IllustrationBALANCER CHAIN BEGAN MAKING NOISE ATTEMPTED FACTORY RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS. CONCERN WAS UNRESOLVED. REMOVED STATOR COVER FOUND QUADRANT AND TENSIONER BROKEN. *TR
2005 Kawasaki KL650A
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all KL650A years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsON THE BASIS OF ANECDOTAL INFORMATION I REPLACED THE STOCK BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER ON MY 2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. THESE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA, AND SURE ENOUGH THE SPRING THAT IS TO TENSION THE BALANCE CHAIN AS IT WEARS WAS BROKEN AND INOPERATIVE. THIS MEANT THAT IF I HAD NOT REPLACED THE TENSIO…
Read full complaint
ON THE BASIS OF ANECDOTAL INFORMATION I REPLACED THE STOCK BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER ON MY 2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. THESE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA, AND SURE ENOUGH THE SPRING THAT IS TO TENSION THE BALANCE CHAIN AS IT WEARS WAS BROKEN AND INOPERATIVE. THIS MEANT THAT IF I HAD NOT REPLACED THE TENSIONER ADJUSTER AND SPRING, THE CHAIN THAT RUNS THE BALANCER WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO WEAR AND STRETCH TO THE POINT OF POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT IS NICE THAT AMERICANS ARE MAKING A LIVING MAKING THESE PARTS, BUT HOW MANY BIKES DO NOT GET THIS REPAIR. I MENTION THIS AT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY ACT LIKE I AM SPEAKING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. *TR
Official recalls
107V486000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe
Oct 16, 2007
ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING OF THE MUFFLER MOUNTING BOLTS COULD ALLOW THE BOLTS TO LOOSEN.
Consequence & remedy
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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.