[Duc1100Scram]

Hey guys,

Does anyone have information regarding this supposed issue with the 2018 1100s? I've seen a couple of posts on FB on the Ducati Scrambler Owner's Group where a some owners are reporting there is a recall/advisory out from Ducati and they are replacing the horizontal cylinder and piston under warranty due to piston slap/rattle.

I reached out to my dealership and they aren't aware of any issues at all with the 1100, or specifically with piston slap. They also reached out to Ducati corporate to inquire and Ducati noted they are not aware of an issue. (Shrug)

New Scrambler 1100-Help identify engine clatter

 

[dawicked]

Mine is 2019 and is affected.

When i did the 1000km revision, the mechanic whispered me they have been called in Italy to advise how to solve the issue if needed. I told them i am in this situation but they ( the manager and sales guy ) heard and said : "this 1100 engine rattle like this and it's normal" without having the curiosity to check the noise.
Im don't undertand why they hide this , since can be done under the warranty and the refund it's obivously.

Br,
Dragos

 

[Max Kool]

Not aware my a$$.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

Mine is 2019 and is affected.

When i did the 1000km revision, the mechanic whispered me they have been called in Italy to advise how to solve the issue if needed. I told them i am in this situation but they ( the manager and sales guy ) heard and said : "this 1100 engine rattle like this and it's normal" without having the curiosity to check the noise.
Im don't undertand why they hide this , since can be done under the warranty and the refund it's obivously.

Br,
Dragos

Interesting. I wonder why so much secrecy? I dont think the dealership I bought it from would set out to deceive me, like you said, its a warranty claim and Ducati would cover the parts/labor for them. Its not a hit to them financially.

But I really wish they'd put out a formal recall on it and eliminate the subjective approach. Own the issue, and the solution. My concern is they dick around with a known issue and then my warranty is up and I'm screwed getting it fixed out of pocket. Which may be the intent....if that is the case, might be my first AND LAST Ducati.

Any manufacturer who contemplates hiding a known/documented defect should take a long hard look at the Takata airbag situation and not repeat that same BS.

 

[Skippy'73]

I've read about it earlier on a German forum but to me it's not clear if they can identify if there is a known range of production bikes that is effected or that this fault occurs on some bikes and that they just not know what the exact problem is.
I've also read about a guy who had everything changed and was still complaining about this problem. Some also suspect there's a link to low octane gas but nothing is confirmed.

Mine has done 6000km now and I don't recognize the discribed problem at all and the bike pulls really easely from very low revs even in 3rd gear(when I should have been in second after a 90° corner riding in town but I do always use the higher octane gas(98 ron).

I hope this issue gets cleared up though as I would hate it if the problems start later on after the warranty has run out.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

:sad7::sad7:

I've read about it earlier on a German forum but to me it's not clear if they can identify if there is a known range of production bikes that is effected or that this fault occurs on some bikes and that they just not know what the exact problem is.
I've also read about a guy who had everything changed and was still complaining about this problem. Some also suspect there's a link to low octane gas but nothing is confirmed.

Mine has done 6000km now and I don't recognize the discribed problem at all and the bike pulls really easely from very low revs even in 3rd gear(when I should have been in second after a 90° corner riding in town but I do always use the higher octane gas(98 ron).

I hope this issue gets cleared up though as I would hate it if the problems start later on after the warranty has run out.

Thanks Skippy. I haven't noticed any issues or noises with mine. I also run 93+ octane in it religiously, and have since new. If the issue is caused by pre-detonation in the combustion chamber from low octane fuel, I've seen that result in piston getting a hole blown in it.:sad7:

 

[Simon Audi]

The bike has noisy valve gear - noisier than the 800 or 1200 on Multistrada - but my bike while noisy is not as noisy as the demonstrator I tried... I also spoke to 2 dealers at launch and both said there was initially some valve setting issues - and the one dealer said they had to reshim their demo bike.. (this was not the one I rode)

But not heard anything related to Piston / Cylinder.

Mines at 5500 miles or so... not got any worse.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

The bike has noisy valve gear - noisier than the 800 or 1200 on Multistrada - but my bike while noisy is not as noisy as the demonstrator I tried... I also spoke to 2 dealers at launch and both said there was initially some valve setting issues - and the one dealer said they had to reshim their demo bike.. (this was not the one I rode)

But not heard anything related to Piston / Cylinder.

Mines at 5500 miles or so... not got any worse.

