND ASSOCIATED FACTORY-CORRECT DECALS. (3) I AM ASKING DUCATI NORTH AMERICA TO HAVE A FACTORY AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP INSTALL MY NEWLY PAINTED FACTORY-CORRECT OEM ALUMINUM REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK WITH ALL FACTORY-CORRECT FUEL LINES AND FUEL RELATED COMPONENTS. (4) I AM ASKING THAT THERE WILL BE NO COST TO ME FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE ACTIONS. (5) I AM ASKING THAT A FACTORY RECALL BE ISSUED FOR ALL DUCATI MOTORCYCLES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. *TR

THE FUEL TANK ON MY MOTORCYCLE HAS SPREAD AND DISTORTED ENOUGH THAT IT HAS FALLEN OFF THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE. WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED, WIND WILL ACTUALLY LIFT THE FUEL TANK UP AND THE RIDER MUST HOLD IT IN PLACE SO IT DOES NOT SEPARATE COMPLETELY FROM THE VEHICLE. I WAS IN FEAR FOR MY SAFETY WHEN RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE EVEN THOUGH THE DEALER INSISTS THAT DUCATI SEES THIS AS A NORMAL CONDITION. I PUSHED THE ISSUE WITH THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE REFUSED MY LATEST REQUEST FOR A REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK UNDER WARRANTY (GOOD FAITH OR OTHERWISE). THE NEW REPAIR PROVIDED WAS TO INSTALL A LARGER BRACKET ON THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE TO TRY AND RETAIN THE DEFECTIVE TANK. THIS DOES NOT SOLVE THE ORIGINAL ISSUE OF A POORLY MANUFACTURED AND FAULTY FUEL TANK ON THE VEHICLE. *TR