2018 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes1100.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I had this motorcycle serviced on March 18th, 2022 with 11,299 miles on the odometer. At that service in March of 2022, the technician indicated that the brakes were "1-Good" on a scale of 1-3, with 3 being "unroadworthy." Within those 4 months between the braking issue, there was no indication that the brakes needed attention. On July 23rd, 2022, with 11,950 miles on the bike, while leaving the parking lot of my apartment complex and entering the roadway there was zero braking power from the rear brakes. There was visibly clean brake fluid in the reservoir, but no grabbing power. This was the first time the issue has ever occurred, no warning lamps were displayed. I immediately returned the motorcycle to the parking lot and called local Ducati dealerships for technical assistance. I then took my bike in for service at Elk Grove Powersports on July 27th, 2022, where they informed me this issue was not covered by any warranties or recalls. I contacted Ducati-North America for assistance on July 28th, 2022. They told me the braking problem was "regular maintenance." I told them I am leaving on a long trip with this bike in the coming weeks and they also said the brakes will be "fine." At Elk Grove Powersports they bled the brakes to "fix" them but indicated that if the issue occurred again then they may need to replace the brake line. Elk Grove Powersports, along with Good Times Motorsports, indicated that this is an issue they are seeing with multiple Ducati Scrambler models but Ducati has not recalled them. The rear brakes account for approximately 30% of the overall braking on a motorcycle. As a rider who has had to use both front and rear brakes to avoid danger, I can confidently say that if my rear brakes were to fail again in traffic or at highway speeds when avoiding a hazard then myself or others would be at risk of injury and/or death. Braking systems need to be thoroughly assessed and recalled by Ducati to ensure rider and roadway safety.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .