DUCATI Complaints

1. I NOTICED DIMPLES ON THE TOP OF MY GAS TANK AND THEN CHECKED THE MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR THE GAS TANK. THE GAS TANK COULD BE PULLED COMPLETELY OFF THE MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT. 2. THIS IS A FAILURE THAT CANNOT RECTIFY ITSELF AND SLOWLY DEGRADES MORE AND MORE. 3. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN INTO A DUCATI SERVICE SHOP AND THEY "SHIMMED" THE GAS TANK BRACKET TO PREVENT IT FROM BEING ABLE TO REMOVE IT COMPLETELY. THE TANK WAS STILL LOOSE, BUT COULD NOT BE REMOVED COMPLETELY. SINCE THE SHIMMING OF THE BRACKETS, THE TANK HAS WARPED AND SPREAD FURTHER AND IS LOOSER THAN WHEN ORIGINALLY SHIMMED. THIS CAUSES A SHAKING OF THE GAS TANK AT NORMAL OPERATING SPEED WHEN MY LEG COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE GAS TANK. *TT

FUEL TANK IS SPREADING AND IS NOW LOOSE ON IT'S MOUNTS. POSSIBLE FOR IT TO LIFT AT THE FRONT OF THE TANK. *TR

FUEL TANK EXPANSION WELL BEYOND SPEC TOLERANCE, IMPACTING STEERING DAMPENER MOUNT AND FURTHER PRESSING AGAINST THE FRONT SUSPENSION. BIKE WAS MAINTAINED BY ORIGINAL OWNER AND ALWAYS REFILLED FROM REPUTABLE GAS STATIONS AND ONLY USED 92 OR 93 OCTANE PREMIUM FUEL. *TR

THE COMPOSITE GAS TANK HAS EXPANDED DUE TO AN INTERACTION WITH THE FUEL. THE FUEL TANK SWELLS AND BULGES FROM THE FRAME OF THE BIKE. THE MALFORMATION OF THE TANK CAUSES THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION TO CONTACT THE TANK WHILE RIDING AND TURNING. THE CONTACT IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FINISH AND CRACKS IN THE TANK. THE OPENING FOR THE KEY IN THE TANK IS OBSTRUCTED AND COULD PREVENT THE LOCKING MECHANISM FROM WORKING AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER IS REPLACING TANKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMATIC TANK IF THE VEHICLE IS UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND THE REPAIR IS APPROVED. THIS IS A LENGTHY PROCESS THAT LEAVES THE CUSTOMER WITHOUT USE OF THE MOTORCYCLE WHILE THE DECISION TO REPAIR IS MADE. THE EFFECT OF THE FUEL ON THE TANK IS A KNOWN CONSEQUENCE TO THE MANUFACTURER.

2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS PLASTIC TANK IS SWELLING. WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE. NEW WARRANTED TANK HAS NOW SWELLED. DUCATI HAS THUS FAR, SAID IT IS ONLY A COSMETIC ISSUE. HOWEVER THERE ARE THE CHANCES OF THE TANK SPLITTING, SWELLING TO THE POINT THAT IT WILL NOT LATCH DOWN OR SWELL TO THE POINT THAT IT PUSHES THE SEAT AND POSSIBLY UNLATCHING IT. *KB

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! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DUCATI 848 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH AND ABOVE, THE FUEL TANK WOULD SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE PLASTIC MATERIAL USED DURING MANUFACTURING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,200. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

MY 2008 DUCATI 848 (WHICH ONLY HAS 4100 MILES ON IT) DEVELOPED A RADIATOR LEAK ON THE REAR-LEFT UPPER SIDE OF THE RADIATOR. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP THE LEAK. MY BIKE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR TWO WEEKS AND WAS NOT TOUCHED BY ANYONE. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE, RIDERS MAY BE IN DANGER AS RADIATOR FLUID MAY LEAK ONTO THE FRONT TIRE AND/OR FRONT BRAKES. *TR

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2008 DUCATI MODEL MONSTER S4RS TRICOLORE HAS EXPANDED DUE TO A COMMONLY KNOWN PROBLEM OF ETHANOL FUELS REACTING TO THE MATERIAL WHICH THE TANKS ARE MADE FROM. THE TANK HAS SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED TO THE POINT WHERE IT NOW IMPEDES THE TURNING OF THE HANDLEBARS AND IS WAVY ALONG THE SIDES WHERE THE KNEES ARE POSITIONED. THE TANK, AS OF YET, DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE LEAKING BUT MANY HAVE HAD LEAKS DEVELOP AND IT CERTAINLY APPEARS TO BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. *KB

THE GAS TANK HAS EXPANDED APPARENTLY DUE TO AN INTERACTION WITH THE ETHANOL IN THE FUEL. THIS CAUSES IT TO BULGE FROM THE FRAME OF THE BIKE. THE MALFORMATION OF THE TANK CAUSES THE HANDLE BARS TO TOUCH THE TANK LIMITING MOVEMENT, THE OPENING FOR THE KEY TO BE OBSTRUCTED, AND THE PAINT AND DECALS TO BECOME DAMAGED. THE EFFECT OF THE FUEL ON THE TANK IS A KNOWN CONSEQUENCE TO THE MANUFACTURER.