Interesting. This being my first Duc, I wasn't sure what's normal and what's not in terms of engine sounds. Coming from a Triumph twin, it sounds much more..."agricultural" for lack of a better term, especially down low. Almost similar to an old BMW airhead. The Triumph actual engine noises were quieter, not to be mistaken for the exhaust, which was anything but with the Predators and wide open pipes. Apples and oranges, the Triumph was out of breath by 5k rpms and the Duc is pulling harder.

I have a little over 2k miles on mine, so I will see if I hear any differences as I keep riding it. So far, no complaints at all. I love this bike, no regrets!

 

[Skippy'73]

Interesting. This being my first Duc, I wasn't sure what's normal and what's not in terms of engine sounds. Coming from a Triumph twin, it sounds much more..."agricultural" for lack of a better term, especially down low. Almost similar to an old BMW airhead. The Triumph actual engine noises were quieter, not to be mistaken for the exhaust, which was anything but with the Predators and wide open pipes. Apples and oranges, the Triumph was out of breath by 5k rpms and the Duc is pulling harder.

I have a little over 2k miles on mine, so I will see if I hear any differences as I keep riding it. So far, no complaints at all. I love this bike, no regrets!

Yeah the valve train is pretty noisy and an air cooled motor will always make more noise then a water cooled model.
Personally I'm not worrying to much as the cilinders are an old and tested design from the old 1100 monster wich isn't known for too many problems. Still it's good to look out for strange noises and alert the dealer when needed.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

Yeah the valve train is pretty noisy and an air cooled motor will always make more noise then a water cooled model.
Personally I'm not worrying to much as the cilinders are an ild and tezted design from the old 1100 monster wich isn't known for too many problems. Still it's good to look out for strange noises abd alert the dealer when needed.

Wanting a "second opinion" I emailed another reputable Ducati dealer/shop and inquired about any issues with the 1100 Scrambler. They too said they'd not heard of ANY issues at all with the 1100, (much less the pistons or cylinder) and they too reached out to Ducati corporate and got the same response as the first dealer/shop, which was no active recalls or advisories are out on the 1100 Scrambler.

After a couple of back and forth messages, their service department indicated that if an issue does exist, Ducati is possibly just handling them as one-off's on a case by case basis as they come in and that it likely isn't impacting every bike in the 1100 line. As Skippy states, the engine is more or less the Monster 1100 engine which most certainly has been around long enough and in more than a few configs (also the Multistrada and Hypermotard 1100s?) to ensure its a proven design. That doesn't mean there won't be problems, but its more to suggest that perhaps its not wide spread or worthy of a recall or advisory.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

So....GRRRR :icon_pale:

Yeah, my bike is making the dreaded noise. I am dropping it off on Friday for them to road test it and take a good look at it.

Perhaps it was always there and has just gotten worse, but I really noticed it this weekend, and once I heard it I couldn't unhear it. It makes the noise really loudly when the engine is under load (for example, taking off from first gear or shifting even moderately and building engine rpms and speed) and the noise comes and goes and gets louder when throttle is applied and smooths out when leveling off on throttle. It sounds like loose parts in the engine and a very noticeable knock, not too unlike what it sounds like when you run cheap gas....except I don't run cheap gas, nor have I ever.

The worst part is, if it is what I think it is, I will be without the bike for awhile, again right before the best riding in the DC area, which is Autumn.

So not all bad news....to pass the time and not lose the riding season again, and also not to have to back out of an overnight motorcycle trip to some sweet mountain roads in a couple of weeks, think I am going to pick this up:

Honda CB1100. These bikes are very underrated, and the pricing is just sick. I've seen 30 year old CB750s going for more money than these leftover CB1100s, some with less than 1k miles. The one I am looking at is a 2014 with 2,500 miles in showroom condition.

Don't worry, the Ducati isn't going anywhere, she's just getting a stable mate assuming I can work out a deal. I think this will be an excellent second bike.

Wish me luck!

 

[Deano968]

Good luck with both endeavours!

 

[Skippy'73]

So....GRRRR :icon_pale:

Yeah, my bike is making the dreaded noise. I am dropping it off on Friday for them to road test it and take a good look at it.

Perhaps it was always there and has just gotten worse, but I really noticed it this weekend, and once I heard it I couldn't unhear it. It makes the noise really loudly when the engine is under load (for example, taking off from first gear or shifting even moderately and building engine rpms and speed) and the noise comes and goes and gets louder when throttle is applied and smooths out when leveling off on throttle. It sounds like loose parts in the engine and a very noticeable knock, not too unlike what it sounds like when you run cheap gas....except I don't run cheap gas, nor have I ever.

