2006 Kawasaki KL650A 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 2006 Kawasaki KL650A, 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
- Engine133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
- Suspension133.3%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
2006 KAWASAKI KLR 650 BALANCER TENSIONER SPRING FAILURE. SYMPTOMS LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND POOR ENGINE OPERATION. THE FAILURE WAS CAUGHT IN TIME BEFORE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE COULD TAKE PLACE. I PURCHASED A BALANCER LEVER UPGRADE KIT FROM EAGLE MANUFACTURING OF CALIFORNIA. THE COST OF THIS KIT WAS APPROXIMATELY $140.00. I ALSO PURCHASED A MOTORCYCLE JACK TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIR. MY LABOR WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS, THIS INCLUDED REMOVING THE LEFT SIDE ENGINE COVER FROM THE FLYWHEEL AND STATOR. THEN REMOVING THE INNER FLYWHEEL SIDE COVER TO RETRIEVE THE BROKEN IDLER ADJUSTER SPRING. THE MAIN BODY OF THE SPRING WAS RETRIEVED. THE BROKEN PIECE CIRCULATED THROUGH THE ENGINE, BRAKING OFF SOME OF THE PLASTIC CHAIN TENSIONERS. I RECOVERED A FEW PLASTIC PIECES AND THE MAIN SPRING BODY. THE LEFT SIDE SPRING END WAS BROKEN OFF AND IS SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS AND GASKETS TOOK APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND COST ME SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
2006 KLR 650 KAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE BROKEN BALANCER CHAIN LEVER EVEN THOUGH ADJUSTED REGULARLY BY KAWASAKI DEALER. METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE ENGINE CAUSING POTENTIAL DAMAGE. INCURRED SIGNIFICANT REPAIR COSTS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART AND REPAIR WITH AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENT AS THE KAWASAKI PART IS DEFECTIVE. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SEIZED ENGINE AND EVEN DEATH AND/OR INJURY. WOULD LIKE KAWASAKI TO INDEMNIFY ME FOR MY LOSSES AND ALSO ISSUE A RECALL ON ALL BIKES WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
PRELOAD ADJUSTER BROKE ON 2006 KLR 650 SECOND TIME I ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST IT WITH LESS THAT 10K MILES ON IT. *TR
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 .