2005 Kawasaki KL650A19

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KAWASAKI KLR650 (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT APPROXIMATELY TEN BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM HIS VEHICLE. THE FOOT PEG BOLTS AND MUFFLER MOUNTING BOLTS WERE MISSING, WHICH CAUSED THE FOOT PEG TO DETACH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DEALERS APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES REGARDING THE BOLTS, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO DETACH. THE CONTACT MUST USE PLASTIC ZIP TIES TO HOLD THE PARTS IN PLACE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, PURCHASE DATE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 8,250 MILES. THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (DOOHICKEY) RETENTION / RETURN SPRING WAS BROKEN. I OPENED THE CASE TO REPLACE THIS PART THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH FAILURE AND SURE ENOUGH MINE WAS BROKEN! HAD I NOT DONE THIS PREVENTIVE UPGRADE AND ADJUSTED THE LEVER AS PER MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. I COULD HAVE RUINED THE MOTOR DUE TO THE BROKEN PART! THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE TO KLR RIDERS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT THAT KAWASAKI NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR

BROKEN BALANCE SHAFT ADJUSTER SPRING , THREE PIECES , ON THE INSIDE OF THE MOTOR ON A 2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE WITH 9,034 MILES. THE BREAKING OF THIS SPRING OR THE ADJUSTER WAS WELL DOCUMENTED ON INTERNET SITES AND WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSE SOMEONE TO BE INJURED OR KILLED AT SOME POINT. IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY FOR ME AN UPGRADED ADJUSTER AND SPRING WAS PURCHASED, AS WELL AS THE NECESSARY TOOLS, AFTER THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION FROM VARIOUS WEB SITES. I DISCOVERED THE BROKEN PARTS, ( FORTUNATELY ), AND RETRIEVED THEM FROM THE MOTOR WHEN I PERFORMED THE UPGRADE. HAD I WAITED MUCH LONGER SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND/OR MYSELF WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. COST OF THE UPGRADE, NOT INCLUDING MY LABOR COST WAS OVER $100.00 FROM ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE GATHERED FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THIS SAME MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE, KAWASAKI WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. WILL IT TAKE SEVERAL DEATHS (OR MORE), BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED?*AK

I AM VERY UPSET WITH KAWASAKI'S KLR 650'S IDLER SHAFT ASSEMBLY EVERYONE I TALK TO HAS OR WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE FROM A COMPANY AS BIG AS KAWASAKI. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO. I TOO, WILL BE SPENDING THE $200 TO FIX SOON. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. THANK,YOU. I HOPE YOU WILL DO SOMETHING. *JB

INDEPENDENT KAWASAKI KLR650 WEB SITES DESCRIBE INHERENT PROBLEMS WITH THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER AND SPRING WITHIN THE ENGINE. I OPENED UP THE ENGINE ON MY 2005 KLR 650 WITH 8795 MILES AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SPRING WAS BROKEN AND NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. THIS CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AS THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN IS NO LONGER BEING TIGHTENED CORRECTLY. I THEN REPLACED THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER AND THE SPRING WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS. *JB

2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 1,500 MILES. THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (DOOHICKEY) RETENTION / RETURN SPRING WAS BROKEN. I OPENED THE CASE TO REPLACE THIS PART THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH FAILURE AND SURE ENOUGH MINE WAS BROKEN! GOOD THING I WAS DOING THE STITCH IN TIME. HAD I NOT DONE THIS PREVENTIVE UPGRADE AND ADJUSTED THE LEVER AS PER MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. I COULD HAVE RUINED MOTOR DUE TO THE BROKEN PART! WITH ENOUGH OF THESE FAILING THAT THIRD PARTY MANUFACTURES CAN ACTUALLY TURN A PROFIT MAKING REPLACEMENT PARTS, YOU WOULD THINK THAT KAWASAKI WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM!*AK