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Are you having problems with your tank?

  • Yes, I am having problems with my tank.

    Votes: 368 66.7%
  • No, I am not having problems with my tank.

    Votes: 184 33.3%
81 - 100 of 1,138 Posts
Discussion starter · #81 ·
According to what I could find on the Internet, North Carolina does not have very many brands of fuel that contain ethanol. The Pantry, a state wide chain of convenience stores that sells cheaper fuel, does put ethanol in their fuel. (I don't buy fuel at The Pantry. Maybe that's why my tank is still okay.) The bad news is that North Carolina is considering more ethanol in fuel.
 
...I remember reading something as it relates to restoring plastic tanks on vintage motocross bikes. It's difficult to install new tank decals on these bikes as the gas fumes tend to seep out and cause the decals to bubble and peel...
i noticed this on all my old mx bikes, but i think the gt tanks are a different material and construction. mx tanks and bodywork are made of a pretty flexible, soft plastic (i think a polyethylene) to take the abuse. this material is pretty difficult to paint, and therefore the plastics were fabricated using a colored material. i believe the gt tanks use a much more rigid plastic which will accept paint finishes.

i'm no expert, but my gut tells me that since different plastics have different chemical properties, i imagine not all coatings will respond the same way to all plastics - again just my theory here, but i figure caution and testing should prevail before coatings are used as they could a) damage the plastic or b) come off inside the tank and make a mess of the fuel system or b) work fine... :rolleyes:
 
According to what I could find on the Internet, North Carolina does not have very many brands of fuel that contain ethanol. The Pantry, a state wide chain of convenience stores that sells cheaper fuel, does put ethanol in their fuel. (I don't buy fuel at The Pantry. Maybe that's why my tank is still okay.) The bad news is that North Carolina is considering more ethanol in fuel.
yeah it seems here in NY ethanol has been added for quite some time along with CT and CA. In the south you can still get 100% gasoline.

I think i am definitely going to coat my new tank. Just dont know what brand to use.
 
Yes, But dealer says photos they took don't show defect. I'll have to take the shots myself and also mark my tank with yellow grease pencil.

06 SC1000 red
Ruddog
LA, Ca.

Photos of the expansion? That would be tough to take, easy to feel.
And, just out of curiousity, why is the dealer taking pictures?

When I called my dealer and told him about my tank problem, he asked me if I wanted to order it now, or wait until closer to my warranty expiration. I have not yet been asked for pictures. I also asked if I could just take the tank off and bring it in when I got a new one. He understood that I wouldn't want to get my bike out mid-winter and get it to him when I can just pop of the tank and drive the 100 miles.

gwb
 
tank problems, yes or no

Yes; these problems are NOT imaginary. My PS LE's tank can easily be lifted off the mounting cup on the right side. Also, the fairing 'winglets' jut out at the rear and the Velcro buttons are rendered useless in securing them in place as intended. Tonight, I noticed a ripple on the top of the tank just behind the steering damper. So, my vote is that YES, the SC tanks have tangible problems. Given the fact that these bikes sold at a decided premium to their somewhat low-tech specification (especially the PS), I feel that Ducati has an obligation to acknowledge this situation and do right by the owners of these machines. I've been told by a knowledgeable source that the fuel tank is a component of the 'fuel system' and as such is covered for 5 years. If true, this means that Ducati cannot duck (pun intended) this issue on bikes past the 2 year warrantee.
I think it shouldn't be out of the question for Ducati to run off a large batch of replacement tanks for all that are affected. If so, I don't think that aluminum should be ruled out. There have been production motorcycles with 'ally' tanks, BMW's K1100RS, Honda's RC30 and Ducati's own 851 are examples. Evidently, an alum. tank doesn't have to be a $2K 'hand formed' proposition. I'd be OK with a steel tank as long as the ugly pinched together seam on the lower edge could be hidden inboard.
Alright, maybe this is wishful thinking, maybe not. Every SC owner with tank problems needs to go to their dealer and 'get vocal' ; keeping in mind that the tank is covered for 5 years. If you get blown off by your dealer, write Ducati NA. I intend on keeping my PS a long time, and feel that I have paid enough to have a trouble-free tank for the duration.
 
Coating

Having just gone on a tirade suggesting that Ducati provide us all with new aluminum tanks; I do realize there's prolly a 'slim to none' chance of this happening. More realistically, some have mentioned coating the inside of the tank to protect it from the possible/probable culprit; Ethynol. In addition to Kreem, another product I've heard good things about is Caswell's.
 
2006 black sport classic purchased march 2006. over 2+ years, tank has spread, plus several pimples. local dealer was contacted this nov 2008, their story was they had never heard of such a thing and to bring the bike by.

here she was before pimples and tank spread...

 
Discussion starter · #90 ·
2006 black sport classic purchased march 2006. over 2+ years, tank has spread, plus several pimples. local dealer was contacted this nov 2008, their story was they had never heard of such a thing and to bring the bike by.
Give your dealer a link to this web site.
 
Well, Just took a look at my tank and yep, I've got some spreading. Both pucks are just resting on the bracket at ~approx 1mm. Have not noticed any rippling or dimpling yet. Should I just shimm the brackets myself or have my dealer do it?
06 Sport Classic with just under 3k miles

Thanks,
Chappy
 
Well, Just took a look at my tank and yep, I've got some spreading. Both pucks are just resting on the bracket at ~approx 1mm. Have not noticed any rippling or dimpling yet. Should I just shimm the brackets myself or have my dealer do it?
06 Sport Classic with just under 3k miles

Thanks,
Chappy

Absolutely have the dealer do it so it's documented. when the tank expands again, you can go demand a new one. My tank was replaced last February and now it seems that it needs to be replaced again. I am able to pull it out of the brackets again.....back to the stealership.
 
i find this all a little disappointing... i'm looking for a second Ducati for my stable and the classic is the one that's becoming more appealing to me lately.

until i read a thread like this of course.. i love the look of the bike and would love to get one and modify the hell out of it.. but now the idea of investing a lot of money into a bike that has an inherent problem?... and with the tank no less?.. not so sure...

i didn't realize it was such a wide spread problem. i guess i just thought it was a bad batch in the beginning and was sorted by now.

does anyone own an '08 or a '09 with this problem showing?.. or it a wait and see kinda thing?...
 
For what its worth I just submitted the following to Ducati North America via their on-line "contact us" form...




I have a long relationship with Ducati, including writing many articles for Ducati.com. This email addresses a growing concern among SportClassic owners which does not seem to be getting the attention it deserves from the company.

A large number of these motorcycles (over 60% according to a current online survey) are experiencing a spreading of the fuel tank severe enough to separate the tank from the forward mounts. My own GT1000 has gotten so severe that the only connection it has to the frame (aside from the now mandatory straps of an after-market tank bag) is a single bolt on the rear. This is not atypical. Some dealers are adding spacers to the mounting system which provides a temporary fix (until the tank spreads yet further). Some are replacing tanks if the bike is under warranty, but the new tanks soon start to spread as well. Ducati MUST do something about this. It is creating bad will among owners and is a serious safety issue.

Don Sucher​

I do not have current contacts at Ducati NA so there is no way of knowing if this will bring a response, much less a solution. But if I do hear anything I will keep you posted.

-don
 
Sorry, I'm new here...

Did Ducati ever share their thoughts on the cause of the problem? Is there any correlation between the tank issue and the presence of the evap canister (it doesn't seem to be affecting bikes outside of the US, correct?)

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new GT 1000, but this is concerning! (and I'm really sorry for those of you impacted by this... it's got to be hell to live with!) I've had several bikes with roto-molded tanks and had no problems... of course that was well before mandatory ethanol (but even at that, it should be clear to Ducati by now if that's the problem...)
 
Discussion starter · #100 ·
Sorry, I'm new here...

Did Ducati ever share their thoughts on the cause of the problem? Is there any correlation between the tank issue and the presence of the evap canister (it doesn't seem to be affecting bikes outside of the US, correct?)
Most of us in the U.S. have taken our canisters off so I don't think that the evaporation canister has much effect one way of the other. It could. But I don't think so.
 
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