RoadVitals

2008 Kawasaki KL650E Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jul 12, 2012
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since May 6, 2008

What this page shows

Our database holds 12 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Kawasaki KL650E. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–12 of 12

Electrical
Filed Jul 12, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KL650E. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V062000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING) AND STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED EVERYTHING THE RECALL LISTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 11,700.

NHTSA ID
10465463
Incident
Jul 10, 2012
Mileage
11,700 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 6, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KL650E MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V059000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE) AND CALLED THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. HE WAS INFORMED BY A TECHNICIAN THAT THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF REMOVING THE PAINT FROM THE MUFFLER MOUNT TABS AND REPLACING THE MOUNT BOLTS, NUT, AND WASHER. AS A PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN HIMSELF, THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE PAINT WOULD INEVITABLY LEAD TO RUST FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,584.

NHTSA ID
10260966
Incident
Feb 9, 2009
Mileage
4,584 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 7, 2008

I AM OWNER OF GREEN 2008 KLR. I BOUGHT IT IN JUNE OF 2008. IT IS COVERED UNDER KAWASAKI 1 YR MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. IT HAS CHRONIC RUBBER ROT ON THE WINDSHIELD SCREWS, AFTER ONLY 2 MONTHS OF USAGE, AND KAWASAKI AND THE KAWASAKI DEALER HAVE REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RUBBER UNDER THE WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10244622
Incident
Jul 28, 2008
Mileage
3,200 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 4, 2008

MOTORCYCLE TURN SIGNALS (REAR) BREAK AND FALL TO HANG BY THE WIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10240996
Incident
May 27, 2008
Mileage
500 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 1, 2008

NOT A INCIDENT YET. THE ISSUE IS THAT MULTIPLE RUBBER PARTS ON MY MOTORCYCLE ARE FAILING FROM "DRY ROT" WITHIN DAYS OF PURCHASE. THESE PARTS SECURE THE WINDSCREEN AND BODY PANELS IN PLACE AND PROTECT THE CLUTCH CABLE FROM DEBRIS. WHILE THE WIND SCREEN COMING LOOSE AT SPEED IS A SCARY THOUGHT THE CLUTCH CABLE COVER IS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN AS IT'S FAILING COULD ALLOW SAND ETC INTO THE CLUTCH CABLE AND PREVENT THE OPERATOR FROM ACTUATING THE CLUTCH MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSTOPPABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10240556
Incident
Jun 1, 2008
Mileage
2 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 31, 2008

1. THREE (3) TURN SIGNAL MOUNTS HAVE FAILED TO DATE, DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. 2. FAILURES OCCURRED AT 1,800 MILES, 4,000 MILES, AND 7,300 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. MOUNTS FAIL IN NORMAL HIGHWAY OPERATION, LEADING TO TURN SIGNAL BULB/LENS/HALF-STALK DANGLING FROM THE WIRING. NO ACCIDENTS OCCURRED DUE TO THE FAILURES. 3. FIRST ONE REPLACE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE, SECOND REPLACED AT DEALERS EXPENSE, THIRD BEING DEBATED BY DEALER. THIRD UNIT STILL IN OWNER'S POSSESSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10240480
Incident
Aug 30, 2008
Mileage
7,300 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 22, 2008

TURN SIGNALS FALLING OFF NEWLY PURCHASED KAWASAKI KLR-650 MOTORCYCLE. RUBBER MOUNT IS THIN AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BREAK AT THE WEB SITE KLR WORLD .COM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10235336
Incident
Jul 20, 2008
Mileage
3,985 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 21, 2008

MY LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL FELL OFF THIS TIME. (MY SECOND COMPLAINT). I WAS ACTUALLY RETURNING FROM THE KAWASAKI DEALERSHIP HAVING MY RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL REPAIRED WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL JUST FELL OFF AND STARTED FLOPPING IN THE WIND. I HAD TO TRAVEL 40+ MILES WITH NO TURN SIGNALS AFTER JUST LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP. KLR OWNERS NOW RESORT TO PURCHASING AFTERMARKET TURN SIGNALS TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT KAWASAKI HAS IGNORED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10235129
Incident
Jan 15, 2008
Mileage
1,200 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 21, 2008

RIGHT REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FELL OFF OF MY MOTORCYCLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AND CONSULTING WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MOTORCYCLE I REALIZED THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I HAD NO DAMAGE TO MY BIKE, NO COLLISIONS, ETC. THE SIGNAL LIGHT RUBBER AND MOUNTING POINT ARE WEAK, CAUSING THEM TO COLLAPSE WITH NO WARNING, LEAVING THE RIDER WITHOUT SIGNAL LIGHTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10235128
Incident
Oct 10, 2007
Mileage
600 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 20, 2008

2008 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE. 3 MONTHS OLD WITH 1800 MILES. RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL FELL OFF. LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL IS CRACKED AND WILL FALL OFF SHORTLY. DEALER WILL REPLACE, PARTS ON ORDER BUT NOT REPLACED YET. I HAVE THE TURN SIGNAL DUCT TAPED ON AND WILL PUT DUCT TAPE ON THE LEFT AS WELL. I FEEL THIS IS DANGEROUS AS THEY FALL OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT ABUSE. THE RUBBER DETERIORATES QUICKLY. AN INTERNET SEARCH WILL EXPOSE JUST HOW COMMON THIS IS AND THE TURN SIGNAL SEEMS TO BE REPLACED WITH THE SAME ONE THAT FAILS QUICKLY. IT'S AN ALMOST 200 MILE ROUND TRIP TO THE DEALER AND THIS HAS TO BE DONE 2 TIMES EACH TIME TO INSPECT AND ORDER THE PART AND AGAIN TO REPLACE THE PART. I THINK THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE TURN SIGNALS AND KAWASAKI SHOULD RECALL THESE AND REPLACE THEM WITH SOMETHING MORE DURABLE! *TR

NHTSA ID
10235071
Incident
Jun 28, 2008
Mileage
1,800 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 20, 2008

THE REAR TURN SIGNALS FELL OFF. THE RUBBER THAT HOLDS THEM IS INFERIOR AND CRACKS CAUSING THE SIGNALS TO FALL OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10235028
Incident
Jul 19, 2008
EngineTransmissionVisibility
Filed May 6, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS KL650E. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH OR MORE, THE WIND PUSHES THE LEFT AND RIGHT EXTERIOR MIRRORS (SPECIFICALLY THE RIGHT MIRROR) TOWARDS HIM. THE CONTACT CANNOT SEE ANYONE IN THE REAR. HE ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE MIRROR WHILE DRIVING, BUT NEARLY CRASHED. THE VEHICLE ALSO MADE A POPPING SOUND WHEN THE GEARS WERE SWITCHED. HE WAS INITIALLY INFORMED THAT A CHAIN WAS LOOSE. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE CHAIN, BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL. ON THE SECOND TRIP TO THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING THE MIRRORS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 0. UPDATED 5/20/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE MOTORCYCLE IS HOT, SMOKE EMITS FROM THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID
10226795
Incident
Jan 4, 2008

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .