Never owned a Duc, but thinking about a Multistrada...

[maddjack]

My two cents on plastic tanks, Since I own a Speed Triple Which has the OEM plastic tank (2003 model since new) and since it has had no ill effects from said fuel, in 60K, its a Design flaw on Ducati's part . as stated above that fuel is far far from being "NEW" I am just suprised the "solution " is just replacing the tanks with the same thing   Dumb Switch to the plastic Triumph and others are using.It don't melt

[M.Brane]

So Ducati should sell ,machines which they know will have fuel tank problems??? You aren't even making sense.

 So you think that Ducati knowingly sold bikes with tanks that deform over time in the presence of ethanol? Talk about not making sense. This isn't a huge company we're talking about here. I doubt they have the resources to hand everyone in the US a new tank that's been specially designed just for this market.

The gas is being sold regardless . politics , take that shit to PO.

 Seriously?

My two cents on plastic tanks, Since I own a Speed Triple Which has the OEM plastic tank (2003 model since new) and since it has had no ill effects from said fuel, in 60K, its a Design flaw on Ducati's part . as stated above that fuel is far far from being "NEW" I am just suprised the "solution " is just replacing the tanks with the same thing   Dumb Switch to the plastic Triumph and others are using.It don't melt

 Hopefully if they do that they won't use the same cheap plastic connectors that break, and leak fuel all over your engine. Check yours lately?

[Mikiel]

My two cents on plastic tanks, Since I own a Speed Triple Which has the OEM plastic tank (2003 model since new) and since it has had no ill effects from said fuel, in 60K, its a Design flaw on Ducati's part . as stated above that fuel is far far from being "NEW" I am just suprised the "solution " is just replacing the tanks with the same thing   Dumb Switch to the plastic Triumph and others are using.It don't melt

Ducati doesn't manufacture their own plastic tanks, and neither does Triumph.  Nearly every marque on the planet has their nylon tanks fabricated by Acerbis.  When the ethanol swelling problem first arose (Triumph was affected too and is also named in the class action lawsuit), Triumph switched back to metal tanks.  Ducati switched to a different plastic with is not affected by ethanol, but is also not paintable, thus the newer Ducatis have a cladding over the tank.

The reason Ducati is happy to hand out replacement fuel tanks made of the same plastic formulation as the flawed tanks is that Ducati isn't paying for the tanks, Acerbis is.  And the reason Acerbis doesn't change their plastic recipe is that the type of nylon that's resistant to both gasoline and ethanol is also resistant to paint.  The swelling problem doesn't always happen (my wife's 2004 Daytona had no tank problems either), so it's cheaper for Acerbis to make a new (similarly flawed) tank than it is for them to contract with yet another company to make the tank out of steel.

[Mr. Whippy]

My Multistrada got a new tank last year, due to swelling.  Before a drop of fuel went in, I used the Caswell tank coating kit.  The internal surface is extremely convoluted.  I don't see an economical way to make it out of steel.  It was a bit of a hassle for me, but could easily be set up in a factory.  One year of riding (including 3 months of fuel in the tank but the tank off the bike) and there's no evidence of swelling--yet.  If this is a fix, I'm surprised that Acerbis (or Ducati) isn't doing it up front.

[atadaskew]

Rented a Multi while I was at a military required school in Cali.  Put 700 miles on it in two half days (was getting out of class around 10 or 11 everyday) and it was  joy to ride.  Very fun bike, wheelie machine for sure with all that torque.  Easy to thread though traffic (lane split).  

Honestly the sound alone with the Arrow pipes made me think of getting one   but then I looked at the maint. schedule and decided I rode too many miles to justify it.

That is the old MS.  The new one goes double the distance between major services.

[evilted]

That is the old MS.  The new one goes double the distance between scheduled major services.

FTFY  

[falcofred]

Multi 1000 = valves every 6,000 miles, belts every 12,000 miles, and has dry clutch.
Multi 1100 = valves every 7,500 miles, belts every 15,000 miles, and has wet clutch
Multi 1200 = valves and belts every 15,000 miles, and has wet clutch

New 1199 Sport Bike has chains driving cams, no belts, valve interval 15,000 miles. This racing bike even has a wet clutch now.
We can look for that to trickle down to the other Ducati liquid cooled models in the future.

[jsanford]

Actually there is a class action lawsuit that now forces Ducati to replace the defective fuel tanks.
Google it

I don't know how they got my name (probably just registration records) but I was sent the details of the suit. Not every tank develops the problem, but thevproposed settlement would have Ducati inspect and replace the tanks only if they're outside a certain specification.

I really dislike the plastic cladding on the newer generation of Monsters.  But It seems the metal-tanked ones were prone to rust.  

Anyway, I have to admit that my Monster has proven more reliable than my BMW.  In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if I go more miles on its chain and sprockets than I did with the F800's belt.