The worst part is, if it is what I think it is, I will be without the bike for awhile, again right before the best riding in the DC area, which is Autumn.

So not all bad news....to pass the time and not lose the riding season again, and also not to have to back out of an overnight motorcycle trip to some sweet mountain roads in a couple of weeks, think I am going to pick this up:

View attachment 40935


Honda CB1100. These bikes are very underrated, and the pricing is just sick. I've seen 30 year old CB750s going for more money than these leftover CB1100s, some with less than 1k miles. The one I am looking at is a 2014 with 2,500 miles in showroom condition.

Don't worry, the Ducati isn't going anywhere, she's just getting a stable mate assuming I can work out a deal. I think this will be an excellent second bike.

Wish me luck!

I'm not loving this news :-(
This does make you wonder if we are all about to get the same problems sooner or later. I hope you can get as much info on this subject as possible. I'm really curious if the replacement parts are different to the original parts because if this is the case it kinda tells us that they know there is something wrong and Ducati should probably role out a recall and not keep these problems under there hat.

The Honda is a pretty cool bike. I'm quite a big fan of all the Japanese Muscle bikes so I hope you find a nice one and get a good deal on it.

Please keep us posted and I would realy like it if your dealer could give us info on the cilinder and/or piston and pictures if there are any differences in the new parts. Good luck and I hope all will be solved soon.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

I'm not loving this news :-(
This does make you wonder if we are all about to get the same problems sooner or later. I hope you can get as much info on this subject as possible. I'm really curious if the replacement parts are different to the original parts because if this is the case it kinda tells us that they know there is something wrong and Ducati should probably role out a recall and not keep these problems under there hat.

The Honda is a pretty cool bike. I'm quite a big fan of all the Japanese Muscle bikes so I hope you find a nice one and get a good deal on it.

Please keep us posted and I would realy like it if your dealer could give us info on the cilinder and/or piston and pictures if there are any differences in the new parts. Good luck and I hope all will be solved soon.

Thanks Skippy. I agree, if its a problem they just need to own it and move on. Most people understand that anything mass produced will occasionally have some issues; it's how a company handles those issues that makes all of the difference. If all goes to plan, I'll drop the bike off tmrw, and let them hold on to it for as long as they need to and pick the Honda up on Saturday so I still have a bike for the trip and the Fall, assuming the Ducati will be out of commission for some time.

I will definitely ask them to take photos if it requires a piston/cylinder replacement. Couldn't have said it better myself, if they use the same parts, what's to keep it from happening again? Perhaps if they use the teflon lined cylinder and/or teflon coated piston for the horizontal piston, that will resolve the issue for good. The OCD in me is worried that they tell me it's "nothing" or somehow the noise is 'within spec' or whatever and I'm left with the issue unresolved when the warranty expires.

The CB I am looking at is a 2014, but it looks almost brand new and only has 2,500 miles on it. I wanted a 2014 and up because they have the 6 speed vs 5 speed trans. But a 2013 for the right price wouldn't turn me off either. These are great bikes, and the only reason they weren't more popular is they were too expensive when new and came too late to the retro bike party. Ducati was too early with the Sport Classic, as was Kawasaki with the W650, and Triumph timed it perfectly with the Bonneville line in the 2001-2003 time frame, and sales just soared. But Honda didnt show up until 2013 and by then Triumph was unstoppable. I had a Thruxton 900 and will always love that bike, but in reality the CB1100 is better in every possible way than the aircooled 900s. The Triumph 1200's though are a different story... :cool-new:

 

[Duc1100Scram]

So, I dropped the Scrambler off on Friday afternoon. Not sure when it will be ready, and the long ride to the shop was torture listening to that rattle and worrying about potential damage. Oh well, its under warranty, so let it go I suppose. They will look at it this week and get back to me. Interestingly enough, another Ducati shop in the area, I happen to be talking with their owner on Saturday and mentioned that I took my 1100 in for the rattle/knock. He immediately said that he remembers the Monster 1100 having a similar issue caused by Ducati over torquing the timing belt tensioners from the factory. Apparently the factory TQ spec is too high and this causes the rattle/knock and potentially the damage. He was familiar with the issue and since he goes to Ducati's school in Italy every year for re-certification, I trust his inclination. But, he doesnt do warranty work, so I couldn't take it to him..

