NHTSA Complaint #10334779 — 2009 KAWASAKI KL650E9F

2009 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE BUILD DATE SEPT. 2008. THE STARTER IDLER SHAFT BEARING HOLE IN THE OUTER ALTERNATOR CASE SIDE IS BORED TOO DEEP. THIS ALLOWS THE SHAFT TO MIGRATE OVER SO THAT IT IS ONLY SUPPORTED ON ONE END. RESULT IS THE OTHER END WOBBLES, GRINDS AWAY AT THE BEARING AND CASE SURFACE, AND COULD CAUSE THE IDLER GEAR TO JAM. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE ENGINE WILL STOP ABRUPTLY. KAWASAKI FIXED THIS IN LATER BUILD 2009S AND THE 2010 MODELS BY PUTTING A STEP IN THE BORE SO THAT THE SHAFT CANNOT MIGRATE, BUT WILL NOT PUT THIS CHANGE INTO EARLIER MODELS THAT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT THIS CHANGE SHOULD BE MADE TO ALL AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES. NOTE: MINE HAS NOT YET FAILED, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I WAS INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM AND TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. *TR