Ducati bikes with nylon tanks. Terrible way to treat customers.

HardDrive · 08-20-2013, 06:56 AM

For those unfamiliar with the Ducati 'plastic tank saga', there was recently a rather dark period in their history (on going actually....). For 3 years, they sold bikes with fuel tanks made out of nylon. The problem being that we have ethanol in our fuel in the US, and the ethanol reacts with the nylon and causes it to expand.

Ducati has extended warranties, and replaced some tanks, but the tanks are simply being replaced with the same flawed nylon tanks.

The upshot is that people who own 2005-2009 bikes are taking a bath. We have multiple SRS4 Monsters on C-list locally. They've sat for months, and the prices are dirt cheap. Who wants a bike with a known fatal flaw? There are solutions, but it will set you back $2000.

I still love Ducs, but I have to say, I'm incredibly unimpressed with how they've treated their customers.

motion · 08-20-2013, 07:07 AM

Can't you just buy a new tank and run non-ethanol? My Aprilia RS250s suffer from the same problem. Supposedly you can drain them and set in the hot sun for several days and they'll go back to their original shape.

intakexhaust · intakexhaust's Garage

Seem's ripe for a class action suit.

VincentVega · 08-20-2013, 07:21 AM

Quote:

just buy a new tank and run non-ethanol?

Good luck finding it around the DC metro area.

HardDrive · 08-20-2013, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

Seem's ripe for a class action suit.

Already been filed.

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

Why did they ever think it was a good idea to make tanks out of nylon in the first plate?

HardDrive · 08-20-2013, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motion

Can't you just buy a new tank and run non-ethanol?

Good luck finding it in the corn belt.

HardDrive · 08-20-2013, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widebody911

Why did they ever think it was a good idea to make tanks out of nylon in the first plate?

It was a cost saving measure. BTW, not a problem in the rest of the world. Its ethanol thats the problem.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

That is astonishing they can get away with that. My LAWN MOWER was recalled to replace the gas tank. Really. I got a letter and was told to drop the mower off at any dealer and get a new gas tank for free.

I would think DOT would require them to recall them all and fix the problem.

epbrown · 08-20-2013, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motion

Can't you just buy a new tank and run non-ethanol? My Aprilia RS250s suffer from the same problem. Supposedly you can drain them and set in the hot sun for several days and they'll go back to their original shape.

Finding non-ethanol would be tough. The web sites that track such things show none within 20 miles of Chicago, for instance.

I'd read there some way of coating the tank that prevents the problem.

Rot 911 · 08-20-2013, 09:38 AM

This was the major reason why I sold my 2009 Monster. It was covered under warranty, but they get the tanks made in eastern Europe and the company that makes them only does a run of tanks every few months or so.

A lot of people have been successful with coating the new tanks (as they are made of the same warping material), but after my bike sitting for 4 months to get the new tank, I just sold it right after the tank was installed.

I will never buy a new or plastic tank Ducati again.

tcar · 08-20-2013, 10:52 AM

Owned by Audi, I think...

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

This ethanol junk is the bane of quite a few vehicle, vessel and aircraft owners' existences.

I lost a pretty nice 944 turbo to what I strongly suspect was ethanol-weakened fuel lines (ruptured and engine fire resulted). I truly do hate this stuff. It literally could have killed me.

flatbutt · 08-20-2013, 11:46 AM

Allegedly my 2012 is not a problem but I run Star tron in it anyway. Same with my Stihl.

motion · 08-20-2013, 12:12 PM

After I blew up my Hypermotard this summer, a photo of it puking oil onto the highway was shared around FB a bit. A guy from Ducati NA contacted me immediately and tried to come up with a way to help out, but ultimately, since I wasn't the original owner, they couldn't do anything. Said they were cutting down on the "good will" expenses. Guessing because of the new owners, Audi.

HardDrive · 08-20-2013, 12:25 PM

What happened to your Hyper? Please share photos of the destruction porn.

motion · 08-20-2013, 01:24 PM

Rod through the case while motoring down the road, at, ummmm, slightly more than 65mph.

Amail · 08-20-2013, 02:23 PM

Seems like an opportunity to me. Can nobody make a replacement tank that works and plays well with ethanol? Certainly for less than $2k? Lots of people would line up for that, I'd think.

71scgc · 08-21-2013, 04:41 AM

Seems they've been slippin' lately. Shame...

HardDrive · 08-21-2013, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amail

Seems like an opportunity to me. Can nobody make a replacement tank that works and plays well with ethanol? Certainly for less than $2k? Lots of people would line up for that, I'd think.

CA Cycleworks makes a PEX tank for about $600. But its not paintable, and its not the original shape. There are so folks making aluminum tanks in Europe, but they are $$$.