2005 Ducati Monster S2 R

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME, THE HANDLEBARS HIT IT ON TURNING, AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH. PREVIOUSLY IT OPENED AND CLOSED WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW I HAVE TO WEDGE IT AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH TO CLOSE IT. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME CORRECTLY. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY) AND THEY REPLACED THE TANK. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW. THE TANK'S SWELLING HAS MADE IT SO THE HANDLEBARS DO NOT TURN CORRECTLY. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT WILL SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING. ALTHOUGH DUCATI OF NORTH AMERICA HAS REPLACED MY TANK UNDER THE 5 YEAR EMISSIONS WARRANTY, MY BIKE IS AN '05, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF/WHEN THE TANK SWELLS AGAIN. NO MORE WARRANTY AND I WILL BE FORCED TO REPLACE ITEM AT MY EXPENSE. *TR

DEAR SIR/MADAM- MY 2005 DUCATI MONSTER S2R HAS DEVELOPED A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE GAS TANK. THE TANK IS PLASTIC (FIRST YEAR DUCATI UTILIZED A PLASTIC TANK DESIGN) AND HAS DEVELOPED WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS LARGE "BLISTERS" ON THE SURFACE OF THE TANK. ALSO, THE TANKS OVERALL SIZE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, AS IF IT IS SWELLING. SO MUCH SO IN FACT, THAT THE RUBBER MOUNTS THAT SUPPORT THE TANK ON THE FRAME NO LONGER LINE UP WITH THE FRAME BUT RATHER HANG OFF OF IT, PLACING WHAT I WOULD PRESUME TO BE UNDUE PRESSURE ON THE SMALL LATCH THAT SECURES THE TANK TO THE FRAME. I AM CONCERNED THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THIS DISTORTED TANK SHAPE WILL LEAD TO A FAILURE OF THE TANK TO CONTAIN THE FUEL OR THAT THE TANK WILL COME OFF WHILE RIDING. *TR

THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MY 2005 DUCATI MONSTER IS SWELLING. THE RUBBER MOUNTS THAT SET ON THE FRAME ARE NOW ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE THEY DON'T CONTACT THE FRAME. THERE ARE NOTICEABLE RIPPLES ON THE SIDE OF THE TANK. IT HAS ALSO AFFECTED THE TANK CLOSING LATCH TO THE POINT WHERE IT HAS TO BE MANIPULATED TO LIFT THE TANK FOR MAINTENANCE VERSUS JUST A SIMPLE LIFTING OF THE LATCH W/ NO EFFORT. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE CONTINUED SWELLING WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE TANK TO SEPARATE AND LEAK FUEL. *TR

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK THAT HAS BEGUN EXPANDING/SWELLING. THE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED ENOUGH THAT IT NO LONGER SITS PROPERLY ON THE FRAME RAILS AND CAN SHIFT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, CAUSING IT TO RUB AGAINST THE IGNITION AND DAMAGE THE PAINT. ADDITIONALLY, THE TANK HAS SWOLLEN ENOUGH TO PRESSES DIRECTLY AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH FROM THE REAR. IT PREVIOUSLY HAD AT LEAST AN INCH CLEARANCE THAT ALLOWED THE TANK TO OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT PROBLEMS (IT IS ON A HINGE), BUT NOW IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ENGAGE THE LATCH, AS IT IS WEDGED AGAINST THE IGNITION MODULE I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL SYSTEM AT ALL, INCLUDING THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY). I AM WAITING TO HEAR AS TO WHETHER THE TANK WILL BE REPLACED. EVEN IF IT IS REPLACED, I HAVE NO FAITH THAT THE REPLACEMENT WILL PERFORM ANY BETTER, OR THAT IT WILL BE REPLACED WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. I'VE BECOME VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE. IF THE TANK CONTINUES TO SWELL, IT WILL CONTACT THE HANDLEBARS AND IMPINGE ON THE TURNING RADIUS. ADDITIONALLY, I'M CONCERNED THAT THE TANK WILL REACH A POINT OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, CAUSING IT TO BURST DURING USE, RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SITUATION. *TR

THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MY 2005 DUCATI S2R 800 IS SWELLING/DEFORMING. THE SWELLING IS CAUSING COSMETIC AND STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL TANK. COSMETICALLY, THERE ARE RIPPLES AND BULGES ALL OVER THE TANK. STRUCTURALLY, THE TANK HAS SWOLLEN SO MUCH THAT THE HANDLEBARS HIT THE TANK AND STEERING IS LIMITED. THE TANK HAS ALSO SWOLLEN SO MUCH THAT THE TANK SUPPORT PADS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TANK BARELY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE TANK HAS SWOLLEN AROUND THE IGNITION AREA SUCH THAT THE IGNITION FASCIA IS RUBBING A HOLE THROUGH THE TANK ITSELF. FINALLY, THE FRONT TANK LATCH IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO RELEASE AND OR RE-LATCH DUE TO THE SWELLING. *TR

PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MOTORCYCLE NO LONGER FITS CORRECTLY ON THE FRAME OF THE BIKE. THE BOTTOM RUBBER MOUNTS ARE OUTSIDE THE FRAME, THE FRONT OF THE TANK PRESSES AGAINST THE KEYSWITCH, AND THERE IS RIPPLING ON THE SIDES OF THE TANK CONSISTENT WITH EXPANSION. THE RUBBER MOUNTS ARE SUPPOSED TO SIT SQUARELY ON THE FRAME TO HOLD THE TANK SECURELY, AND THE FRONT LATCH IS SUPPOSED TO CONNECT UNDER THE KEYSWITCH TO LOCK THE TANK IN PLACE, BUT THE TANK IS NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH THE KEYSWITCH. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO THE MANUFACTURER. DEALER SAYS THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY OF THIS MODEL AND DUCATI HAS REPLACED SEVERAL OTHERS. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AS I FEEL MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE MY TANK WITH AN IDENTICAL ONE. I DO NOT NEED MY GAS TANK EXPANDING AND SPLITTING WHILE I AM RIDING! I HAVE HEARD THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO ETHANOL PENETRATING THE PLASTIC TANK, BUT I DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE. IF THE NEW TANK IS THE SAME AS THE OLD ONE IT DOES ME NO GOOD. *TR