2016-2017 Ducati Multistrada Enduro motorcycles recalled over rear shock defect

Regulators have announced a recall of over 568 Ducati motorcycles.

The recall is limited specifically to the 2016-2017 Multistrada 1200 Enduro motorcycles.

Ducati has issued the following statement:

“Intense off-road use of the Multistrada 1200 Enduro could lead to breakage of the lower eyelet. To prevent possible breakage, the lower eyelet of the rear shock absorber was redesigned to make it more robust. The new part number of the rear shock absorber with modified eyelet is 36521464A.”

In simpler terms, it appears that the Sachs semi-active rear shock absorbers are feared to break and potentially cause the rider to lose control of their bike.

These motorcycles are designed for on and off-road use. The potential defect on the rear shock absorber means that there may be a chance the lower eyelet in the absorber may break, resulting in the rear shock to loosen from its mounting point. If this happens, the motorcyclist may not be able to fully control the motorcycle; a safety risk to both the rider and anyone around them.

The motorcycle manufacturer Ducati will be contacting owners and dealers about the defect. They will be notifying customers via email and are expecting the recall to commence on the 22 May 2017. However, customers may wish to contact their dealers before then for a check-up.

Customers are encouraged to get their bikes checked by their dealers, and if a defect is found, the dealers can replace the rear shock absorbers.

The defect was reportedly a design fault and so customers are not expected to pay for the replacement.

Could your motorcycle be affected?

We have yet to receive notification as to whether bikes here in the U.K. are affected, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on the development of the recall.

A photo comparison of a non-conforming and a conforming lower eyelet for the Multistrada 1200 Endruro has been published by Ducati so owners can try and see what exactly they are looking for. For a non-conforming eyelet, there may be a small dip and gap in the middle. If this defect is present, the shock absorber must reportedly be replaced. If there is no dip or gap then the shock absorber should not need to be replaced… according to information from the recall.

Not the first Ducati recall

This is not Ducati’s first experience with a recall. Only a couple of years ago they issued a recall for some 5,962 Multistrada 1200’s – the earlier 2010-2014 models. Regulators found that a throttle problem that could prevent it from closing and potentially cause the rider to lose control of their bike.

Automotive manufacturers have a responsibility to identify and remove any safety hazards during both the design and manufacturing processes. In reality, manufacturers should ensure that there are no problems before they release models for general sale. However, in the event that there is an issue that affects public safety, they should announce a recall for the affected models.

Image Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ducati_multistrada_1200_ABS.jpg