In other news, I DID pick up that 2014 CB1100. What a fantastic bike!!! Gobs of torque, great transmission, everything smooth as silk, and just a blast to ride - plenty of power and you could ride this thing all day at 80 and not break a sweat. Very happy with the purchase and price, it will be a great touring bike for me, as well as look great next to the Scrambler in my garage. Of course I have some mods in mind....already have a set of powdercoated Biltwell tracker/motocross bars, bar ends and mirrors, so I can swap out the stock Honda higher rise highway style bars and those unsightly lollipop stalk mirrors. LOL. I also have a Dart Flyscreen already ordered. But I dont plan to go crazy.. yet!

Here's a snap from the dealer's website. I will post some more after I tweak her a bit ;-)

 

[Skippy'73]

So, I dropped the Scrambler off on Friday afternoon. Not sure when it will be ready, and the long ride to the shop was torture listening to that rattle and worrying about potential damage. Oh well, its under warranty, so let it go I suppose. They will look at it this week and get back to me. Interestingly enough, another Ducati shop in the area, I happen to be talking with their owner on Saturday and mentioned that I took my 1100 in for the rattle/knock. He immediately said that he remembers the Monster 1100 having a similar issue caused by Ducati over torquing the timing belt tensioners from the factory. Apparently the factory TQ spec is too high and this causes the rattle/knock and potentially the damage. He was familiar with the issue and since he goes to Ducati's school in Italy every year for re-certification, I trust his inclination. But, he doesnt do warranty work, so I couldn't take it to him..

In other news, I DID pick up that 2014 CB1100. What a fantastic bike!!! Gobs of torque, great transmission, everything smooth as silk, and just a blast to ride - plenty of power and you could ride this thing all day at 80 and not break a sweat. Very happy with the purchase and price, it will be a great touring bike for me, as well as look great next to the Scrambler in my garage. Of course I have some mods in mind....already have a set of powdercoated Biltwell tracker/motocross bars, bar ends and mirrors, so I can swap out the stock Honda higher rise highway style bars and those unsightly lollipop stalk mirrors. LOL. I also have a Dart Flyscreen already ordered. But I dont plan to go crazy.. yet!

Here's a snap from the dealer's website. I will post some more after I tweak her a bit ;-)

View attachment 40981

That Honda looks great. Changing the bars will certainly give it a sportier look. I also suspect you are going to do a tail tidy in the future and replacing the huge taillight ;-).
Have fun with it and lets hope the Scrambler will be fixed and returned quickly.

 

[Duc1100Scram]

That Honda looks great. Changing the bars will certainly give it a sportier look. I also suspect you are going to do a tail tidy in the future and replacing the huge taillight ;-).
Have fun with it and lets hope the Scrambler will be fixed and returned quickly.

Thanks Skippy! I spent the better part of today changing out the bars. It was a little more involved than expected, but the result is night and day. Has a Triumph Bonneville T100 Black kind of look to it now with motocross bars and Joker Machine bar end mirrors. I also used some leftover candy blue riser bolts I had for the Scrambler for the clamps, so it gives a little color to pop. I just hope the flyscreen comes in before my road trip.. I'll post some pics when I can.

...and yes, I've got to figure out a tail tidy solution for the bike! That taillight is not appealing. Thankfully some of the Lucas units for the Bonneville work. I am not going to do a rear fender delete this time, just good signals, lighting with some better style.

 

[Skippy'73]

Thanks Skippy! I spent the better part of today changing out the bars. It was a little more involved than expected, but the result is night and day. Has a Triumph Bonneville T100 Black kind of look to it now with motocross bars and Joker Machine bar end mirrors. I also used some leftover candy blue riser bolts I had for the Scrambler for the clamps, so it gives a little color to pop. I just hope the flyscreen comes in before my road trip.. I'll post some pics when I can.

...and yes, I've got to figure out a tail tidy solution for the bike! That taillight is not appealing. Thankfully some of the Lucas units for the Bonneville work. I am not going to do a rear fender delete this time, just good signals, lighting with some better style.

Cool! Good call on not deleting the fender, I like the look of the fender and I feel fender deletes on bikes like this and on the Bonneville range make the bikes look kind of unfineshed. Also the rear fender ties in nicely with the front fender adding a nice accent to the otherwise black bike.But a smaller tail light and turnsignals could turn out really nice. A friend of mine has some motogadget m_blaze disc bar end turn turnsignals and they look really cool and can be seen from the front and the rear, it's a shame they are rather expensive though. I might get them someday for the Scrambler though when I have the time to install them and have some money left over.

 

[Captain Brownbeard]

I asked my dealership to investigate my bike in case it was affected. I didn’t know how to tell. They a recording to Ducati UK who suggested the work was done regardless. All on warranty and with no fuss. The engine still clatters and rattles but that is the character of the bike and I love it. Sounds just like the old Darmah SS I used to own.