NHTSA Complaint #10760926 — 2013 DUCATI 1199 PANIGALE

THE MOTORCYCLE HAS A GEAR INDICATOR (TO TELL WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN) THAT DISPLAYS ON THE DASHBOARD. TWO DIFFERENT GEAR INDICATION PROBLEMS: 1) WHILE TRAVELING IN 6TH GEAR, THE INDICATOR WILL FLASH BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH GEAR 2) WHILE IN NEUTRAL GEAR, THE INDICATOR WILL FLASH BETWEEN 1ST AND NEUTRAL. THIS ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE BIKE IS HEAT SOAKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH AIR TEMPERATURES ABOVE 90 DEGREES. THE NEUTRAL / 1ST GEAR PROBLEM CAUSES THE BIKE'S (WHEN RUNNING IN NEUTRAL GEAR WITH THE SIDE STAND DOWN) ENGINE TO SHUT OFF BECAUSE THE BIKE HAS A SIDE STAND AND GEAR INTERLOCK CONDITION THAT WILL NOT LET THE ENGINE RUN WITH THE SIDE STAND IN THE DOWN POSITION IN ANY FORWARD GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH ENGAGED. THE 5TH / 6TH GEAR INDICATOR PROBLEM IS LITTLE MORE THAN A NUISANCE MOST OF THE TIME, BUT CAN LED TO RIDER BEING UNSTABLE IF HE/SHE BELIEVES THE BIKE IS IN 5TH, TRIES UP UPSHIFT BUT REALIZES THE GEAR PEDDLE WILL NOT ENGAGE 6TH BECAUSE THE BIKE IS ALREADY IN 6TH. THE ONLINE DUCATI FORUMS HAVE BEEN STATING THAT THE GEAR INDICATOR PROBLEM IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2012-2014 DUCATI 1199 BIKES. ALSO, DUCATI CUSTOMER SERVICE STATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THERE IS NO KNOWN PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS CONDITION. SOME DEALERS ARE "RE-TEACHING" GEAR SECTION TO THE BIKE WHILE SOME DEALERS ARE REPLACING GEAR INDICATOR SENSORS TO NO AVAIL. MY BIKE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO ANY ATTEMPTED FIX WOULD BE ON MY DIME. ALSO THERE ARE NO KNOWN RECALLS TO DATE FOR THIS CONDITION.