2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

2008 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS VOLTAGE RECTIFIER/REGULATOR OVER HEATS AND CATCHES FIRE. MELTS AND DESTROYS OTHER COMPONENTS SURROUNDING THE UNIT, SUCH AS THE OIL BREATHER TANK AND THE SEAT. THIS PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE FOR OTHER DUCATI MODELS. THE VOLTAGE RECTIFIER IS USED ON MANY DUCATI MODELS AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, IN PARTICULAR THE 2007 TO 2008 S4RS MODELS WHICH HAVE IDENTICAL PARTS. THIS ISSUE IS WIDELY KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY. AS PROOF, AFTERMARKET PARTS AND RELOCATION KITS ARE AVAILABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, HTTPS://TPOPARTS.COM/CAT093/INDEX.PHP?ROUTE=PRODUCT/PRODUCT&PRODUCT_ID=165 HTTP://WWW.ELECTROSPORT.COM/STREET-BIKES/DUCATI/MONSTER-696-2.HTML NOTE TO NHTSA: DROP DOWN MENU IN COMPLAINT FORM DOES NOT HAVE THE 2008 S4RS AS A SELECTION ITEM, THUS I SELECTED THE 2007 S4RS. *TR

THIS DUCATI MONSTER S4RS MOTORCYCLE IS ONE OF THE MANY THAT EXPERIENCED DEFORMATION OF THE FUEL TANK AND COMPROMISE OF THE INTERNAL FUEL PUMP OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CAUSE OF THE DEFORMATION IS DUE TO INCOMPATIBILITY WITH FUEL ITSELF; VERY POSSIBLY ETHANOL IN PARTICULAR. THIS MOTORCYCLE'S GAS TANK WAS REPLACED LAST NOVEMBER. IT IS ALREADY IN NEED OF ANOTHER NEW TANK. THE COST OF A NEW ONE IS APPROXIMATELY $2500.00. *TR

THE FUEL TANK IS DEFORMING AND CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. *TR

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND AND DISTORT. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS NOW SERIOUSLY DISTORTED. PREVIOUSLY THE TANK WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW IT IS WEDGED TIGHTLY AGAINST THE IGNITION. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME PROPERLY SUCH THAT THE TANK IS NOT SUPPORTED ADEQUATELY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND TESTED. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST AND SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP AT ALL. I TOOK MY BIKE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY) AND THEY REPLACED THE TANK. I WAS NOT GIVEN A REASON FOR THE TANK SWELLING. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW AS THE REPLACED TANK IS ENLARGED AND DISTORTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS ONE AT ONLY 10050 MILES. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT MAY POSSIBLY SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING OR WHEN PARKED INSIDE A BUILDING SPILLING GAS THAT COULD IGNITE OR THE TANK COULD SIMPLY FALL OFF THE BIKE. I HAVE TAKEN THE BIKE BACK TO THE DUCATI DEALER AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED YET ANOTHER CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA TO REPLACE THE TANK WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED. HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS CAUSES DEATH OR INJURY? WE NEED A RECALL OF THESE TANKS AND SAFE NON SWELLING FUEL TANK REPLACEMENTS. DUCATI IS JUST RUNNING THE CLOCK OUT ON THEIR OBLIGATIONS. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD FUEL TANK ON THIS BIKE IN UNDER 11000 MILES OF USE. *TR

2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS PLASTIC TANK IS SWELLING. WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE. NEW WARRANTED TANK HAS NOW SWELLED. DUCATI HAS THUS FAR, SAID IT IS ONLY A COSMETIC ISSUE. HOWEVER THERE ARE THE CHANCES OF THE TANK SPLITTING, SWELLING TO THE POINT THAT IT WILL NOT LATCH DOWN OR SWELL TO THE POINT THAT IT PUSHES THE SEAT AND POSSIBLY UNLATCHING IT. *KB