I am submitting this complaint to formally report repeated rear brake failures on my 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 which pose a serious safety hazard. The issue appears to be consistent with the defect described in NHTSA Campaign Number 25V013000 (Ducati Recall CR285 / SRV-RCL-25-001) involving excessive heat damage to the rear brake hose between the ABS control unit and the rear caliper. Incident Summary: Since purchasing the motorcycle in June 4,2025. have experienced three complete rear brake failures in less than two months, each occurring after warranty repairs: 1. 6/15/2025 – First ride after purchase: Rear brakes failed; smoke observed near exhaust. Returned to dealer (Moto Forza) on 6/17/2025. Dealer kept the bike for ~1 month for warranty repair related to brake line heat damage. 2. 7/19/2025 – Second occurrence: Rear brakes failed again. Returned for service. 3. 8/10/2025 – Third occurrence: Rear brakes failed completely, with blue/bronze discoloration of the rotor indicating excessive heat exposure. Returned to dealership This motorcycle has been out of service for over seven weeks since ownership. Manufacturer’s Response: Ducati’s regional representative has indicated verbally that my lowering of the motorcycle caused the brake failures and that I would not qualify for a manufacturer buyback. I dispute this claim for the following reasons: Lowering motorcycles is common and has not caused brake failures on any of the multiple bikes I’ve owned and lowered in my 9 years of riding experience. There is an active recall for the exact brake defect I am experiencing, which affects stock, unmodified 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 models. Multiple owners have reported repeated rear brake failures in unmodified bikes matching my model year and configuration. Ducati has not provided any written technical evidence to support their claim that lowering caused the defect.
- NHTSA ID
- 11680492
- Incident
- Jun 15, 2025