NHTSA Complaint #10662504 — 2013 DUCATI HYPERMOTARD

WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE ON THE FREEWAY, IT EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. THIS WAS UPON ROLLING OFF THE THROTTLE, WHEREUPON THE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. RIDER HAD TO USE THE IGNITION CUT-OFF SWITCH ("KILL SWITCH") TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT, AT SPEED, TO REGAIN THROTTLE CONTROL. IT EXHIBITED THE SAME BEHAVIOR AS RIDER RODE THE BIKE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED DUCATI HAS ISSUED (AT LEAST AN INFORMAL) NOTICE OF A FAULTY THROTTLE SENSOR PART THAT CAN CAUSE UNCONTROLLED THROTTLE (SPEED) PROBLEMS IN THIS MODEL YEAR. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. IF RIDER HAD BEEN IN ANOTHER TRAFFIC SITUATION, OR ON THE RACETRACK (AS RIDER USES THIS MOTORCYCLE ON THE TRACK AS WELL FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES, NOT RACING), THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POTENTIALLY FATAL INCIDENT. RIDER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY NOTIFIED THAT THE DEALER AND DUCATI HAVE ASSESSED THE PROBLEM AND DUCATI HAS APPROVED REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY THROTTLE SYSTEM/PART. *TR