NHTSA Complaint #10478086 — 2012 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ABS

THE REAR BRAKE DOES NOT WORK, AND THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ON A MOTORCYCLE. OVER SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES THE REAR BRAKE PEDAL SLOWLY INCREASES TRAVEL, AND THEN GOES TO THE STOP AND DOES NOT ENGAGE THE REAR BRAKE AT ALL. DUCATI HAS TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO FIX THIS (I ALSO OWNED A 2011 MULTISTRADA WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM), AND ALL THEIR ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED. I, AND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS BIKE, HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY PATIENT IN TRYING TO ALLOW DUCATI THE TIME TO DEVELOP A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHICH TO DATE HAS NOT HAPPENED. HAVING TO TAKE THE BIKE IN TO HAVE A DEALER BLEED THE REAR BRAKE CIRCUIT EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES IS AN UNREALISTIC 'FIX' WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. DUCATI HAS NOW PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM (PLEASE SEE THE FIRST PARAGRAPH HERE: HTTP://ASHONBIKES.COM/CONTENT/ANDREA-FORNI-INTERVIEW ) AND HAS INSTITUTED A FIX ON THE UPCOMING 2013 MODEL. TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY DUCATI TO THOSE WITH REPEATED REAR BRAKE FAILURES ON THE CURRENT MODEL THAT THEY HAVE NOW FOUND A WAY TO ADDRESS, AND HOPEFULLY SOLVE, THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HESITATED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT NOW THAT DUCATI HAS PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE APPARENTLY NOW INSTITUTED A FIX, I FEEL THAT I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. *TR