2006 Kawasaki KL650A6F Owner Complaints

UPON DETAILED INTERNAL INSPECTION OF ENGINE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONING ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED. EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT THE SPRING (POORLY MADE) HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT WAS ALSO EVIDENT THAT HAD THE SPRING NOT BROKEN, THE VERY POORLY MADE TENSIONER QUADRANT WOULD HAVE BROKEN INSTEAD LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE AND MOST LIKELY A CRASH AT THE TIME OF ENGINE FAILURE. THE FACTORY PARTS WERE REPLACED WITH UPGRADED AFTERMARKET PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247505

Incident

Oct 25, 2008

Mileage

11,037 mi

2006 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE. BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE KLR650 "DOOHICKIE". COASTING DOWN A SLEIGHT GRADE WITH MOTORCYCLE IN GEAR, MOTOR SUDDENLY MADE RAPPING NOISE AND STOPPED. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SPRING KEEPING TENSION ON THE "DOOHICKIE" HAD FAILED, GOT CAUGHT IN THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH IN TURN BENT BOTH INTAKE VALVES. THE BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH KLR650'S SINCE THEIR FIRST INTRODUCTION. REPLACED INTAKE VALVES, BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER, HEAD GASKET, ENGINE SIDE COVER GASKETS, OIL AND ANTIFREEZE. COST $200+. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234532

Incident

Jul 11, 2008

Mileage

9,012 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KAWASAKI KLR650 (NA). WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE IDLER SHAFT SPRING FAILED. THE CONTACT REMOVED A PIECE OF THE IDLER SHAFT SPRING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT WILL BE REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL SYSTEM AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,300. UPDATED 11/15/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10207300

Incident

Oct 20, 2007

AFTER READING ABOUT OTHERS THAT HAD THIS DEFECTIVE PART ON THE EXACT SAME MOTORCYCLE AS I HAVE I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE PART WITH A AFTERMARKET UPGRADE. WHEN I OPENED MY ENGINE CASE I NOTICED THAT PART OF IT WAS ALREADY BROKEN! I HAVE UNDER 3000 MILES ON THE MOTORCYCLE. THE PART THAT I REPLACED WAS COUNTERBALANCED TENSIONER AND SPRING. THE SPRING WA S ALREADY BROKEN, AND PART OF IT WENT INTO THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10194214

Incident

Jun 16, 2007

Mileage

3,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KAWASAKI KL650A6F. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL IT LUNGED FORWARD AND PRODUCED A GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT POSSESSED VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH MUST BE HELD IN OR THE VEHICLE WILL ALWAYS LUNGE FORWARD WHEN IN NEUTRAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES DURING THESE FAILURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 9,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 820.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187545

Incident

Jul 5, 2006

Mileage

820 mi

FAILURE: THE IDLER SHAFT SPRING (KAWASAKI PART NO. 92144-1860) WAS BROKEN AND UNABLE TO MAINTAIN TENSION ON THE BALANCER IDLER LEVER. THIS CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE BALANCER CHAIN COULD BECOME LOOSE, JUMP OFF THE GEARING, AND CAUSE THE ENGINE AND FINAL DRIVE SYSTEM TO LOCK-UP. THEORY OF OPERATION: 1) THE BALANCER IDLER LEVER (KAWASAKI PART NO. 13168-1436); AND, 2) THE IDLER SHAFT SPRING (KAWASAKI PART NO. 92144-1860). THE TWO PARTS SERVE TO MAINTAIN TENSION ON THE BALANCER CHAIN. CORRECTION: THE ORIGINAL PARTS WERE REPLACED WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS. THE FAILED PART IS AVAILABLE FROM THE OWNER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171528

Incident

Oct 21, 2006

Mileage

9,860 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE MOTORCYCLE FUSES BLEW OUT THREE TIMES. ALSO, THE MOTORCYCLE STARTED IN NEUTRAL WHICH WHEN STARTING THROWS IT OFF THE KICKSTAND. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST THE CONTACT WITH THESE CONCERNS. YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL: 2006 KAWASAKI KL650A6F. *AK UPDATED 10/31/2006 - THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALER AT THE FIRST SERVICE ABOUT STARTING IN GEAR WITH THE NEUTRAL LIGHT ON. THEY DIDN'T FIX IT OR GIVE THE CONSUMER AN EXPLANATIONS ON HOW THEY TRIED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. AFTER TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE BACK HOME IT BLEW THREE FUSES WHICH MADE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, PLUS THE NEUTRAL LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE FUSE HAS BLOWN TWICE AT NIGHT LEAVING THE CONSUMER IN TRAFFIC WITH NO HEADLIGHTS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10170547

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

500 mi

THE COUNTER BALANCER ADJUSTMENT LEVER SPRING ON MY 2006 KAWASAKI KLR650 W/ 1700 MILES FAILED. ALTHOUGH NO DAMAGE OR INJURY WAS CAUSED IN THIS CASE, THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE AND INJURY TO OTHER USERS OF THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE EXISTS DUE TO FRAGMENTED PARTS FROM THE BROKEN ITEMS CIRCULATING THROUGH THE ENGINE AND CAUSING AN ENGINE SEIZURE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL KLR MODELS. KAWASAKI HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE PROBLEM BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18 2006, DENIES THE PROBLEM, AND REFUSES TO REPLACE THE FAULTY COMPONENTS IN THIS OR ANY OTHER KLR. THEY REFUSED A WARRANTY CLAIM AND THE REPAIR WORK WAS PAID FOR BY ME. I RETAINED THE BROKEN PART. *NM

NHTSA ID

10167425

Incident

Apr 8, 2006

Mileage

1,700 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING ABOVE 30 MPH, THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS VIBRATE AND NOTHING CAN BE SEEN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO OFFER ANY REPAIRS. THE CONTACT INSTALLED MIRROR SNUBBERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. UPDATED 10/6/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10164833

Incident

Aug 7, 2006

Mileage

2,800 mi