Ducati North America: Performance Desert X Soft Side Bag Kit Recalled for Fire Risk

Agency Publication Date: March 16, 2023

Summary

Ducati North America is recalling 65 Ducati Performance Desert X Soft Side Bag Kits (part number 96781971AA) designed for 2023 DesertX motorcycles. The right-side bag can sag or move during use, allowing it to come into direct contact with the hot motorcycle exhaust. Dealers will provide updated assembly instructions as an interim fix and will later install a new right-side bag frame for free to prevent contact with the exhaust.

Risk

If the soft side bag touches the motorcycle's hot exhaust pipe, it can burn, melt, or catch fire. This poses a significant risk of fire while riding, which could lead to a crash or serious injury to the rider or others.

What You Should Do

Locate the part number on your soft side bag kit to see if it matches part number 96781971AA, specifically designed for the 2023 Ducati DesertX motorcycle.
Inspect the right-side bag for any signs of heat damage, melting, or proximity to the exhaust pipe.
Contact an authorized Ducati dealer immediately to receive updated assembly instructions as an interim safety measure.
Schedule a follow-up appointment with your Ducati dealer to have a new right-side bag frame installed at no cost to you once parts are available.
Contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446 and reference recall number SRV-RCL-23-001 for more information.
For additional questions or to report safety concerns, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Your Remedy Options

You have 2 options:

Option 1: Other Action

Interim assembly instructions

How to: Dealers will provide owners with updated assembly instructions to mitigate the risk until replacement parts arrive.

Option 2: Free Repair

New right-side bag frame installation

How to: Dealers will install a newly designed right-side bag frame free of charge once parts are available.

Affected Products

Product: 2023 Ducati DesertX (with Performance Soft Side Bags Kit)

Part / Model:

96781971AA (Part Number)

Additional Information

Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Recall ID: 23E021000

Status: Active

Manufacturer: Ducati North America

Sold By: authorized Ducati dealers

Units Affected: 65 vehicles(1% estimated defective)

Park Vehicle: No

Park Outside: No

OTA Update: No

Product Type: Equipment (E)

Recall Classification: Safety Defect

Owner Notification Date: April 12, 2023

Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Distributed To: Nationwide

Manufacturer Recall #: SRV-RCL-23-001

Agency Last Updated: January 10, 2024

Were You Affected by This Recall?

If you or a family member were harmed by this recalled product, you may have legal rights. Consider consulting a consumer protection attorney to understand your options for compensation.

Find an Attorney

This is general information, not legal advice. Go Backs is not a law firm and does not provide legal services.

AI-Enhanced Content: The summary, action steps, and risk assessment on this page were generated by AI from official government recall data to improve readability. This is not legal or medical advice. Always refer to the official agency sources below for authoritative information.

Sources: NHTSA Notice · Raw API Response

Summary

What You Should Do

Locate the part number on your soft side bag kit to see if it matches part number 96781971AA, specifically designed for the 2023 Ducati DesertX motorcycle.

Inspect the right-side bag for any signs of heat damage, melting, or proximity to the exhaust pipe.

Contact an authorized Ducati dealer immediately to receive updated assembly instructions as an interim safety measure.

Schedule a follow-up appointment with your Ducati dealer to have a new right-side bag frame installed at no cost to you once parts are available.

Contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446 and reference recall number SRV-RCL-23-001 for more information.

For additional questions or to report safety concerns, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Your Remedy Options

You have 2 options:

Option 1: Other Action

Interim assembly instructions

How to: Dealers will provide owners with updated assembly instructions to mitigate the risk until replacement parts arrive.

Option 2: Free Repair

New right-side bag frame installation

How to: Dealers will install a newly designed right-side bag frame free of charge once parts are available.

Additional Information

Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Recall ID: 23E021000

Status: Active

Manufacturer: Ducati North America

Sold By: authorized Ducati dealers

Units Affected: 65 vehicles(1% estimated defective)

Park Vehicle: No

Park Outside: No

OTA Update: No

Product Type: Equipment (E)

Recall Classification: Safety Defect

Owner Notification Date: April 12, 2023

Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Distributed To: Nationwide

Manufacturer Recall #: SRV-RCL-23-001

Agency Last Updated: January 10, 2024