NHTSA Complaint #10479602 — 2012 DUCATI 1199 PANIGALE

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATE 30-35 MPH THE ENGINE ON MY 2012 DUCATI 1199 MOTORCYCLE SUDDENLY DIED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ONTO THE GRASS MEDIAN. THE ENGINE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED NORMALLY WITH ONE ATTEMPT USING THE STARTER AFTER I WAS STOPPED. THERE WERE NO OTHER SECONDARY INDICATIONS. OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. WAS APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ENGINE TEMP.180-187 DEGREES F. I HAD JUST COME OFF OF A 30 MILE RIDE ON COUNTRY ROADS AND HAD NORMAL INDICATIONS DURING THE RIDE. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY ON THE REMAINDER OF THE RIDE HOME. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE I WAS DOWNSHIFTING PREPARING TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD. THE COMMON FACTORS HAVE BEEN DOWNSHIFTING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 40-20 MPH WITH THE CLUTCH ENGAGED. IN EACH CASE I WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP USING THE STARTER. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO ME ONCE AT NIGHT , LIGHTS OUT IN THE DARK STOPPED AT A MAJOR HI-WAY INTERSECTION. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS MENTALLY MORE PREPARED FOR IT. I INSURED THE BIKE WAS IN GEAR RELEASED THE CLUTCH AND THE ENGINE STARTED BACK. I HAVE REPORTED THESE EVENTS AS FAR BACK AS JUNE 2012 TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND AS OF THIS REPORT DATE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. I CHECKED ON DUCATI MS.ORG A FORUM WHERE OTHER DUCATI OWNERS DISCUSS DUCATI MOTORCYCLES AND DISCOVERED AT LEAST ONE OTHER 1199 PANIGALE OWNER HAD ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR