2000 Kawasaki KLR650: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
15,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 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 6 of 8 complaints (75.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 6 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 1 |
| Steering:Linkages:Arm:Idler And Attachment | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Engine: 1; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 1; Steering:Linkages:Arm:Idler And Attachment: 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 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 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: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 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 (6). 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 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2003: 5; 2004: 1; 2006: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. 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 10000938 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)
THIS INVOLVES ENGINE PART #13168-1436 (LEVER, IDLER SHAFT) IN THE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM OF THE ENGINE'S BALANCER TENSIONER SYSTEM. I HAVE REMOVED A FAILED LEVER, IDLER SHAFT FROM MY KLR650 ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO ASSISTED IN THE INSPECTION OF THIS PART IN OTHER KLR650 ENGINES AND HAVE FOUND OTHER INSTANCES OF FAILURE. IN MY EXPERIENCE, THIS COMPONENT HAS TWO MODES OF FAILURE: WELD SEPARATION, AND BREAKAGE OF THE TOROIDAL-SHAPED SECTION THAT MATES WITH #39115-1077 (SHAFT-IDLER). KAWASAKI CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS PLACED THE BLAME FOR THE FAILURE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000938 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002623 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002623 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023897 · 2003-06-27 (June 27, 2003)
I OWN A 2000 KAWASAKI 650 KLR DUAL SPORT MOTORCYCLE (I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER), I HAVE KEPT UP WITH SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE...THE SAME PART(S) FAILED TWICE WITHIN THE ENGINE, CAUSING METAL PART FRAGMENTS TO GET CIRCULATED WITHIN ENGINE CASING DAMAGING ENGINE PARTS , WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO DANGEROUS FAILURE OF MOTOR WHILE RIDING... THE PARTS THAT FAILED WERE THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER AND IDLER SHAFT SPRING FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED NOVEMBER/2002 SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED JUNE/2003. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032798 · 2003-08-14 (August 14, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 7,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051233 · 2003-12-29 (December 29, 2003)
BROKEN DOOHICKEY INSIDE MOTOR. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 7,251 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051233 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10104014 · 2004-12-17 (December 17, 2004)
THE CLASSIC KAWASAKI KLR 650 BALANCE SHAFT TENSIONER FAILURE. 2000 MODEL YEAR MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINED AS PER FACTORY RECOMMENDATIONS BROKE A BALANCE SHAFT SYSTEM. OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED SO IT WAS NOT DANGEROUS AS IF IT HAPPENED AT SPEED. THAT WAS THE FIRST FAILURE. RECENTLY I FOUND IT WAS CRACKED DURING SERVICE OF THE WATER PUMP. INSTALLED THE 3RD ADJUSTER AT THAT POINT. RECENTLY I FOUND AFTERMARKET PARTS TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES AS THIS IS ACTUALLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE MOTORCYCLES AS THE GET HIGH IN MILES. AT THIS POINT I H…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104014 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153577 · 2006-03-24 (March 24, 2006)
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! S…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,766 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153577 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10562606 · 2014-02-03 (February 3, 2014)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 16,067 miles reported. Look up ODI 10562606 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.