NHTSA Complaint #10454964 — 2011 DUCATI F1098S STREETFIGHTER

I JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2011 DUCATI 1098S STREETFIGHTER. AFTER RECEIVING THE BIKE, I NOTICED A SMALL IMPERFECTION ON THE GAS TANK, A DIMPLE, AND ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX IT. I LATER LEARNED OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE GAS TANKS AS DESCRIBED BELOW. THE PLASTIC USED IN FUEL TANKS IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE MOTORCYCLES FUEL, WHICH CAUSES THE TANKS TO RAPIDLY DEGRADE AND DEFORM AND LEADS TO A NUMBER OF UNSAFE CONDITIONS. AMONG OTHER THINGS, AS THE PLASTIC DEGRADES AND DEFORMS, THE FUEL TANKS INTERFERE WITH THE FULL RANGE OF STEERING, LEAK FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE, AND DESTABILIZE THE MOTORCYCLE'S WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION-OFTEN TO THE POINT THAT THE MOTORCYCLE CANNOT BE SAFELY OPERATED AFTER ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES OF USE. THE TANKS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM ARE REPORTEDLY MADE OF PA6 POLYAMIDE PLASTIC AND WERE MANUFACTURED FROM 2005 TO 2010. AT LEAST SOME OF THE TANKS WERE OUTSOURCED BY THE MANUFACTURERS AND WERE MADE BY ACERBIS. *TR