NHTSA Complaint #10279022 — 2006 KAWASAKI KL650A

2006 KAWASAKI KLR 650 BALANCER TENSIONER SPRING FAILURE. SYMPTOMS LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND POOR ENGINE OPERATION. THE FAILURE WAS CAUGHT IN TIME BEFORE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE COULD TAKE PLACE. I PURCHASED A BALANCER LEVER UPGRADE KIT FROM EAGLE MANUFACTURING OF CALIFORNIA. THE COST OF THIS KIT WAS APPROXIMATELY $140.00. I ALSO PURCHASED A MOTORCYCLE JACK TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIR. MY LABOR WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS, THIS INCLUDED REMOVING THE LEFT SIDE ENGINE COVER FROM THE FLYWHEEL AND STATOR. THEN REMOVING THE INNER FLYWHEEL SIDE COVER TO RETRIEVE THE BROKEN IDLER ADJUSTER SPRING. THE MAIN BODY OF THE SPRING WAS RETRIEVED. THE BROKEN PIECE CIRCULATED THROUGH THE ENGINE, BRAKING OFF SOME OF THE PLASTIC CHAIN TENSIONERS. I RECOVERED A FEW PLASTIC PIECES AND THE MAIN SPRING BODY. THE LEFT SIDE SPRING END WAS BROKEN OFF AND IS SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS AND GASKETS TOOK APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND COST ME SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. *TR