NHTSA Complaint #10762341 — 2014 DUCATI HYPERMOTARD

SAT. 5 AUG 2015 AFTER A 15,000 MILE SERVICE, RIDING ABOUT 240 MILES THE BIKE SUDDENLY STARTED ACTING STRANGE. THE DCT LIGHT FLASHED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE BIKE BUCKED ERRATICALLY. I STOPPED, AND SWITCHED IGNITION OFF, THEN STARTED UP AGAIN. IT STARTED NORMALLY. AFTER A FEW (50?) YARDS THE DCT AGAIN FLASHED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE ABS AND DCT BOTH TURNED THEMSELVES OFF. RESTARTING AGAIN, THE BIKE SEEMED NORMAL FOR A HALF MILE OR SO, THEN THE BIKE WENT INTO A SLOW DRIVING MODE AND WOULD NOT GET ANY SPEED. CALLING THE SHOP -THE TECH MANAGER ADVISED ME THEY HAD NO WAY TO PICK UP THE BIKE, AND I SHOULD RIDE IT IN (ABOUT 200 MILES). I WAS TAKING OFF FROM A STOP IN SLOW-MODE WHEN THE DCT FLASHED, AND THE SLOW MODE DISENGAGED SUDDENLY CAUSING THE BIKE TO LUNGE SUDDENLY (A LOT LIKE A TWO STROKE MIGHT DO FULL THROTTLE) - I PULLED A KNUCKLE JOINT BUT MANAGED TO HOLD ON AND CONTROL WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A FALL INTO ACCELERATING TRAFFIC FROM THE LIGHT. THEN THE 'CHECK ENGINE LAMP WAS ON UNTIL I MADE IT ANOTHER 10-20 MILES OR SO TO THE SHOP. THE SHOP SAID THAT THE RETAINING CLIP ON THE SPEED SENSOR WIRE HAD COME LOOSE (IT'S A 'C' CLAMP MADE OF NYLON) AND THE WIRE WAS RUBBING THE ROTOR, UNTIL IT SHORTED AND CONFUSED THE COMPUTER. BECAUSE THE IS A THROTTLE-BY-WIRE CONTROLLED ENGINE, THAT WIRE AND CLIP SHOULD BE BETTER SAFEGUARDED. I HAVE ADDED A ZIP-TIE TO KEEP IT IN PLACE MORE SECURELY. THIS SHOULD BE RETROFITTED TO ALL THESE MACHINES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. ALSO, ANY PROBLEM PLACING A BIKE INTO SLOW-MODE SHOULD ONLY BE RE-SET BY THE TECH AT THE SHOP. IT SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SELF-CANCEL - THAT'S POTENTIAL DEATH.