NHTSA Complaint #10264993 — 2009 DUCATI 848

I JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2009 DUCATI SPORT 1000 MOTORCYCLE. HAVE PUT ABOUT 160 MILES ON THE BIKE AND PARKED IT OUTSIDE WORK FOR 2 HOURS IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. THE GAS TANK WAS HALF FULL. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE BIKE THE TANK HAD EXPANDED APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND 1 INCH FROM FRONT TO BACK. IT STARTED TO LOOK LIKE THE SHAPE OF A BANANA. THE TANK WAS COMPLETELY LOOSE ENOUGH TO LIFT OFF THE FRAME. I OPENED THE GAS TANK AND A GUSH OF AIR ESCAPED AND THE TANK SHRUNK BACK DOWN ABOUT 75% WHICH LEFT CREASES IN THE TANKS SURFACE ALONG WITH RIPPLES IN THE SURFACE. IF I WAS RIDING WHEN THIS OCCURRED I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED! THE BIKE HAS ONLY BEEN REFUELED ONCE WITH 93 OCTANE PREMIUM FUEL. I HAVE PICTURES AVAILABLE THAT WERE TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *TR