Kawasaki KLR650 Complaints (2002)

11 consumer complaints on file.

#10258507February 12, 2009
SUSPENSION, POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2002 KAWASAKI KLR 650 WITH 6053 MILES I AM TRYING TO SELL IT BUT NO ONE WANTS IT WITH OUT THE BALANCER UPGRADE AKA DOOHICKEY. I DID MINE TODAY AND FOUND THE SPRING BROKEN. THE TAIL END WAS MISSING. I KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS BAD PART INC. THE BALANCER ITSELF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE THE BROKEN SPRING DID BUT THE BIKE STILL RUNS, AND WITH THE UPGRADE FROM EAGLE IT SOUND ALOT BETTER. I THINK KAWASAKI OWN ME SOME $$ FOR THE PARTS AND DAMAGE. I DOUBT IF I WILL EVER SEE ANY BUT WOULD LIKE TOO. HEIR COULD OF BEEN A FATAL CRASH WHEN THE MOTOR FINALLY JUMPED TIME OR SEIZED DUE TO METAL IN THE VALVES/ENGINE. FIRE OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO A SERIOUS LOCKUP AND CRASH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187570April 11, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I OWN A 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650 WITH APPROXIMATELY 9500 MILES ON IT. I WAS RIDING AT LOW SPEED ON THE DATE BELOW WHEN I HEARD A LOUD METAL CLANG IN THE ENGINE AND THE MOTORCYCLE CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN. WHEN I BROUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE INTO THE REPAIR SHOP, I OBSERVED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OPENED THAT THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER , A WELDED PIECE OF STEEL, SNAPPED IN HALF, SENDING BOTH BROKEN PIECES INTO THE LOWER END OF ENGINE, AND DISLODGING THE BALANCER CHAIN FROM THE SPROCKET, WHICH CAUSED NEAR-CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. AFTER SIGNIFICANT TIME AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT, 40% OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE MOTORCYCLE, IT WAS PUT BACK ON THE ROAD HAVING BEEN REPAIRED WITH ONLY KAWASAKI FACTORY PARTS AND RAN FINE FOR A TIME. ABOUT 2000 MILES LATER, I WAS DOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN I NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL ATTACHED TO THE MAGNETIC OIL PLUG. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND THIS TO BE A PIECE OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED IDLER SHAFT LEVER. ONCE AGAIN THE PIECE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAD I NOT INSTALLED A MAGNETIC OIL PLUG ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM MOST DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157761May 17, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
KAWASAKI KLR650'S HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AN ENGINE BALANCER LEVER BREAKING. I HAVE A 2002 KLR AND FOUND MY LEVER TO BE BROKEN IN THREE PLACES. ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH IN THIS CASE, THE BROKEN PIECES COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT (AND HAVE IN THE PAST). YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT THIS PIECE TO BREAK WHILE YOU ON THE HIGH WAY. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT NEW KLR OWNERS CHANGE THIS PART OUT WITH AN AFTER MARKET PART TO AVOID INJURY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10144784December 8, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE COUNTER BALANCE PART ON MOTORCYCLE FAILED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED AN AFTER MARKET PART AND REPLACED THE FAILED ONE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10105991January 8, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BALANCER TENSIONER SPRING FAILED. I HAD READ REPORTS ON THE INTERNET DESCTIBING THE BALANCER TENSIONER SYSTEM AS BEING PRONE TO FAILURE. I FOUND THAT THE TENSIONER SPRING HAD BROKEN WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE CASE. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS 6706 MILES ON IT. I AM REPLACING THE SPRING AND TENSION ADJUSTER WITH AN IMPROVED AFTERMARKET KIT. THE FAILURE WAS FOUND BEFORE THERE WAS ANY MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047386November 22, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SUBJECT: 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650. NOVEMBER 2003, 16,500+ MILES: DAVIS SERVICE CENTER, MONTROSE, COLORADO, WAS ASKED TO REPLACE THE STOCK COUNTERBALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER LEVER WITH A STAINLESS STEEL UPGRADE FROM EAGLE MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING. THIS WAS TO BE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SINCE I'VE HEARD FROM THAT THIS IS A WEAK POINT. UPON INTERNAL INSPECTION, THE STOCK COUNTER BALANCED CHAIN TENSIONER LEVER WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. A BROKEN PIECE HAD GOTTEN INTO THE TRANSMISSION MAIN SHAFT BEARING AND DESTROYED THE RACE/BEARING-HOLDER. THE BEARINGS WERE STILL MORE-OR-LESS IN PLACE AND THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT YET APPARENT WHEN OPERATING THE KLR. SUBSEQUENT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY. FAILURE COULD RESULT IN ENGINE SEIZURE AND SERIOUS HARM TO THE OPERATOR. FROM MY EXPERIENCE ON A KLR650 EMAIL FORUM, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND THAT KAWASAKI IS AWARE OF IT. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041824September 29, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
BALANCER IDLE CHAIN ADJUSTER FAILED WHILE DRIVING THE MOTORCYCLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026489July 2, 2003
TIRES
MOTORCYCLE IS UNDER 5000 MILES AND ALREADY HAS CHANGED FRONT AND REAR TIRES. DUNLOP TIRE, MODEL 750, SIZE 130/80-1765S, AND PROBLEM STILLRECURRING, TIRE GOT FLAT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011343March 5, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
NAR 03/05/2003 AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE TRIPS TO THE REPAIRS SHOP WITHIN 30 DAYS FOR ENGINE OIL LEAK THE CONSUMER NO LONGER WANTS THE VEHICLE. *CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000675January 1, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE BALANCER IDLER SHAFT TENSIONING SPRONG WAS DISCOVERED TO BE BROKEN WHEN PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE WAS CARRIED OUT ON MY 2002 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE AT 2867 MILES. POTENTIALLY, THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SIEZE WHILST IN OPERATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8017468August 28, 2002
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING SIDEVIEW MIRRORS WILL RESET THEMSELVES DUE TO HEAVY VIBRATION IN MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO SEE THROUGH SIDE MIRRORS. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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