Kawasaki KLR650 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 195 consumer complaints across the 9 model years of the Kawasaki KLR650 (1998–2023) that have at least 5 complaints. 2008 has the most, with 116. Across all years, the part named most often is exterior lighting (86 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All KLR650 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 16 | 54 | 0 | 2 | — | Too new |
| 2009 | 6 | 7,750 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 116 | 2,000 | 1 | 1 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Stable |
| 2003 | 6 | 10,265 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 11 | 3,000 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 19 | 12,800 | 0 | 1 | — | Stable |
| 2000 | 8 | 15,000 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 1999 | 7 | 19,400 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 1998 | 6 | 10,400 | 0 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Exterior lighting86 42%
- Engine cooling56 27%
- Steering18 8.8%
- Suspension12 5.9%
- Body and structure11 5.4%
- Electrical system8 3.9%
- Transmission and drivetrain7 3.4%
- Engine7 3.4%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2001: “Cam chain adjuster otherwise know as a doohickey. If it fails it may cause the engine to seize up without warning, I change mine after it broke but did not cause massive internal damage I was unaware that mine had failed I did the change as preventative maintenance this problem has been known to the klr community for many years but Kawasaki refuses to recognize it, do a google search on doohickey for more info”
NHTSA complaint #10926349, filed 2016-11, 7,239 miles2008: “Cover side hole that lower starter gear pin rides in is milled too deep and can result in severe engine damage. While installing a balancer tension spring upgrade (another issue with these motorcycles) I found I had this issue. I had to install a spacer to fix and prevent the other side from coming out of engine side hole and causing damage.”
NHTSA complaint #10334646, filed 2010-06, 6,100 miles2009: “It is my firm belief that this vehicle (2009 klr manufactured in oct. 2008) should also be recalled for the wiring harness as the previous model (2008 klr) was. The vehicle will loose power/electricity to the spark plug when the handlebars are turned which in turn moves the wiring/wiring harness. The previous recall was initiated due to wiring harness issues. I recently had to tow my klr from the side of the freeway as it lost power while traveling at highway speeds in the busy city of austin, tx. …”
NHTSA complaint #10811287, filed 2015-12, 30,628 milesOther Kawasaki models
69 complaintsKawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
55 complaintsKawasaki Vulcan
48 complaintsKawasaki Ninja 300
42 complaintsKawasaki Concours 14
34 complaintsKawasaki Ninja
27 complaintsKawasaki Vulcan 1500
18 complaintsKawasaki KL650E
18 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology