2004 DUCATI MTS 1000 Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

TANK IS EXPANDING AND RUBBING ON OTHER BODY PARTS. IT IS ALSO BUBBLING IN RANDOM SPOTS. I HAVE NOT TRIED TO REMOVE IT, SO I IT IS UNCLEAR IF IT HAS FITMENT ISSUES. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

RE: NHTSA 11V020 2004 DUCATI MTS 1000. I HAVE RECEIVED THE NOTICE REGARDING THE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE O-RING AT THE FUEL TANK-PUMP FLANGE. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE O-RING IS NOT THE PROBLEM WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES AND THIS WILL BE A TEMPORARY, BANDAID SOLUTION AT BEST. THE REAL ISSUE IS THE POLYMER FUEL TANKS ARE EXPANDING/WARPING DUE TO ETHANOL IN THE GASOLINE. WHILE MINE HAS NOT LEAKED YET, IT IS SHOWING CLEAR SIGNS OF TANK WARPAGE AND EVEN WITH AN IMPROVED O-RING I AM CONCERNED IT WILL EVENTUALLY BEGIN TO LEAK GASOLINE. EVEN BEFORE LEAKS DEVELOP, OWNERS ARE REPORTING PROBLEMS REMOVING AND REINSTALLING THE FUEL TANKS DUE TO EXPANSION AND WARPAGE. THE ONLY REAL FIX TO THIS PROBLEM IS TO HAVE DUCATI AND/OR THEIR FUEL TANK SUPPLIER (ACERBIS) REPLACE THE TANKS WITH UNITS THAT DO NOT REACT WITH GASOLINE CONTAINING ETHANOL. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE NHTSA CAN BRING THE REQUIRED PRESSURE TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN, THEREBY HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE OWNERS/RIDERS OF THESE MOTORCYCLES ARE OPERATING SAFE MACHINES. *TR

Mileage: 13,070

2004 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000DS GAS TANK DEFORMS DUE TO ETHANOL FUEL. THE GAS TANK IS MADE OF A COMPOSITE PLASTIC MATERIAL. DEFORMATION CAUSES LEAKS AND/OR FAILURE OF ABILITY TO INSTALL OR REMOVE THE TANK FROM THE FRAME OF THE BIKE. DUCATI REPLACED THE TANK WITH ONE OF THE SAME MATERIAL THAT WILL DEFORM AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 34,000

2004 DUCATI MULTISTRADA GAS TANK BUBBLE AND SPREADING. *TR

Mileage: 5,489

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2004 DUCATI MULTISTRADA HAS EXPANDED TO THE POINT WHERE IT CAN NO LONGER BE SAFELY REMOVED FROM THE FRAME. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY AN AUTHORIZED DUCATI DEALERSHIP. *TR

Mileage: 22,500

GAS TANK IS MADE OF A NYLON POLYMER AND IT IS BEGINNING TO WARP. THE BIKE HAS LESS THAN 3,200 MILES ON IT. THE WARPING OF THE TANK COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE, AND HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS. DUCATI IS SELECTIVELY REPLACING THESE TANKS, BUT IN SOME CASES (MINE) BEING DENIED BECAUSE THERE IS NO LEAK (YET). *TR

Mileage: 2,800

FUEL TANK LEAK OVER EXHAUST PIPES. LEAK AT FLANGE TO TANK. NEW FLANGE O RING DOES NOT STOP THE LEAK. *TR

Mileage: 10,898

EXPANDING AND LEAKING PLASTIC MOTORCYCLE FUEL TANK. PRESENTS FIRE DANGER AND ILL FITMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO THE FRAME. *TR

Mileage: 11,098

I HAVE A 2006 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000S DS WITH APPROX. 20,000 MILES. IN 2009, I NOTICED THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MY MOTORCYCLE HAS STRETCHED LENGTHWISE AND BULGED WIDTHWISE TO THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNTING SCREWS DO NOT LINE UP WITH THE TANK. THE FUEL FILLER RECESS IN THE TANK IS ALSO SHOWING CRACKS IN THE PLASTIC. PLASTIC SIDE PANELS ATTACHED TO THE TANK ARE ALSO BEING PUSHED OUT OF PLACE. THE TANK IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND AND WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE REPLACED AS IT WILL NOT FIT ON MY MOTORCYCLE. *TR

Mileage: 14,000

2004 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000DS MOTORCYCLE. GAS TANK MADE FROM COMPOSITE MATERIAL (RATHER THAN METAL) IS DEFORMING/GROWING DUE TO ETHANOL FUEL. INTERIOR COATING IS DEFICIENT, IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT ABSORPTION OF WATER FROM ETHANOL WHICH CAUSES THE TANK TO EXPAND OVER TIME. GAS TANK HAS EXPANDED UP TO 1 INCH IN SOME DIMENSIONS, TO THE POINT WHERE IT CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE BIKE FOR ROUTINE VALVE MAINTENANCE TO HELP CONTROL EMISSIONS. *TR

Mileage: 35,120

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. THE TANK FRAME MOUNTS NO LONGER PROPERLY LINE UP WITH MOUNTING BOLTS ON TANK CORRECTLY. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE. 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. *TR

Mileage: 11,000

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2004 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000DS HAS BEGUN EXPANDING. THE EXPANSION OF THE TANK TO THIS POINT HAS ONLY LED TO MISALIGNED BODY PANELS AND A POOR FIT OF THE TANK ITSELF ON THE MOTORCYCLE'S FRAME. FURTHER EXPANSION OF THE TANK, AS HAS BEEN OBSERVED ON NUMEROUS OTHER MOTORCYCLES WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR TANKS, LEADS TO THE SEPARATION OF THE FUEL FLANGE FROM THE TANK RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK THAT COULD POSE A SERIOUS COMBUSTION HAZARD. THE EXPANSION OF THE TANK IS CAUSED BY THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF THE TANKS PLASTIC WITH THE ETHANOL FOUND IN E10 FUEL. AS E10 IS NOW NEAR UBIQUITOUS ON THE EAST COAST WHERE I LIVE, IT CANNOT BE AVOIDED. THE POTENTIAL INTRODUCTION OF E15 OR HIGHER LEVELS OF ETHANOL IN THE FUEL SUPPLY CHAIN WILL EXACERBATE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 17,000