DUCATI Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING OIL SPRAYS OUT OF OIL BOX ONTO REAR TIRE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT ANY TIME AND MAKES MOTORCYCLE HARD TO CONTROL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM GAS CAP. THE WATER TEMPERATURE WAS VERY HIGH. THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT WORK HAVING BEEN SOAKED WITH OIL. *YH

FRAME IS CRACKING. CALLED DUCATI. THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE FRAME BUT I HAVE TO PAY LABOR ($690). DUCATI IS WELL AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 900 SERIES FRAME. THEY SAY GIVING ME A NEW FRAME IS IN GOOD FAITH, I FEEL THEY SHOULD COVER ALL CHARGES. IF THEY SAY THAT THIS IS AN ISOLATED CASE, WHY ARE SO MANY FRAMES CRACKING? WHY ARE THE REPLACEMENT FRAMES REINFORCED. DUCATI IS SAYING THAT THIS IS A "GOOD WILL" WARANTY AND ARE NOT PAYING LABOR CHARGES. I FEEL (ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS VIA THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME PROBLEM) DUCATI SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. A WARRENTY COVERS WEAR/MAINTENENCE ITEMS, BUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE BIKE HAS FAILED. THERE'S NO TELLING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ENDANGERING THEIR LIVES BY RIDING AROUND ON BROKEN FRAMES THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION, NOT A "GOOD FAITH" WARRANTY.

LEFT AND RIGHT REARVIEW MIRRORS LACK ENOUGH UP AND DOWN/ SIDE TO SIDE ADJUSTMENT TO WHERE YOU CAN NOT SEE TRAFFIC IN REAR OR EITHER SIDE OF MOTORCYCLE. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *MR *JG

STEERING IS UNSTABLE WHEN TRAVELING. ALSO, FRAME IS CRACKED. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN EXPOSED TO WATER, THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING RETAIN WATER BECAUSE THE THROTTLE CABLES ARE ROUTED IN A U SHAPE. IF THE MOTORCYCLE IS THEN EXPOSED TO AMBIENT TEMPERATURES OR WIND CHILLS AT OR BELOW FREEZING THEN THE WATER TRAPPED INSIDE THE THROTTLE CABLES FREEZES, AND RENDERS THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE.

DURING AN INVESTIGATION OF A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP WHICH AT SOME PREVIOUS TIME HAD BEEN PATCHED WITH A GREY SUBSTANCE. THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS MOUNTED IN THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK, CONTAINED SOME GASOLINE WHICH HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE TANK UNDER PRESSURE. AS A FELT THE TOP OF THE PUMP (THE CAR WAS IDLING) I HAPPENED TO TOUCH THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON THE TOP OF THE PUMP. THE CONNECTOR WAS EXTREMELY HOT AND WAS SIZZLING. WHEN I REMOVED THE PUMP I DISCOVERED THAT WIRES ON THE PUMP INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WERE BURNT AND THE INSULATION HAD MELTED. I REPLACED THE PUMP FROM SAAB AND I KEPT THE DAMAGED PUMP.*AK

THE ENGINE CASE BOLT HOLE HAS BROKEN. THIS IS WHERE THE MOTOR IS HELD IN THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS A MAJOR PART THAT KEEPS THE BIKE TOGETHER. THE BOLT ITSELF IS NOT BROKEN BUT IT IS EXPOSE. IF IT CONTINUEDS TO CRACK, IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE IT FIXED BY DUCATI.*AK

A FUEL LINE FROM INJECTOR IS LEAKING FUEL ONTO ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK THE INJECTOR ITSELF BROKE CAUSING GAS TO FILL CYLINDER AND CRANKCASE FULL OF GASOLINE, GAS OVERFLOWED TO A BREATHER VENT, AND THAT LEAKED GAS OUT ON TO THE HOT HEADER PIPE AND CYLINDER, THERE IS A POCKET ON THE BLOCK THAT CAUGHT GAS AND IT BEGAN TO BOIL. *SLC

ROCKER ARM IS FLAKING/ VAVLES DO NOT OPEN, AND MOTORCYCLE RUNS LEAN. ALSO, VALVES BURNED AND PISTONS CRACKED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

THE MAIN FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE CRACKED ACROSS THE UPPER FRAME TUBES AT THE WELDS WHERE THE STEARING HEAD IS ATTACHED TO THE REMAINDER OF THE FRAME. BECAUSE I NOTICED THE DAMAGE BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURED THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HAD COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURED THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD HAVE BEEN UN CONTROLABLE. SUBSEQUENT TO MY DISCOVERY OF THE DAMMAGE I DISCOVERED THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAS OCCURED IN THE PAST WITH MANY OTHER 900SS MODEL DUCATIS. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO IS CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURE. INFORMATION REGARDING THIS TYPE OF FAILURE MAY BE FOUND AT SEVERAL WEB SITES INCLUDING CLUB DESMO'S BULLETIN WWW.CLUBDESMO.COM/NEWBBS/MESSAGES/23/23.HTM. *AK