NHTSA Complaint #11132335 — 2012 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ABS

THE REAR BRAKE HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE AMONG OWNERS (AND DUCATI MECHANICS). DUCATI IS ALSO WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT OFFERED ANY TYPE OF FIX. THE PROBLEM IS THAT NO MATTER HOW OFTEN ONE BLEEDS THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM, WITHIN JUST A FEW HUNDRED MILES, THE REAR BRAKE NO LONGER HAS ANY EFFECT ON THE BIKE'S SPEED. IF ONE GOES MUCH PAST 700-800 MILES, THE BRAKE PEDAL SIMPLY GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN, DOING NOTHING AT ALL. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE I BOUGHT THE BIKE IN DECEMBER 2012. DUCATI HAS REPLACED THE REAR MASTER CYLINDER TWICE, BUT AGAIN, WITHIN JUST A FEW HUNDRED MILES, THE BRAKES ARE GONE. ACCORDING TO DUCATI MECHANICS AND OTHER RIDERS WHO HAVE THIS ISSUE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BRAKE LINES ARE ROUTED MUCH TOO CLOSE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VERY HIGH HEAT CAUSES THE BRAKE FLUID TO BOIL AND GREATLY REDUCES THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE NEEDED TO FORCE THE BRAKE CALIPERS TO "GRAB" THE BRAKE DISC. I HAVE OWNED AT LEAST 10 OTHER MOTORCYCLES (INCLUDING 4 DUCATIS) AND NONE HAVE EVER HAD ANY BRAKING ISSUES LIKE THIS. ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE OF THE POOR DESIGN OF THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM, THE REAR CALIPER MUST BE REMOVED AND HUNG HIGHER THAN ITS NORMAL MOUNTING POINT WHEN BLEEDING THE BRAKES. IF THIS ISN'T DONE, THE OLD FLUID AND ANY BUBBLES IN THE LINE WILL NOT BE PURGED FROM THE LINE. THIS MAKES BLEEDING THE BRAKES A NEAR FUTILE EXERCISE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DUCATI COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF PERMANENT FIX SO I WILL HAVE RELIABLE REAR BRAKES.