This is kind of a scary one, so I'll just get right into it. You like your rear wheel axle shaft, right? Even if you couldn't possibly care less about the greasy bits of your motorcycle, that's the bit that holds your rear wheel in place in your swingarm. It's kind of important to being able to operate and enjoy your motorcycle in a reasonable manner, which I'm guessing is why you bought the thing in the first place.
Ducati North America is recalling just over 10,000 Ducati Panigale V4 and Streetfighter motorcycles, over a range of model years, because of a potential fault in the rear wheel axle shaft on some units. According to the recall report that DNA filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a total of 11 cases of such failure worldwide were reported to the company, with none in the US market.
However, out of an abundance of caution, Ducati is recalling a range of affected bikes for total rear wheel shaft replacement, which will be provided free of charge to affected customers.
The description of the defect is short, sweet and to the point, so I'll just quote it in full here. It reads, "The rear wheel shaft (axle) could lose its structural integrity and break." The report goes on to say that this could happen while riding, which could then "increase the risk of a crash and injury." That feels like an understatement somehow, but that's what it says.
Here's a list of the affected motorcycle years, models, production dates, and numbers affected.
| Year and Model | Affected Production Date Range | Number of Potentially Affected Units |
| 2020-2021 Ducati Panigale V4 SL | November 24, 2020 through June 12, 2021 | 702 |
| 2019-2024 Ducati Panigale V4 R | November 24, 2018 through June 12, 2024 | 2,106 |
| 2018-2024 Ducati Panigale V4 S | November 24, 2017 through June 12, 2024 | 3,162 |
| 2018-2019 Ducati Panigale V4 S | November 24, 2017 through June 12, 2019 | 1,404 |
| 2023-2025 Ducati Streetfighter | February 12, 2022 through June 12, 2024 | 1,053 |
| 2018-2024 Ducati Panigale V4 | November 24,2017 through June 12, 2024 | 2,106 |
| 2020-2022 Ducati Streetfighter V4 | February 12, 2020 through June 12, 2022 | 1,053 |
| GRAND TOTAL BIKES POTENTIALLY AFFECTED IN THE US MARKET | 10,182 |
Elsewhere in the recall report, it mentions that "the rear wheel shaft has been machined in a way that may not be sufficiently robust in relation to some of the stressed conditions, especially due to the installation layout on these specific models." As for any potential warning signs, Ducati notes that weird noises or vibrations from the rear of the motorcycle could be an indicator of a problem.
According to the recall, Ducati North America planned to notify its dealer network between September 11, 2025 and September 18, 2025. Owners of affected bikes will be notified between September 25, 2025 and October 2, 2025. Owners may contact Ducati Customer Service at 1-888-391-5446 regarding recall number SRV-RCL-25-002. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
