← New search

2008 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 →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all KLR650 years →

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

110 reports with mileage · 6 unknown

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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 85 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 10 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 reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

85 reports
Clear category filter
1,300 miles · Sep 19, 2008
Exterior Lighting

TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS SUFFERING RUBBER ROT DAMAGE CAUSING STALK TO SNAP. THIRD INSTANCE ON SAME MOTORCYCLE. PARKED INSIDE AT HOME AND AT WORK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242932

3,800 miles · Sep 18, 2008
Exterior Lighting

I HAVE HAD A FRONT AND REAR BLINKER TO BREAK, THE RUBBER PART, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. NO CRASH WAS INVOLVED. COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEONE BRUSHED AGAINST MY MOTORCYCLE,BUT NOT THAT I KNOW OF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242864

300 miles · Sep 15, 2008
Exterior Lighting

2 OF 4 TURN INDICATORS ON THE MOTORCYCLE HAVE FALLEN OFF; THE INDICATOR STALKS APPEAR FAULTY - RUBBER PEELS APART OR FALLS OFF LEAVING INDICATORS HANGING BY WIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242240

1,000 miles · Sep 15, 2008
Exterior Lighting

RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ON 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 BREAK IN TWO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242180

1,300 miles · Sep 13, 2008
Exterior Lighting

I HAVE A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 DUAL PURPOSE MOTORCYCLE WITH LESS THAN 1500 MILES THAT IS KEPT IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED GARAGE. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL WAS HANGING BY THE WIRE POWERING IT, AND THAT THE RUBBER STEM WHICH MOUNTS THE TURN SIGNAL WAS TORN. I ASSUMED AT THAT TIME THAT A FAMILY MEMBER…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 DUAL PURPOSE MOTORCYCLE WITH LESS THAN 1500 MILES THAT IS KEPT IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED GARAGE. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL WAS HANGING BY THE WIRE POWERING IT, AND THAT THE RUBBER STEM WHICH MOUNTS THE TURN SIGNAL WAS TORN. I ASSUMED AT THAT TIME THAT A FAMILY MEMBER HAD ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED IT AND KNOCKED IT OFF. I REMOVED IT COMPLETELY TO KEEP IT FROM CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE AND NOTICED THAT THE RUBBER WAS VERY DELICATE AND TORE EASILY. YESTERDAY, 9-12-08, I FOUND THAT ALSO WHILE PARKED, THE LEFT FRONT TURN SIGNAL HAD FALLEN OFF. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THE REMAINING TURN SIGNALS TO BE FOLLOWING SUIT. ALL OF THIS HAS OCCURRED ON A MOTORCYCLE THAT IS RIDDEN INFREQUENTLY AND STORED INSIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242055

800 miles · Sep 10, 2008
Exterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE OF THE FOUR TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE RUBBER THAT ENCASES THE WIRES IS DRY ROTTED AND BRITTLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,200 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800. UPDA…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE OF THE FOUR TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE RUBBER THAT ENCASES THE WIRES IS DRY ROTTED AND BRITTLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,200 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800. UPDATED 10/01/08 *BF UPATED 10/06/08. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10241673

2,500 miles · Sep 9, 2008
Exterior Lighting

2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL RUBBER BETWEEN THE SIGNAL AND FAIRING FALLING APART. REPAIRED WITH DUCT TAPE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241568

1,500 miles · Sep 8, 2008
Exterior Lighting

BOTH REAR TURN SIGNALS FELL OFF. THE RUBBER MOUNTS BROKE, THE LIGHTS ARE HANGING BY THE WIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241373

2,450 miles · Sep 8, 2008
Exterior Lighting

TURN SIGNALS "FALL OFF" 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 AFTER ABOUT 2000 MILE OF NORMAL USE. RUBBER MOUNT TEARS AND ALLOWS TURN SIGNAL TO HANG FROM WIRES. DID A GOOGLE SEARCH "08 KLR BROKEN TURN SIGNAL" AND FOUND THAT IT IS A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM. COULD CAUSE AND ACCIDENT, OR ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241361

5,300 miles · Sep 8, 2008
Exterior Lighting

REAR TURN SIGNALS FELL OFF WHILE JUST RIDING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241353

Official recalls

1

07V244000 · Structure:motorcycle:kickstand/center Stand

Jun 7, 2007

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE SPRING RETAINING PIN ON THE FRAME MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY WELDED IN PLACE AND COULD FALL OUT, ALLOWING THE SIDESTAND TO DROP INTO THE "PARKING" POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: KAWASAKI WILL REPURCHASE THESE MOTORCYCLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 1, 2007. ALL DEALERS/OWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.

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.