DUCATI Complaints

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2006 DUCATI PAUL SMART MOTORCYCLE IS DEFECTIVE. THE TANK HAS WARPED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS NO LONGER PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE MOTORCYCLE'S FRAME. THIS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS, PERHAPS EVEN FATAL, INJURY TO THE RIDER. MY DUCATI DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE 5 YEAR EMISSIONS WARRANTY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TANK THAT DUCATI PROVIDED IS MADE FROM THE EXACT SAME COMPOSITE MATERIAL AS THE ONE THAT WENT BAD. I BELIEVE THE ETHANOL IN TODAY'S GASOLINE IS CAUSING THIS ISSUE OF TANK WARPAGE AND SEPARATION. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND HAVE DUCATI RECALL ALL THEIR SPORT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES (WHICH INCLUDES MY 2006 PAUL SMART MODEL) TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK WITH ONE THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY ETHANOL. NOTE THAT MY MOTORCYCLE HAS FEWER THAN 350 MILES OVER THE 5 YEAR PERIOD. THIS IS A TRAVESTY ON DUCATI'S PART. SHAME ON THEM. *TR

I'M RESUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT AS I'M UNDER THE IMPRESSION MY PREVIOUS ONE FOR THE SAME CAUSE WAS NOT FILED. ISSUE IS I NOTICED A DEFORMED/LOOSE FUEL TANK ON MY BRAND NEW, 2009 DUCATI GT 1000 MOTORCYCLE UPON DELIVERY FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE TANK HAS EXPANDED AND IS NO LONGER SECURED BY IT'S TWO FRONT BRACKETS (TWO OF THE THREE SECURING POINTS FOR THE FUEL TANK). THE TANK MOVES/WOBBLES APPROX HALF AND INCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, AND A SINGLE REAR BOLT IS KEEPING IT ON THE MOTORCYCLE. I BELIEVE THE TANK IS LIKELY TO FLY OFF IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT SO I HAVEN'T RIDDEN THE MOTORCYCLE AND INTEND TO RETURN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP UNDER "BREACH OF WARRANTY". DUCATI'S LIMITED WARRANTY ON EMISSION APPLIES TO THE SALE OF MOTORCYCLES DESIGNED, BUILT AND EQUIPPED TO CONFORM AT TIME OF RETAIL PURCHASE TO BE FREE FROM DEFECT IN MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP WHICH WOULD CAUSE IT TO FAIL EPA REGULATIONS. "BREACH OF WARRANTY" IS THE DETERMINATION THAT A STATEMENT AS TO TITLE OF PROPERTY, INCLUDING REAL PROPERTY OR ANY GOODS, IS PROVED TO BE UNTRUE, WHETHER INTENDED AS A FALSEHOOD OR NOT. IT CAN ALSO APPLY TO AN ASSURANCE OF QUALITY OF A PRODUCT OR ITEM SOLD. THE PART MAKING THE WARRANTY IS LIABLE TO THE PARTY TO WHOM THE GUARANTEE WAS MADE. IN MODERN LAW THE WARRANTY NEED NOT BE EXPRESSED IN SO MANY WORDS, BUT MAY BE IMPLIED FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES OR SURROUNDING LANGUAGE AT THE TIME OF SALE." THIS IS ALSO THE REASON FOR 22 NOVEMBER CLASS ACTION AGAINST DUCATI NORTH AMERICA FOR CONTINUING TO SELL THESE MOTORCYCLES WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS. *TR

THE MOTORCYCLE HAS STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY 8 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED NEW. SIX OF THOSE TIMES, THE BIKE WAS IN MOTION. STALLING HAS HAPPENED IN A VARIETY OF SITUATION, INCLUDING ON THE HIGHWAY IN BUSY COMMUTE TRAFFIC, AND AT NIGHT. WHEN THE STALL OCCURS, THE HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF. HAPPENS WHEN THE BIKE IS EITHER WARM OR COLD, ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PULLED IN (BUT NOT ALWAYS). IN ALL CASES, I COULD ENGINE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY AND RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. WEATHER WAS CLEAR, AND NOT COLDER THAN 60F. REPEATED STALLING HAS NOT OCCURRED: THE CLOSEST IN TIME TWO INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED IS 24 HRS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUCATI SPORT 1000 (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK HAD BECOME LOOSE AND WAS BECOMING DISTORTED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IF THE TANK FELL OFF, IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY HAD THE TANK REPLACED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.

THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MY 2009 DUCATI MONSTER 1100 WARPED/DEFORMED. AS A RESULT, FUEL BEGAN TO LEAK FROM THE REAR UNDERSIDE NEAR THE FUEL PUMP, AND ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST HEADER FOR THE REAR CYLINDER. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER IN COORDINATION WITH DUCATI NA. *TR

THE PLASTIC GAS TANK HAS "SPREAD" OR DEFORMED AND NO LONGER MOUNTS TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME CORRECTLY. *TR

2010 DUCATI STREETFIGHTER- THE GAS TANK DEFORMED IN SEVERAL PLACES AND EXPANDED TO THE POINT OF CONTACTING THE UPPER FORK BRACKET. *TR

SPREADING TANK ON MY 2006 DUCATI PAUL SMART SPORT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE. THE TANKS SPREADS TO THE POINT WHERE IT DOES NOT FIT IN THE MOUNTING BRACKETS ON THE FRAME. THIS CAUSES THE TANKS TO BECOME DANGEROUSLY LOOSE MAKING THE MOTORCYCLE UNSAFE TO RIDE. THIS SWELLING AND SPREADING OF THE TANK CAN ALSO CAUSE A FAILURE IF THE O RING SEALING THE FUEL PETCOCK. THIS COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKING DIRECTLY ONTO A HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST CAUSING A FIRE OR EXPLOSION LIKELY TO CAUSE SEVERE BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

WITH THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST DUCATI REGARDING DEFORMED TANKS, THE DEALER FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE MY TANK. HOWEVER TO MY SURPRISE, IT IS THE IDENTICAL FUEL TANK THAT WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. OTHER MANUFACTURERS SWITCHED TO METAL TANKS. I AM CERTAIN THAT MY TANK WILL BEGIN TO DEFORM AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WANT TO GET THE PROPER REPLACEMENT THAT WOULD NOT ENDANGER THE RIDER. *TR

FUEL TANK ON 2007 DUCATI SPORTCLASSIC GT1000 EXPANDED AND DEFORMED TO THE POINT WHERE RIGHT ATTACHMENT POINT IS INEFFECTIVE. CRACKS APPEAR NEAR GAS CAP IN SEVERAL PLACES. TANK WAS SHIMMIED ONCE TO ACCOUNT FOR EXPANSION, BUT EXPANSION HAS CONTINUED TO THE POINT THAT THE TANK CONTACTS HANDLEBARS WHEN TURNING SHARPLY. *TR