Plastic Tank problems: Discussion thread, see info thread sticky for updates

[booger]

Jeez what a fiasco

[sbrguy]

how is this stuff not happening to every single bike manufacturer? honda/yamaha/suzuki sells way more bikes than ducati ever does.

you would think that with so many of their bikes on the market the expanded tank issue would be going crazy with them, almost every single sport bike has a plastic tank, and most of the new bmw bikes do also, they should be having the same problems as ducati, what do they know that ducati doesn't?   

and if they are using a different plastic why isnt' ducati using the same one?

[Howie]

Crap.  I guess they really put down the pedal. 

Just thinking out loud.  Could the manufacturers counter sue the EPA since the real culprit is government mandated alcohol poisoning of our fuel?  Just looking for a silver cloud.

[Popeye the Sailor]

how is this stuff not happening to every single bike manufacturer? honda/yamaha/suzuki sells way more bikes than ducati ever does.

you would think that with so many of their bikes on the market the expanded tank issue would be going crazy with them, almost every single sport bike has a plastic tank, and most of the new bmw bikes do also, they should be having the same problems as ducati, what do they know that ducati doesn't?   

and if they are using a different plastic why isnt' ducati using the same one?

I don't typically help my competition. Maybe Honda figured it out, but I can't imagine why they'd share.

[ducatiz]

Just thinking out loud.  Could the manufacturers counter sue the EPA since the real culprit is government mandated alcohol poisoning of our fuel?  Just looking for a silver cloud.

Howie, I don't think that would roll.  Ethanol has been in gasoline for many years now (as has various other interesting substances.. mtbe, toulene, etc) so it's really incumbent on the manufacturers to make sure their vehicles are compatible.  Acerbis/Ducati here had access to fuel but apparently did not test sufficiently or someone didn't ask the question about PA6 and water in the tank.

how is this stuff not happening to every single bike manufacturer? honda/yamaha/suzuki sells way more bikes than ducati ever does.

you would think that with so many of their bikes on the market the expanded tank issue would be going crazy with them, almost every single sport bike has a plastic tank, and most of the new bmw bikes do also, they should be having the same problems as ducati, what do they know that ducati doesn't?   

and if they are using a different plastic why isnt' ducati using the same one?

Plastic is not plastic. 

PA6 is not the same as HDPE and totally different from PEX.

There are at least half a dozen plastics I am aware of being used in fuel tanks. 

IIRC Acerbis makes PA6, PEX and HDPE tanks depending on the application.

[booger]

Make 'em outta pyrex glass. Nip it in the bud.



 

[Howie]

Howie, I don't think that would roll.  Ethanol has been in gasoline for many years now (as has various other interesting substances.. mtbe, toulene, etc) so it's really incumbent on the manufacturers to make sure their vehicles are compatible.  Acerbis/Ducati here had access to fuel but apparently did not test sufficiently or someone didn't ask the question about PA6 and water in the tank.

<snip>

Yeah, I figured that.  I was thinking more in lines of an industry wide and maybe even consumer class action suite since the ethanol is playing havoc on all kinds of equipment, old and new and does not reduce pollution as claimed.  Maybe then they will get the ethanol out. 

[herm]

Plastic is not plastic. 

PA6 is not the same as HDPE and totally different from PEX.

There are at least half a dozen plastics I am aware of being used in fuel tanks. 

IIRC Acerbis makes PA6, PEX and HDPE tanks depending on the application.

is there any data on the other plastics and their reaction to ethanol? or, to put it another way, has Acerbis considered (and if not, why not) using a different plastic for these tanks?

[sbrguy]

Plastic is not plastic. 

PA6 is not the same as HDPE and totally different from PEX.

There are at least half a dozen plastics I am aware of being used in fuel tanks. 

IIRC Acerbis makes PA6, PEX and HDPE tanks depending on the application.
[/quote]

sure plastic may not be plastic that makes sense, but you would think that ducati would have seen from teh feedback that the current plastic is not working and told the 3rd party to change the plastic to something else. 

or at the very least order a tank from rival bikes and test them to see which one is the best plastic and just use the same stuff.

Mr I, DUH!! i'm not saying that other manufacturers have to "help" ducati, but there is no law against ducati ordering a few plastic tanks from competitors to then figure out what plastic they are using and reverse engineer it.

[J.P.]

Interesting that the lawsuit mentions several times of a replacement aluminum tank in the works.

[NorDog]

This is gonna suck for everyone in the long run.

How so?

[ducpainter]

How so?

Just my take...

Ducati makes a cash settlement...the girard-briggs firm cashes in...

and every member of the class action gets $100....the actual number yet to be determined.

The problem eventually gets solved, but the current members of the class get no real resolution because they now have no claim.

Now you have thousands of people that hate the brand.

The best solution is the one 'tizz was working towards.

Ducati keeps the owners motos safe and pretty by replacing swelled tanks until the problem is resolved.

It's a rare situation when anyone but the lawyer gets much out of the situation...just sayin'

[Meerkat]

If the class is certified, you can always opt out and not be bound by the terms of the settlement.

[ducpainter]

If the class is certified, you can always opt out and not be bound by the terms of the settlement.

I understand that.

At that point Ducati falls back on the 5 year emissions warranty and someone that actually likes their bike, except for the plastic tank, is screwed.

The only one that will get anything of real value from this type of suit is the law firm.

[muskrat]

Just my take...

Ducati makes a cash settlement...the girard-briggs firm cashes in...

and every member of the class action gets $100....the actual number yet to be determined.

The problem eventually gets solved, but the current members of the class get no real resolution because they now have no claim.

Now you have thousands of people that hate the brand.

The best solution is the one 'tizz was working towards.

Ducati keeps the owners motos safe and pretty by replacing swelled tanks until the problem is resolved.

It's a rare situation when anyone but the lawyer gets much out of the situation...just sayin'

Good point.  I hope these lawyers are sensible and just make it right instead of bringing the house of cards down.  I personally don't see how after spending some $15k on a bike (rounding number) they can't clear it up considering Ducati sells around 30 to 40k of bikes a year, or so I've heard.  I wont buy another Ducati with a plastic tank unless I know it's fixed.  Both my Ducs are metal tanks for that reason.  Just couldn't see my old S2r suffer so much we had to part ways.
 
Now what was the best solution they were working towards?