2005 Kawasaki KL650A19 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 2005 Kawasaki KL650A19, 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
- Engine866.7%
- Steering325.0%
- Body & structure18.3%
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
BALANCE SHAFT TENSIONER ADJUST PLATE (DOOHICKEY) WAS FOUND IN THREE PIECES, TENSION SPRING ALSO IN TWO PIECES. *TR
2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 8,250 MILES. THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (DOOHICKEY) RETENTION / RETURN SPRING WAS BROKEN. I OPENED THE CASE TO REPLACE THIS PART THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH FAILURE AND SURE ENOUGH MINE WAS BROKEN! HAD I NOT DONE THIS PREVENTIVE UPGRADE AND ADJUSTED THE LEVER AS PER MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. I COULD HAVE RUINED THE MOTOR DUE TO THE BROKEN PART! THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO KLR RIDERS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT THAT KAWASAKI NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DOING PM ON THE 2005 KAWASAKI KLR650 I FOUND THAT THE TENSION IDLER ARM, KNOWN IN THE KLR COMMUNITY AS THE DOOHICKEY WAS AND HAS BEEN BROKEN. WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE STILL RAN MOST SERIOIULY FAILED. *AK
I AM VERY UPSET WITH KAWASAKI'S KLR 650'S IDLER SHAFT ASSEMBLY EVERYONE I TALK TO HAS OR WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE FROM A COMPANY AS BIG AS KAWASAKI. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO. I TOO, WILL BE SPENDING THE $200 TO FIX SOON. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. THANK,YOU. I HOPE YOU WILL DO SOMETHING. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KAWASAKI KLR650 (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT APPROXIMATELY TEN BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM HIS VEHICLE. THE FOOT PEG BOLTS AND MUFFLER MOUNTING BOLTS WERE MISSING, WHICH CAUSED THE FOOT PEG TO DETACH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DEALERS APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES REGARDING THE BOLTS, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO DETACH. THE CONTACT MUST USE PLASTIC ZIP TIES TO HOLD THE PARTS IN PLACE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, PURCHASE DATE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.
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 .