NHTSA Complaint #10279419 — 2005 KAWASAKI KL650A

ON THE BASIS OF ANECDOTAL INFORMATION I REPLACED THE STOCK BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER ON MY 2005 KAWASAKI KLR 650 MOTORCYCLE. THESE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA, AND SURE ENOUGH THE SPRING THAT IS TO TENSION THE BALANCE CHAIN AS IT WEARS WAS BROKEN AND INOPERATIVE. THIS MEANT THAT IF I HAD NOT REPLACED THE TENSIONER ADJUSTER AND SPRING, THE CHAIN THAT RUNS THE BALANCER WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO WEAR AND STRETCH TO THE POINT OF POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT IS NICE THAT AMERICANS ARE MAKING A LIVING MAKING THESE PARTS, BUT HOW MANY BIKES DO NOT GET THIS REPAIR. I MENTION THIS AT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY ACT LIKE I AM SPEAKING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. *TR