NHTSA Complaint #10299708 — 2009 DUCATI MONSTER 696

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW DUCATI MONSTER 696 MOTORCYCLE SEPTEMBER 12 2009 FROM ATLANTA MOTOR WORLD 1275 UPPER HEMBREE RD ROSWELL, GA 30076 770-664-0820 WWW. ATLANTAMOTORWORLD.COM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS DIGITAL AND BEGAN FOGGING UP WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF MY OWNING IT. THIS BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN WET NOR HAS IT BEEN WASHED. IT IS ALWAYS IN THE GARAGE. THE DEALER MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING WHEN IN FACT HE PERSONALLY REPLACED TWO PANELS FOR A CUSTOMER NAMED ERIC HUFFMAN, WHO HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH TWO OF HIS DUCATIS. THE DEALER PROMISED IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND DUCATI NORTH AMERICA WOULD REPLACE IT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD. THE TECH SAID HE WOULD CALL DUCATI NA AND ASK WHAT TO DO AND HE FAILED TO CALL ME BACK. I FOUND OUT FROM MR HUFFMAN THAT HIS DUCATIS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALER REPLACED THEM. NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT WITH DUCATI NORTH AMERICA. I CALLED THE DEALER AFTER A MONTH OF HEARING NOTHING FROM THEM REGARDING MY QUERY. THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT ONLY TO CALL BACK AND SAY DUCATI NA SAID THEY DO NOT WARRANTY WEATHER RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS FOGGING INSTRUMENT PANELS. IN A SEARCH DONE ON THE WEB I HAVE FOUND COUNTLESS PEOPLE ACROSS THE US & INTERNATIONALLY WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. DUCATI NA REFUSES TO FIX MOST OF THEM AND THE ONES THEY DO HAVE NO RHYME OR REASON. MANY HAVE REPORTED RUSTING IN THE PANEL AND RENDERING THE DIGITIZED WORKS USELESS ONCE RUST SETS IN. DUCATI RECOMMENDED THE DEALER DRILL A HOLE IN THE BACK OF THE POD WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE WARRANTY TO VOID AS WELL AS TAKING IT APART TO CLEAN IT. THEY EVEN SAID I WAS EXPECTED TO PAY THE DEALER FOR THE "FIX" AND THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT CHARGE ME OUT OF FAIRNESS. REALLY? WHY WOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT? DEALER MANAGER, SEAN, SAID HE WOULD CONTACT THEM DUCATI NA AGAIN FOR ME AS PER MY INSISTENCE, THOUGH HE TOLD ME IT WAS MY PLACE TO DO SO BECAUSE IT WAS "OUT OF HIS HANDS". I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM IN OVER 2 WKS POST DISCUSSION. *TR