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

[ducatiz]

not for cheap.

Ducati is replacing tanks outside of the 5yr/18k warranty.  NQA.

[NorDog]

not for cheap.

Ducati is replacing tanks outside of the 5yr/18k warranty.  NQA.

Hadn't heard that before, but it's good to hear as long as it lasts.

[stupid question time]

What is NQA?

[/stupid question time]

[DucNaked]

Hadn't heard that before, but it's good to hear as long as it lasts.

[stupid question time]

What is NQA?

[/stupid question time]

No Questions Asked

[Bladecutter]

I thought he meant:

Now Quit Asking!

BC.

[ducatiz]

Hadn't heard that before, but it's good to hear as long as it lasts.

[stupid question time]

What is NQA?

[/stupid question time]

yes, No Questions Asked.

They are also replacing tanks for non-original owners. 

They are trying, even if not perfectly.

[AMGnDuc]

How exactly is a new tank, made the same way and with the same material going to fix the issue?

Unless you mean "fix the issue" TEMPORARILY...then YES...it will "fix" the issue

Two separate dealers told me that the new tanks coming in look noticeably different inside, so they think Ducati is doing something new to them.  Who knows, it is what it is.  It'll fix the problem temporarily at least. 

[ducatiz]

New tanks are clean and look different.  Off white.  They probably are comparing new and old.  Current replacement tanks are the same material.

[NorDog]

I thought he meant:

Now Quit Asking!

BC.

I should have known, I get that alot.

[duccarlos]

I just read your update on the main thread. I would say that Acerbis has to get their head right since they provide tanks for just about every European manufacturer.

[ducatiz]

I just read your update on the main thread. I would say that Acerbis has to get their head right since they provide tanks for just about every European manufacturer.

Yes and no.  Ducati owes you a good tank, not Acerbis.  They are just Ducati's supplier.

[duccarlos]

I understand that, but once Europe goes E10, they will see this issue across all the manufacturers that outsource to Acerbis. It is in all their best interest to make sure Acerbis provides a viable tank for future use or face the possibility that the manufacturers will have to look elsewhere.

[hillbillypolack]

Received this earlier this week as an update from the legal office:

"Dear Ducati Owners,

Thank you for contacting Girard Gibbs about your Ducati and the plastic fuel tank problems. *Over the last several weeks, we have spoken to a number of Ducati owners with degraded and deformed fuel tanks. *We greatly appreciate all the feedback we have received, which has helped us to better understand the problem and how Ducati has dealt with it. *While we are still in the process of individually contacting some of the people who have written to our firm, we wanted to take this opportunity to update everyone on the progress of our efforts to obtain a solution.

In October, we formally notified Ducati that it had violated warranty and consumer protection laws and requested that it cure those violations by notifying its customers of the defect and providing them with replacement fuel tanks that do not degrade and deform in the presence of the motorcycle's fuel. Ducati has declined our request and we have now initiated a class action on behalf of all Ducati owners with plastic fuel tanks, seeking the same relief.

We want to stress that the goal of this lawsuit is not to punish Ducati or put them out of business, but rather to get Ducati to acknowledge and address the existence of what we believe is a problem with the material used in its fuel tanks.  Instead of replacing deformed fuel tanks with tanks that use the same material, we believe that Ducati is required to correct the underlying problem by installing replacement fuel tanks that do not degrade or deform when in contact with fuel.  Ultimately, we hope to convince Ducati that such a problem exists and that the resolution we seek is warranted.

If you have any questions about the lawsuit, please feel free to contact Dylan or Samantha by responding to this email or calling our toll-free number (866) 981-4800. *Information about the status of the case is also available at www.GirardGibbs.com/Ducati.asp, and we will be providing periodic email updates after significant developments in the case."

Girard Gibbs LLP
601 California Street, Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone; (415) 981-4800
Fax: (415) 981-4846
www.girardgibbs.com

[ducpainter]

Maybe Mr. Gibbs can shit you a tank that meets all the federal requirements.

[muskrat]

81 pages of the same crap.  This is simple really.  The capacity and knowledge is there to fix the problem once and for all and move forward.  I'll bet they will continue to replace the defective tanks with ones they have already stored for "just in case I crash" repairs. 

[ducatiz]

81 pages of the same crap.  This is simple really.  The capacity and knowledge is there to fix the problem once and for all and move forward.  I'll bet they will continue to replace the defective tanks with ones they have already stored for "just in case I crash" repairs. 

I've been working on this for over 18 months now and I don't see it that way -- and it does nothing but cost me time from my work.

The problems are multiple.

The tanks have to meet crash/safety laws.
The tanks have to pass SHED/emissions regs.
They have to be paintable in such a way to be cost effective and meet the aesthetic needs of a primary visible component of a bike.
The tanks have to function well with crappy ethanol gasoline.
Moreover, given how small Ducati is, they likely have to be able to be modified simply to comply with EU rules for all of the above as well -- Ducati used the same items with small variations on all their bikes.  the only difference I have seen from an EU vs a USA gas tank is the vent line for the CARB canister requirements. 

If it was as simple as you believe, it would have already been done.  Trust me, I know.