Ducati Monster Forum

When ducati warranty cover on plastic tanks runs out in 6 years time and your fuel tank is sick, bulging ,melting etc what will you do???


dump the bike?
buy a new plastic tank from ducati for extorionate price every few years ?
pray someone makes after market steel tanks for you model?
hope A permanent cure is found

I own 4 older models all with steel tanks but will not buy a product that has such a bad unsolved fault i am in the market for  anew bike but at present i will not purchase a ducati as \i keep my bikes a long time , looks at present as if Triumph will get my cash ,

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=54892.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=54892.0)

Chris at CA-cycleworks is also working on something.....  here (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=58635.0)

just to be clear, ducati coverage on tanks run out 6 years from DATE OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE, not from the date of the settlement.

Build the bike into a chopper w/a steel 'peanut' tank.   [laugh]


Seriously though, I've been doing a lot of tank coating to the new plastic tanks that the local dealership has been installing.

People are treating the warranty replacement tanks w/longevity in mind.  Hopefully, that'll solve the issue....

Where is the dead horse emoticon when you need it?

This
Or maybe this
Or maybe something else.  I don't really know.  I do know you are missing some options in the original post
These options are much more reasonable (despite the possible aesthetic issues with the first one)
There are other options as well (buy a wrecked steelie from ebay with mounting hardware, send it to ducpainter for fixings, modify (or pay to have modified) the fuel delivery/top of engine "compartment" so it fits)

To add to the above:  You'll need to adjust a few things, but conversion to a steel tank is an option. 

2002 to 2005 2V steel tanks will fit plastic 2V tank bikes without modification to the top of the engine "compartment", 4V to 4V except testastretta.

You'll need the following:
New hinge & pin
Fuel tank
Fuel pump
New Fuel filter
New in-tank hoses
Clamps
External fuel pressure regulator (& somewhere to mount)

Seems like a lot, but if you have an expanding plastic tank and are patient, these parts do show up on Ebay...

Although, if you are "dumping" a plastic tank monster for swollen tank issues... I'll be your huckleberry.

but most of my tank is under my seat! how would that work?


 ;D

(https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSybjw_EmxWJXvV_1MBYT9Ezdqy7Nevi7Lk3ttfc-Nfr8vw4dBZ)

it was a joke, son. a joke  [laugh]

I'm sure stu could fig a way to mount a peanut under the seat of a tard.


not that I intend to do that  ;D

Hmmmm....  Interesting!  [evil]

 ;D

did someone not get the memo?

Hence the wanton threadjack to Hypermotard choppers with under-seat tanks...  ;D

I would worry about it in six years.

(http://www.michaelmccurry.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/mad_magazine-245x300.jpg)

Darn my 2006 Triumph Speed triple is with plastic tank, but I noticed my friends 2010 is not.

I'd reverse to polarity on the flux capacitor so I can run it on a Mr Fusion. ;D

seems there will be thousands of suspect bikes available in a few years time with massive reductions in value due to this problem , as used buyers will have to factor in buying a PEX tank for $800+fitting costs from Chris and other entrepreneurs who will be making after market replacements of a superior material ,
i have spoken to KTM dealers and latest models are getting PEX tanks and after market touring tanks are made in Aluminium or PEX ,
an indian company is apparently working on a n aluminium Streetfighter tank according to some owners i have spoken to,

Triumph went back to steel for all models after getting bitten by plastic tank fiasco Ducati have buried their head in the sand done some corporate math that will most likely come back to bite the later , Audi/VW  have a history of similar screwups with their cars , plastic camshaft pulleys , oiling issues , ABS faliure , all expensive issues dumped on the customer with no addmitance of faliure or long term solution so dont expect the new managment to improve the design /manufacturing issue on tanks

Threadjack is my middle name!

Good!  I like cheap ducs!
The tanks from Chris are not just "replacements."  His current offerings increase tank volume significantly, and even the monster one (if the same as the last iteration) will add just that smidge of range that I want.  And what are these "fitting costs" of which you speak?
Ducatiz is working a similar deal for the monsters
I don't find this really relevant.  Every single bike manufactured today has a plethora of unhappy customers because the manufacturer missed some peoples' expectations.  I'm pretty sure every car has a similar track record.  If a certain manufacturer's choices in the trade-space between quality and cost is unacceptable to you... by all means tell them and vote with your feet.  The real answer is: Ducati and the courts have reached a decision that we as owners of affected bikes have chosen to accept.  You say it does not affect you...

 The real answer is: Ducati and the courts have reached a decision that we as owners of affected bikes have chosen to accept.  You say it does not affect you...

thats a joke right?   i dont know any owners of plastic  tank Ducatis that i have spoken to and thats a lot of owners are really  happy with what has been handed down, its a none solution that saves face for ducati and shoves the problem down the line  ,

sure i am voting with my feet and not buying a NEW ducati until I have confidence in the product again  .

