1998 Kawasaki KLR650: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
10,400 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 6 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2005 | 1 |
2003: 5; 2005: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000465 · 2003-01-02 (January 2, 2003)
A BROKEN IDLER SHAFT LEVER (DOOHICKEY) CAUSED MOTOR CYCLE TO SIEZE.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,749 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000465 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018383 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)
I HEARD ABOUT A FLAW OF THE ENGINE BALANCER SYSTEM OF THE KAWASAKI KLR650, I ASSUMED THAT MY ENGINE WAS OKAY, AS IT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE, BUT THEN GAVE IN TO MY CURIOSITY, OPENED THE ENGINE CASES AND INSPECTED THE BALANCER MECHANISMS. SURE ENOUGH, JUST AS MANY OTHER KLR OWNERS HAD REPORTED, THE IDLER SHAFT WAS BROKEN. I HAD AN AFTER MARKET IDLER SHAFT THAT IS FORGED FROM ONE PIECE OF HIGH GRADE STEEL AND INSTALLED IT. THE ENGINE RUNS QUIETER NOW AND PRESUMABLY IS LESS PRONE TO FAILURE OF THIS TYPE. THE MANUFACTURER, KAWASAKI HEAVY INDU…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018383 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023930 · 2003-06-28 (June 28, 2003)
ON MY 1998 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE, VIN [XXX], THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (KAWASAKI PART NO: 13168-1436) BROKE, LEAVING NO TENSION ON THE BALANCER CHAIN INSIDE THE ENGINE. THIS IS AN ALL-TOO-COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE BIKES. FAILURE OF THE LEVER CAN RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE CHAIN. IF THE CHAIN FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE ENGINE WILL SEIZE, LOCKING THE BACK WHEEL WHICH WILL CERTAIN RESULT IN A NASTY ACCIDENT. KAWASAKI NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS. NON-TECHNICAL OWNERS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THEIR ENGINE IS A TICKING TIME BOMB. *NLM INFORMATION RED…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10037266 · 2003-09-05 (September 5, 2003)
THIS INVOLVES ENGINE PART #13168-1436 (LEVER, IDLER SHAFT) (ALSO KNOWN AS THE "DOOHICKEY") , WHICH IS PART OF THE ENGINE'S BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER SYSTEM. WHILE MAKING AN UNRELATED ADJUSTMENT TO THE ENGINE I REMOVED THE LEFT SIDE ENGINE COVER AND NOTICED THAT A PORTION OF THE DOOHICKEY HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS LOOSE IN THE ENGINE CASE. THE DAMAGE TO THE DOOHICKEY WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN OTHER KLR650 ENGINES AND APPEARED TO BE DUE TO THE STARTER GEAR (ENGINE PART #16085-1205 (GEAR, ONEWAY CLUTCH)) IMPACTING THE DOOHICKEY. FORTUNATEL…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037266 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048735 · 2003-11-19 (November 19, 2003)
PROBLEMS WITH FUEL SYSTEM ON 1998 MODEL KAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE.*MR AT TIMES THE MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCED AN ERRATIC SURGE AND BUCK AS IF IT HAD NO FUEL. UPON OPENING THE FILLER CAP, THE CONSUMER NOTICED TANK HAD PLENTY OF FUEL IN BOTH SECTIONS OF THE MOTORCYCLE, HOWEVER IT APPEARED THE FUEL WAS NOT DRAWN INTO THE CARBURETOR WITHOUT LONG AND REPEATED CRANKING OF THE STARTER. *JB *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048735 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126457 · 2005-06-24 (June 24, 2005)
THE CHAIN IDLER SHAFT ADJUSTER ON MY KLR HAS BROKEN.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126457 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.