Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE ENGINE BURNS OIL EXCESSIVELY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60 TO 70 MPH). AN ENGINE LOCKUP DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICANT IS A VERY REAL CONCERN DUE TO THE OIL CONSUMPTION RATE. *TR
THE STARTER IDLER GEAR SHAFT HOLE/SLEEVE IS BORE/MILLED TO DEEP ON THE OUTSIDE CASING. THE SHAFT MOVES TO THE CASING SIDE AND LOSES CONTACT WITH THE INSIDE BUSHING/SLEEVE, WICH FORMS A GAP AT THE MAIN HOUSING SIDE. THERE IS NOW ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE SPACER WASHER TO FALL INTO THE BOTTOM-END AND CAUSE HUGE/CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650. WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OIL LEAKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 5400.
2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 STARTER GEAR COVER IS IMPROPERLY BORED ALLOWING SUPPORT SHAFT TO BECOME UNSUPPORTED ON ONE END. THIS COULD CAUSE THRUST WASHERS TO DROP INTO THE ROTATING FLYWHEEL AT SPEED, LOCKING THE MOTOR AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. OLDER AND NEWER MODELS BOTH HAVE A RIDGE IN THE OUTER ENGINE COVER THAT PREVENTS THE IDLER GEAR SHAFT FROM DRIFTING OUT TOO FAR AND LOOSING SUPPORT IN THE INNER ENGINE COVER. THIS WAS CLEARLY A MACHINING ERROR. I INSERTED A SMALL SPACER IN THE HOLE TO PREVENT THE SHAFT FROM MOVING. *TR
THE SAFETY ISSUE IS ON A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR-650. THE STARTED GEAR IS GRINDING WHEN I TRY TO CRANK THE BIKE. THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS A DEEP BORE ON THE SIDE COVER THAT HOLDS THE GEAR. IT IS A MFG ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS WHEN THE GEAR LOCK UP? THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE IT COULD LOCK UP AS I'M RIDING DOWN THE RODE. *TR
COVER SIDE HOLE THAT LOWER STARTER GEAR PIN RIDES IN IS MILLED TOO DEEP AND CAN RESULT IN SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. WHILE INSTALLING A BALANCER TENSION SPRING UPGRADE (ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES) I FOUND I HAD THIS ISSUE. I HAD TO INSTALL A SPACER TO FIX AND PREVENT THE OTHER SIDE FROM COMING OUT OF ENGINE SIDE HOLE AND CAUSING DAMAGE. *TR
THE STARTER GEAR SHAFT CAN MIGRATE OUT IN THE LEFT SIDE ENGINE COVER, LEAVING THE GEAR UNSUPPORTED ON THE INBOARD SIDE AND ALLOWING A WASHER TO MIGRATE LOOSE INTO THE ENGINE--POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP OR THE TIMING CHAIN TO SKIP TEETH AND CAUSE THE INTAKE OR EXHAUST VALVES TO HIT THE PISTON TOP, BENDING VALVES AND MAKING THE ENGINE INOPERABLE. *TR
2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MOTORCYCLE AND HAS RECEIVED RECALLS *TGW SINCE PURCHASING THE MOTORCYCLE, THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THREE BATTERIES. WHILE CHANGING THE OIL FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING EIGHT TO TEN OUNCES OF OIL PER THOUSAND MILES OF USE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THE OIL CONSUMPTION FELL WITHIN THE ACCEPTABLE RANGE AS SPECIFIED BY KAWASAKI ENGINEERS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PISTONS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE CYLINDER BORE ON HIS BIKE. *JB
2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 ENGINE USES AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF OIL, LEADING TO ENGINE SEIZURE/FAILURE/COSTLY DAMAGE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V059000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE) AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THE BOLTS COULD LOOSEN COMPLETELY AND THE MUFFLER COULD POSSIBLY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING A CRASH OR SERIOUS INJURY. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR TOWING. THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED IF HE HAS TO PAY FOR TOWING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 2,500.
THE CONDITIONS HEREIN MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE WHICH COULD CAUSE THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE [MOTORCYCLE]. THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE UNDER NORMAL "STREET" CONDITIONS. HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT/ WORKMANSHIP. 1 QUART+ OF OIL PER 300 MILES, RESULTING IN HIGH AIR POLLUTION & POSSIBLE ENGINE SEIZURE---FROM THE LOSS OF OIL! PISTON RINGS LEAK OIL. THERE IS ALSO A GROOVE IN ENGINE'S CYLINDER WALL [3"L X 5/32"W X 1/64"D] DUE TO IMPROPER PART ASSEMBLY [PISTON'S WRIST PIN CLIP; A FACTORY DEFECT]. THE ENGINE'S EXHAUST VALVES LEAK WHICH ALSO PRODUCES POOR AIR QUALITY CONTROL. THESE CONDITIONS ARE INTERNAL TO THE ENGINE AND WERE CREATED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THESE FAILURES CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED THROUGH THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE. THE ABOVE VEHICLE'S HAS ONLY BEEN USED FOR 2,085 [2K] MILES. IT IS A 2008 MODEL YEAR. THE ABOVE ENGINE FAILS TO MEET AIR QUALITY STANDARDS. THE COST OF REPAIR IS BEING ESTIMATED BETWEEN $800-1000. THIS ENCOMPASSES PARTIAL VEHICLE DISASSEMBLE, UPPER ENGINE DISASSEMBLE, MACHINE SHOP WORK, REPLACEMENT PARTS, ENGINE REASSEMBLE, AND THE REASSEMBLE OF THE AREA AROUND THE ENGINE [IT'S A MOTORCYCLE]. TO CORRECT THE ABOVE FAILURES NEW PARTS MUST BE INSTALLED ALONG WITH NECESSARY MACHINING OF ENGINE'S CYLINDER. *TR
2008 KAWASAKI KLR-650 MOTORCYCLE. MUFFLER FELL OFF WILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD WITH ONLY 3,000K ON ODOMETER. ALL 3 MOUNTING BOLTS FELL OUT. THIS WAS A RECALL FOR OTHER KLR BIKES. MY BIKE WAS NOT RECALLED. ONE OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS WELDED NUT FELL OFF ALSO. DEALER GAVE ME NEW BOLTS, I REPLACED ONE BOLT WITH A LOCKING CROWN NUT AND COTTER PIN. *TR
2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 BURNING OIL. KAWASAKI REPLIED TO ME, "IF YOUR MOTORCYCLE IS BURNING A QUART EVERY 1,000 MILES OR LESS, THAT IS NORMAL." *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .