2007 Ducati Monster S4RS

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS SWELLING AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK ON TO THE MOTOR IN WHICH THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING THE SWELLING FUEL TANK BUT THE DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT WITH ANY INFORMATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,800.

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI S4RS HAS EXPANDED TO THE POINT IT COULD NO LONGER FIT ON THE BIKE. THIS TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM LESS THEN A YEAR AGO. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK REACTING THE FUEL. IT MAY BE RELATED TO ETHANOL IN THE FUEL. THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO REPLACE THE TANKS UNDER WARRANTY BUT I BELIEVE A RECALL SHOULD BE STARTED SINCE THIS PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO A TANK BEING UNLOCKED ON THE FRAME WITHOUT KNOWING IT. IN ADDITION THE FUEL LINES CAN LEAK DUE TO THE SHIFTING OF THE TANK AND THIS CAN LEAD TO FUEL SPILLING ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST LEADING TO FIRE. DUCATI SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REDESIGN THE TANK EITHER IN A BETTER PLASTIC OR METAL. *TR

FUEL TANK HAS INCREASED IN SIZE AND SHAPE IS DEFORMED. TANK SUPPORTS TO FRAME OF MOTORCYCLE ARE PUSHED AWAY FROM FRAME. TANK IS IN CONTACT WITH STEERING HEAD OF MOTORCYCLE. LATCH TO REMOVE TANK IS JAMMED INTO IGNITION SWITCH. THESE ISSUES ARE A SAFETY CONCERN IF LATCH OR TANK SUPPORTS FAIL. LATCH IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF TANK. TANK COULD BE LIFTED UP AND BACK WHILE RIDING IF LATCH FAILS. TANK IS MADE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL. SIZE INCREASE AND DEFORMATION APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY ABSORPTION OF WATER/ETHANOL DUE TO PHASE SEPARATION OF GASOLINE AND ETHANOL. REPLACEMENT TANKS FROM DUCATI ARE MADE OF SAME MATERIAL. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR UNLESS NEW TANKS ARE LINED OR MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS. *TR