2000 Kawasaki KLR650 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 2000 Kawasaki KLR650, 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
- Engine777.8%
- Steering111.1%
- Transmission111.1%
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
THE TORSION SPRING ON MY KLR 650 FAILED. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND HAPPENS TO ALOT OF KLR 650 OWNERS. LUCKY FOR ME IT DIDN'T CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE WHILE I WAS RIDING. *TR
I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS 2000 KAWASAKI KLR650 FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW AND HAD 8766 MILES AT THE TIME! I HAD READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER(KAWASAKI PART NO. 13168-1436) AND SPRING(KAWASAKI PART NO. 92144-1860) PUT IN EVERY KLR650 SINCE 1996 WERE PRONE TO FAILURE. DUE TO POOR QUALITY STEEL AND POOR MANUFACTURING! WHICH CAN CAUSE THE TIMING CHAIN TO SEIZE, WHICH RESULTS IN THE ENGINE SEIZING, AND IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE RIDING WOULD CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO SEIZE. WHICH WOULD CAUSE DAMAGE, INJURY, POSSIBLY AN ACCIDENT AND DEATH! SURE ENOUGH A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS A MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC HELPED ME CHECK INTO THIS AND WE DID FIND THAT MY IDLER SHAFT LEVER WAS INDEED BROKEN, MY SPRING WAS MISSING AND MY TIMING CHAIN WAS BARELY HANGING ON!!! LIKE I SAID MINE ONLY HAD 8766 MILES BUT THE PART HAD FAILED WAY BEFORE THAT AND I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THEY HAVE FAILED WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES. I AM STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND THE SPRING AND OTHER PIECES OF THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER IN SIDE THE ENGINE! TO FIX THIS I REPLACED THE BROKEN IDLER SHAFT LEVER WITH A PROFESSIONALS MACHINED 1 PIECE OUT OF STAINLESS STEEL MADE BY WWW.EAGLE-M-E.COM AND REPLACED THE SPRING WITH A NEW ONE ALSO FROM WWW.EAGLE-M-E.COM. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2000 KAWASAKI KLR 650 DUAL SPORT MOTORCYCLE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE KEPT UP WITH SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AS REQUIRED. THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER AND IDLER SHAFT SPRING WERE BOTH BROKEN. THERE WERE 3 BROKEN ENGINE PARTS INSIDE THE CRANKCASE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP. THE DEALERSHIP WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE GOING 50 MPH DOWN A GRAVEL ROAD. REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING AN UNCONTROLLED SLIDE TO A STOP. JUST GOT OFF THE FREEWAY DOING 75 MPH
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 .