NHTSA Complaint #10047386 — 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650

SUBJECT: 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650. NOVEMBER 2003, 16,500+ MILES: DAVIS SERVICE CENTER, MONTROSE, COLORADO, WAS ASKED TO REPLACE THE STOCK COUNTERBALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER LEVER WITH A STAINLESS STEEL UPGRADE FROM EAGLE MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING. THIS WAS TO BE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SINCE I'VE HEARD FROM THAT THIS IS A WEAK POINT. UPON INTERNAL INSPECTION, THE STOCK COUNTER BALANCED CHAIN TENSIONER LEVER WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. A BROKEN PIECE HAD GOTTEN INTO THE TRANSMISSION MAIN SHAFT BEARING AND DESTROYED THE RACE/BEARING-HOLDER. THE BEARINGS WERE STILL MORE-OR-LESS IN PLACE AND THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT YET APPARENT WHEN OPERATING THE KLR. SUBSEQUENT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY. FAILURE COULD RESULT IN ENGINE SEIZURE AND SERIOUS HARM TO THE OPERATOR. FROM MY EXPERIENCE ON A KLR650 EMAIL FORUM, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND THAT KAWASAKI IS AWARE OF IT. *LA