2008 Kawasaki KL650E: complaints, problems and recalls

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 FAI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10226795 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10235028 at NHTSA ↗

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…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235071 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235128 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235129 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 3,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235336 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 7,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240480 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 2 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240556 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-10-16 (October 16, 2007)

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING OF THE MUFFLER MOUNTING BOLTS COULD ALLOW THE BOLTS TO LOOSEN.

Consequence: IF THE BOLTS LOOSEN COMPLETELY, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE MUFFLER TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN TWO MUFFLER MOUNTING BOLTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 22, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 1-866-802-9381.

Reported: 2009-02-19 (February 19, 2009)

KAWASAKI IS RECALLING 16,167 MY 2008-2009 KLR 650 (KL650E8F/L, KL650E9F/L) MOTORCYCLES. THE MUFFLER ASSEMBLY IS SECURED TO THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE BY TWO BOLTS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HEAT EXPANSION CYCLES OF THE MUFFLER, COMBINED WITH VIBRATION FROM VEHICLE OPERATION MAY CAUSE LOOSENING OF THE MUFFLER MOUNTING BOLTS.

Consequence: IF THE BOLTS LOOSEN COMPLETELY, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE MUFFLER TO SEPARATE FROM THE MOTORCYCLE, CREATING A RISK OF A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE PAINT FROM THE MUFFLER MOUNT TABS AND REPLACE THE MOUNT BOLTS, NUT, AND WASHER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 866-802-9381.

Reported: 2009-02-20 (February 20, 2009)

KAWASAKI IS RECALLING 16,167 MY 2008-2009 KLR 650 (KL650E8F/L, KL650E9F/L) MOTORCYCLES. WIRES IN THE WIRING HARNESS MIGHT BE DAMAGED DUE TO RUBBING CONTACT WITH A PORTION OF THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ENGINE CREATING A RISK OF A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 24, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KAWASAKI AT 866-802-9381.