SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

2001 Kawasaki KLR650

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
19Owner complaints

Model-year median: 6

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
6
19987
19998
200019
200111
20026
2003
Compare all KLR650 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
14Unknown Or Other
2Engine
1Power Train
1Suspension
1
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
1

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: 13 of 19 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 And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

14 reports
Clear category filter
12,800 miles · Apr 5, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (AKA "DOOHICKEY") BROKE IN HALF AND THE PIECES OF IT WERE FLOATING AROUND IN THE CRANK CASED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF A PIECE OF THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER GETS CAUGHT IN THE COUNTERBALANCE CHAIN OR CAUSES A CRANK BEARING FAILURE THE ENGINE COULD LOCK UP AT SPEED CAUSING A CRASH. I REPLACED THE IDLER…

Read full complaint

THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (AKA "DOOHICKEY") BROKE IN HALF AND THE PIECES OF IT WERE FLOATING AROUND IN THE CRANK CASED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF A PIECE OF THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER GETS CAUGHT IN THE COUNTERBALANCE CHAIN OR CAUSES A CRANK BEARING FAILURE THE ENGINE COULD LOCK UP AT SPEED CAUSING A CRASH. I REPLACED THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER WITH A STRONGER AFTERMARKET COMPONENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10454281

20,000 miles · Aug 17, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE IDLE SHAFT LEVER IN MY 2001 KAWASAKI KLR650 HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN INTO 2 PIECES. I DISCOVERED THIS WHEN UPGRADING THE PART. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10280637

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

AFTER 14,000 MILES OF USE I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE MOTORCYCLE THE IDLE SHAFT LEVER FAILED. WITH THE FREQUENCY OF THIS FAILURE BEING REPORTED, THERE SHOULD BE A TSB ISSUED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10193359

Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN I TORE INTO MY 2001 KLR 650 TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FAULTY "DOOHICKEY". I FOUND THE FACTORY ONE BROKE. BOTH THE SPRING AND BALANCER WERE BROKE AND I DID NOT FIND EITHER PART IN THE MOTOR. THEY ARE STILL FLOATING AROUND IN THE MOTOR SOMEWHERE. THERE WAS SCARING ON THE PARTS INSIDE THE MOTOR WHERE YOU COULD TELL IT HAD HU…

Read full complaint

WHEN I TORE INTO MY 2001 KLR 650 TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FAULTY "DOOHICKEY". I FOUND THE FACTORY ONE BROKE. BOTH THE SPRING AND BALANCER WERE BROKE AND I DID NOT FIND EITHER PART IN THE MOTOR. THEY ARE STILL FLOATING AROUND IN THE MOTOR SOMEWHERE. THERE WAS SCARING ON THE PARTS INSIDE THE MOTOR WHERE YOU COULD TELL IT HAD HUNG UP ON OTHER MOVING PARTS AND LUCKILY DID NOT LOCK UP THE MOTOR. I REPLACED THE "DOOHICKEY" WITH AN AFTERMARKET BETTER PRODUCT AND HOPE THE LOOSE PIECES DO NOT FLOAT INTO MOVING PARTS TO TEAR UP MY MOTOR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10162506

13,000 miles · Jun 25, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

DOOHICKEY AND SPRING ON THE COUNTER BALANCER OF THE ENGINE WITH 14000 MILES WAS BROKEN DURING MOTORCYCLE USAGE. THIS IS A SUGGEST REPLACEMENT PART THAT IS RECOGNIZED BY OWNERS OF KAWASAKI KLR 650 , SO WHEN I TOOK MIND APART TO REPLACE IT, IT WAS BROKEN AND THE SPRING WAS ALSO MISSING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT COULD CAUS…

Read full complaint

DOOHICKEY AND SPRING ON THE COUNTER BALANCER OF THE ENGINE WITH 14000 MILES WAS BROKEN DURING MOTORCYCLE USAGE. THIS IS A SUGGEST REPLACEMENT PART THAT IS RECOGNIZED BY OWNERS OF KAWASAKI KLR 650 , SO WHEN I TOOK MIND APART TO REPLACE IT, IT WAS BROKEN AND THE SPRING WAS ALSO MISSING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT COULD CAUSE THE MOTOR TO LOCK UP. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10160719

21,000 miles · Feb 1, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WAS A 2001 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. DISMANTLED ENGINE CASE AND FOUND BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER BROKEN INTO THREE PIECES. HAD TO RUMMAGE THROUGH THE CRANKCASE TO FIND TWO OF THE PIECES. THE TENSIONER SPRING WAS ALSO BROKEN. PIECE OF SPRING NOT FOUND. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10149252

9,940 miles · Oct 11, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

CHANGED OIL AND DISCOVERED PIECES OF METAL IN CRANKCASE. HAD A BROKEN IDLER SHAFT LEVER THAT SPLIT IN TWO. LUCKILY IT DID NOT GIVE WAY WHILE I WAS RUNNING AND SEIZE THE ENGINE. DESIGN FLAW IN THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER WELD RESULTED IN FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10095558

19,357 miles · Jan 6, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

BALANCER SHAFT FAILURE ON A 2001 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10052462

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

IDLER SHAFT LEVER RETAINER CAME APART INSIDE ENGINE, CAUSED SPRING TO FAIL EARLY WHICH ALSO CAME APART INSIDE ENGINE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE MACHINES SO I DID A CHECK TO SEE AND DISCOVERED THIS. I FOUND ALL THE LITTLE PIECES READY TO BE SUCKED UP INTO THE OIL PUMP WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10038975

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE NOTICED RATTLE IN ENGINE ALMOST SINCE NEW. AT 21000 MILES I OPENED UP THE L SIDE ENGINE CASE. THERE WAS A BROKEN ENGINE BALANCER CHAIN ADJUSTER AND MANY CHUNKS OF METAL IN CRANKCASE. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND APPARENTLY THIS IS VERY COMMON. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE A REAL WHEEL LOCKUP/SEIZED ENGINE AND CON…

Read full complaint

I HAVE NOTICED RATTLE IN ENGINE ALMOST SINCE NEW. AT 21000 MILES I OPENED UP THE L SIDE ENGINE CASE. THERE WAS A BROKEN ENGINE BALANCER CHAIN ADJUSTER AND MANY CHUNKS OF METAL IN CRANKCASE. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND APPARENTLY THIS IS VERY COMMON. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE A REAL WHEEL LOCKUP/SEIZED ENGINE AND CONSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL WITH DEVISTATING CONSEQUENCES. BOTH MY DEALER AND KAWASAKI USA INDICATE THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT IN ALL KLR650'S BUILT SINCE 1986!*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033071

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.