IllustrationI HAVE A BROKEN PRE-LOAD ADJUSTER ON REAR SHOCK OF 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. THE OWNERS MANUAL DIRECTIONS WERE FOLLOWED EXACTLY. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE AS THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES ON THE IDENTICAL MOTORCYCLE. A RECALL MUST BE ISSUED. *TR
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
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
1100–25K
025–50K
050–75K
075–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
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
Suspension complaints
9 reportsI TRIED TO ADJUST THE SPRING PRELOAD TO A STIFFER SETTING ON MY REAR SHOCK AND THE ADJUSTER MECHANISM FAILED AND THE SHOCK REMAINS ON THE SOFTEST SETTING, UNABLE TO BE ADJUSTED. I WANTED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO TAKE A PASSENGER FOR A RIDE AND NOW THE STIFFER SETTING REQUIRED IS NOT OBTAINABLE. RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE WITH A PASSENGE…
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I TRIED TO ADJUST THE SPRING PRELOAD TO A STIFFER SETTING ON MY REAR SHOCK AND THE ADJUSTER MECHANISM FAILED AND THE SHOCK REMAINS ON THE SOFTEST SETTING, UNABLE TO BE ADJUSTED. I WANTED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO TAKE A PASSENGER FOR A RIDE AND NOW THE STIFFER SETTING REQUIRED IS NOT OBTAINABLE. RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE WITH A PASSENGER COULD BE A HAZARD AT THE CURRENT SOFTEST SETTING. I HAVE YET TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE SITUATION, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON FAULT WITH THIS NEW MOTORCYCLE, AND I WAS HOPING FOR A RECALL ON THE SHOCK BEFORE I HAD THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *TR
REAR SHOCK ADJUSTER BOLT BROKE WHEN I TRIED TO SET THE PRELOAD. COULD NOT SET THE SHOCK FOR A HEAVIER LOAD. KAWASAKI REPLACED THE SHOCK. *TR
WHILE ADJUSTING THE PRELOAD ADJUSTER ON MY REAR SHOCK ON MY 2008 KLR650 THE PRELOAD ADJUST BROKE. ALL IT DOES NOW IS SPIN AND WON'T ADJUST THE SHOCK AT ALL. I ONLY HAVE 1500 MILES ON THIS BIKE. *TR
REAR SHOCK ABSORBER PRELOAD ADJUSTER BROKEN. *TR
PRELOAD ADJUSTER ON THE REAR SHOCK OF A 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650 FAILED. PRELOAD ON REAR SHOCK WAS NOT ADJUSTABLE AND STUCK IN THE FIRST POSITION OF FIVE. ENTIRE SHOCK WAS WARRANTED AND REPLACED WITH A FUNCTIONING SHOCK BY KAWASAKI. *JB *JB
REAR SHOCK PRELOAD ADJUSTER FAILS TO ADJUST PRELOAD, THIS CAN LEAD TO DANGEROUS LOADING CONDITIONS IF USER IS UNABLE TO PROPERLY ADJUST SUSPENSION. *JB
REAR PRE-LOAD ADJUSTER ON 2008 KAWASAKI KLR650 SPINS FREELY. CANNOT ADJUST SUSPENSION TO RIDERS WEIGHT. *TR
SHOCK PRELOAD ADJUSTER ON MY 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 BROKE. EVERY 08 KLR I KNOW OF, THIS PART HAS FAILED. AT THIS TIME THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE FAILING JUST AS FAST. KAWASAKI SO FAR IS REPLACEING THE PARTS UNDER WARENTY, HOW EVER THEY HAVENT UPGRADED THE THE PART TO PREVENT FAILER, YET. I HOPE THIS IS THE CORRECT ACTION TO INITIA…
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SHOCK PRELOAD ADJUSTER ON MY 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 BROKE. EVERY 08 KLR I KNOW OF, THIS PART HAS FAILED. AT THIS TIME THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE FAILING JUST AS FAST. KAWASAKI SO FAR IS REPLACEING THE PARTS UNDER WARENTY, HOW EVER THEY HAVENT UPGRADED THE THE PART TO PREVENT FAILER, YET. I HOPE THIS IS THE CORRECT ACTION TO INITIATE A RECALL.
Official recalls
107V244000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.