Well, we had the opportunity to protest the court's decision.  very close to nobody did.  That is "choosing to accept."  "Really happy?"  I'd be "really happy" if they refunded the purchase price of my bike, but that just ain't going to happen... they'd want the bike back, too.

There are two ways to keep your tank from swelling.  One: Caswell's.  Two: don't let the gas stay in the tank long enough to sweat water through the material.  [Dolph]

had the tard for almost a year now, I'm fine with not having to potentially deal with this OOP for another five. (of course, it helps that the aftermarket solution has been out for a long time, now)

as far as monsters are concerned? old > new anyway, so...  :P

Again, we have beat this horse to a bloody pulp. All this information is in the swollen tank thread, including the point where we as owners could have voiced our objection. Most unhappy owners did not say a peep. Where were all those unhappy owners then? Ducatiz was begging for people to step up and say something. It's nice to see that all those unhappy owners are finally waking up, too little too late.

Gasoline without ethanol is no longer available in Thailand?

a few places a still sell 95ron & 91ron  non gasohol fuel mostly caltex , I store my S4 with 95 Caltex pure gas when not in use but use gasohol when normal  gas not available . other than that its all 10% gasohol , interstingly the only Ducatis so far with tank problems are italian made models with PA6 tanks , the Thai made bikes Monster 795 and Diavel have only been available for a year but so far no problems with gasohol fuels reported according to my local dealer who has sold over 200 bikes this year .

What is stopping anyone from suing Ducati in a different country that sells mostly ethonal?

Ethanol

Hopefully wake up every morning... [roll]

 and still be riding my motorcycles... [thumbsup]

Geoff... [coffee]

My 6 years are up this month.  I know exactly what I'll be doing in 6 years -  eating fish & chips, drinking IPA and thinking a BMW might be my next bike.

Christ Almighty.  Good to see that Monster owners have finally woken up after two years of this sh!t going on.  Many have called me out as a complainer, but this was my concern at the beginning of the 'replacement' issue. Now that Ducati's settlement is replacing tanks with identical units, it's underscored that much more.

Unless ducatiz comes through with a metal tank replacement it seems these affected Monsters will become 1) worthless in the marketplace, and 2) cycles nobody will want due to the obvious concerns about the tanks and their integrity.

1) worthless in the marketplace. What? It should worth exactly less the value of a replacement tank. Coat the plastic tank with epoxy and move on already -- mortals have done this for years. Metal and aluminum tanks have their disadvantages too you know...like corrosion, dents, crack welds, leaks and stuff.

2) cycles nobody will want due to the obvious concerns about the tanks and their integrity.  [roll]

I'll have something sooner than you think.  Working out details with the filler.  Plastic tanks have the insert in the plastic vs old metal tanks having a piece that fits with an ORING.  I'd prefer to have it like the plastic tank.  It definitely will not be kosher for EPA but will work.

Having just switched to an 07 from an 09 (which actually gets a true fix?), I am annoyed with myself for not paying closer attention to this problem.

That being said, I love the S4Rs and will be buying pure non ethanol gas and storing it in two 5 gal cans in my garage. Every couple of weeks (or sooner) I'll need to drive about 14 miles away for re fills. Not ideal but it should do the trick?

It would be nice if cycle world or another bike mag would bring this out (unless they have and I missed it) in a nice juicy article to show how Ducati is screwing its loyal customer base.

Of course now that Lamborghini, aka Audi, aka VW has taken over I'm sure it will be all about moving forward with its strong sales on the current and future models and not worrying about the 11ty billion it would cost to make this tank issue right...

 [thumbsdown]

We're talking about when the replacement tanks run out.  Yes, I agree with your point about the bikes being worth market minus the tank itself.  What if you'd gone beyond the replacement timeframe, and there are no viable tanks to obtain (metal, plastic etc)?  Then you have a bike that's kind of unusable.  That's my point.

We shouldn't have had to resort to coating our tanks, but that's an option for sure.  But just for entertainment's sake, check out the depreciation of the affected Ducati bikes.  Enlightening at the very least.  I'm looking forward to what iz comes up with.

It isn't unusable.  It just needs someone not afraid to either take the knife or pay someone else to take the knife to their bike.  If you spend less than the price of good suspension, you can have a pretty aluminum tank.  If you spend the price of some budget suspension, you can have a less pretty tank that won't leak... both options are still cheaper than a new bike.

I like depreciating Ducatis.  It means a) I'll have a ready supply of spare parts and b) when I want another it will be cheap.  If you bought your motorcycle for its "investment" values...  [roll] I've got a Titan Gecko that I want to sell for 15k.

Around here, beat to death 81 Goldwings are still listing for 1-1.5k.  I'm pretty sure that I can get more than that for my bike even if I don't wash it... which puts my miles to smiles ratio way up, and I bought mine new.

My bike was never intended to remain stock.  I don't whine when I have to replace fenders that crack, or chain guards that only last 15k miles... why in the name of all that is unholy would I complain because I can justify adding range to my tank?