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  #11  
Old 16-Jan-2012, 21:20
funkatronic funkatronic is offline
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i have an s2r 800 2006 an have started to notice some deformation as the rubber spacers no longer fit snug over the frame (in any position).

Rac3r on UKMOC managed to get a free replacement out of Ducati as a 'goodwill gesture' but they would not admit its a problem in the uk yet and claimed that his was the first one they had heard about (which is BS for sure):

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...highlight=tank

Last edited by Iconic944ss : 17-Jan-2012 at 12:09. Reason: link edited to work correctly
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  #12  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 00:53
Steve E Steve E is offline
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Hi funkatronic, do you know if Rac3r's Monster was within warranty? It would be good to know if Ducati UK would entertain replacing a tank on a bike out of warranty.

I expect the problem is now well sorted on the newer models but Monsters and Sport Classics for 05 - 09 models its worrying, considering what's happened in the US.
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  #13  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 02:07
funkatronic funkatronic is offline
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nope his was 2005 bike and he was 4th owner i believe

dont think it is sorted, there are stories of 2010 bikes in the us starting to show signs of deformation looking th the forums
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  #14  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 03:36
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ducatiz ducatiz is offline
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It will be interesting to see how it's handled in UK and the rest of Europe.

The lawsuit was just finalized here (rather, the settlement) and the result is that Ducati will be "modifying" bikes to allow for the deformation rather than replacing tanks with something that prevents it. This means new mounts, shorter seats and in some cases, a smaller tank so it can expand without hitting anything.

The details of the settlement are here: http://www.girardgibbs.com/ducati-class-notice.pdf

Please note that this settlement affects US owners ONLY, no one else.

Despite my and others' efforts, we were unable to get Ducati to implement some sort of barrier coating as a solution. Here in the US there are epoxy-based coatings available which are designed for use with polyamide plastics such as PA6/Nylon6 and are impervious to fuel or water. Acerbis did some testing on one of them and found it delaminated during testing, but no indication was made of how the tank was prepped or how the solution was prepped. There are literally 100s of people now with coated tanks in the US, some with 2+ years of use and showing no problems.

One thing to note: if you're experiencing tank deformation, you should fully drain your tank, wash it out with a cleanser appropriate for fuel and plastic, and let it sit in a dry place for a few months. It will return to its original shape. When storing your bike, do not leave the tank FULL as you used to with your metal tanks, you should drain it.

The problem is water -- ethanol attracts water and then the combined stuff sinks in the fuel and puts it into contact with the fuel cel wall. Nylon6 absorbs water aggressively to up to 10% by volume.

Here is one company in the US that makes epoxies for polyamides (nylons). I am sure you can find something similar in old Blighty.
http://www.reltekllc.com/adhesives-for-nylon.html

The main issue is getting coverage. We mixed the epoxy with xylene to reduce it. Xylene is compatible with nylons and with adequate air supply, it just evaporates and doesn't affect the epoxy except to thin it during application. Two coats and you're done forever.

If you coat a tank that's had petrol in it without properly prepping -- completely rinsing out the fuel and drying it -- then it will not adhere properly. There are many water-based solvents on the market which are compatible with nylon and will handle the fuel.

Last edited by ducatiz : 17-Jan-2012 at 03:41.
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  #15  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 10:55
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bradders bradders is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ducatiz
When storing your bike, do not leave the tank FULL as you used to with your metal tanks, you should drain it.

that's interesting, its what I have done with my 848.
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  #16  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 11:18
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Cobbett Cobbett is offline
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I'm not one of those who's quick to diss the marque, but, with higher ethanol levels incoming as we read above, it's stupefying that they haven't got a grip on this. They're going to be looking at class actions and mass recalls if they're not careful.
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  #17  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 11:22
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We were discussing this last night at the Essex pub night, and it seems that my Hypermotard would be affected by this.

Thanks to the work by Steve in contacting the petrol companies to find out more about ethanol in the fuel (he's getting far too ahead of himself with only 7 posts!!) at least we know that using a fuel without ethanol in it will help to reduce this, if not stop it completely.

I've been lucky (!) enough to require filling the Hyper every day, so the chance of water ingress is much reduced, but I do store the bike over winter so draining the tank (read: going for a thrash until you run out of petrol ) sounds like a good plan before storage!

It will be interesting to see what, if anything, happens here in the UK with this.


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than screaming in terror like his passengers.- Jim Harkins

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  #18  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 15:01
Steve E Steve E is offline
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LOL. Another two posts and I might even be able to do a track day ;-)

I've used Tesco Momentum 99 (advertised as having 5% ethanol) in my SC1000 and the tank has grown by 5-10mm but no other imperfections - so far. It's sickening though to know that it will get worse unless I take action now.

The remaining fuel companies have not written back to me so the best thing we can do right now is use Texaco Premium.

Really helpful advice ducatiz, thanks. I've just spoken to The Motorcycle Restoration Company in Essex and they seal 'loads of tanks' specifically for the reasons we are concerned about. Martin at MRC confirmed exactly what you said ducatiz, regarding preparation. Sounded like he had said it hundreds of times. £150 for a single coat and £205 if it needs a second coat + VAT. I feel sorry for the poor souls who have classic bikes with fiberglass tanks, he has some real sorry stories!

Might as well take my tank off this w/e and let it dry before taking it up to MRC. A distress purchase but I can't wait for Ducati to do something with more ethanol on the way soon.
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  #19  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 16:10
Steve E Steve E is offline
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Just in, response from BP ...

Thank you for your email concerning the fuel sold by BP.

In most regions of the UK our Ultimate Unleaded dos not contain any Ethanol at present (South West UK excluded). This may of course change in the future as the specification allows up to 5%.

Our Regular grade gasoline does contain up to 5% bio ethanol in compliance with EN228 gasoline specification allowance in most regions of the UK.
All BP fuels, regular and BP Ultimate, contain additives which have cleaning and protection properties for the engine. BP Ultimate has been rigorously tested on a wide range of vehicles, covering thousands of miles, in various conditions. Its advanced formula offers a wide range of benefits including better fuel efficiency, more power, better responsiveness, and lower exhaust emissions, all of which gives long term benefit and value to the consumer and their vehicle.

BP does not supply Bio Ethanol as a fuel.

Thank you for taking the time to bring the matter to our attention and for allowing us the opportunity to respond to your concerns at this time.

Kind regards,

Retail Customer Care Team

Email: careline@bp.com
Telephone: 0800 402402
Fax: 0845 082 1706
Internet: www.bp.com
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  #20  
Old 17-Jan-2012, 16:42
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bradders bradders is offline
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so BP Ultima or whatever it is then, long as you're not in Cornwall
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