2002 KAWASAKI KAWASAKI — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

KAWASAKI KLR650 CAM CHAIN BALANCER/IDLER SHAFT LEVER FAILED PREMATURELY. THE BIKE HAD ONLY 13,000 MILES AND IS A 2002 MODEL YEAR.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS RIDING A MOTORCYCLE, THE KNUCKLE THAT HELD THE FRAME TO THE SHOCK ABSORBER BROKE. WHEN THIS PART BROKE, THE PASSENGER WAS THROWN OFF THE MOTORCYCLE, WHICH THEN ROLLED DOWN A HIL AND LAND ON THE WHEELS. WHILE ROLLING DOWN THE HILL, THE MOTORCYCLE ROLLED OVER THE CONSUMER'S WIFE, AND CAUSED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER FINDING THE PART THAT BROKE OFF AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND RECEIVED NO HELP. *AK THE KNUCKLE JOINT OF THE FRONT END SUSPENSION BROKE DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING. *SC *JB

ON 12/7/03 MY WIFE WAS RIDING HER 2002 650 KAWASAKI PRAIRIE. WE WERE RIDING WITH FRIENDS SO VERIFICATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THIS COMPLAINT IS AVAILABLE IF NECESSARY. HER MACHINE EXPERIENCED WHAT COULD BE A LIFE THREATINING FAILURE. THE TIE ROD END CAME OUT OF THE ADJUSTMENT BAR. THE THREADS WERE NOT STIPPED, THE BAR WAS INTACK, THE BAR HAD APPARENTLY STRECHED OUT DUE TO SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS OR POOR WORKMANSHIP. THERE WAS NO TYPE OF WARNING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIE ROD END. DIFFICULT TERRAIN OR UNSAFE SPEED COULD HAVE CAUSED ANOTHER FATAL STATISTIC. MY WIFE WAS ON A WIDE TRAIL AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURED. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO CHAMPION HONDA IN COCOA FLORIDA WHEN I PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS BUT, I DO NOT THINK THEY RELAYED THE SITUATION TO KAWASAKI WHO I AM SURE WOULD BE INTERESTED TO IDENTIFY IF THIS WAS AN ISOLATED CASE OR WIDESPREAD OCCURANCE WHICH COULD RESULT IN RECALL OR CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. A FRIEND HAS SINCE EXPERIENCED TIE ROD END FAILURE ON HIS 2002 650 PRAIRIE. HE IS AN EXPERIENCED RIDER AND WAS NOT INJURED ALTHOUGH THE SAME POTENTIAL WAS PRESENT. I HAVE A COPY OF THE INVOICE REPLACING SAID PARTS WHICH WERE PURCHASED AT ACTION HONDA IN COCOA, FLORIDA. AN INEXPERIENCED RIDER TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED OR ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. COULD SOME OF THESE ATV INJURIES BE DUE TO THINGS OTHER THAN DRIVER ERROR? I HAVE SINCE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ATV. CHAMPION HONDA IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION BUT IS NOT INTERESTED. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY UNCOOPERATIVE IN SOLVING ANY PROBLEMS RELATED TO KAWASAKI ATV'S. I DID NOT HAVE THEM REPAIR THEM PROBLEM AS THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND I AM A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC BY TRADE. I PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FROM THEM AND ADVISED THEM OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO MY PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT PARTS AND THE POSSIBILITY SAID FAILURE COULD RESULT IN DEATH. ALL THEY DID WAS TAKE MY MONEY. *AK

2002 KAWASAKI ZZR1200. SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT HOLD STEADY. IT FLUCTUATES AS MUCH AS 10 MPH THEREBY NOT GIVING AN ACCURATE INDICATION OF SPEED. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE CABLE, DRIVE GEAR, SPEEDOMETER; ALL WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. ACCORDING TO KAWASAKI VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNICAL SERVICES, GARY HERZOG, SPEEDOMETER OSCILLATION IS A DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC FOR THIS MODEL AND THAT FURTHER REPAIRS WILL RESULT IN NO IMPROVEMENT. *LA

I OWN A 2002 KAWASAKI ZZR-1200 MOTORCYCLE. I EXPERIENCED SEVERE PITTING ON MY CAM SHAFTS NOTICED BY MY MECHANIC AND WELL DOCUMENTED ON WWW.ZZR1200.NET WEBSITE BY NUMEROUS OTHER ZZR-1200 OWNERS. KAWASAKI DID WARRANTY THE DAMAGED CAM SHAFTS BUT ONLY BECAUSE I PURCHASED THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY CONTRACT. IM QUITE CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED BY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CAM SHAFTS. I HAVE MY DOUBTS THAT THE REPLACEMENT CAM SHAFTS ARE OF BETTER, MORE STURDY QUALITY. I URGE YOUR ORGANIZATION TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS ISSUE AND HOLD KAWASAKI ACCOUNTABLE IN CORRECTING THIS SITUATION IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE. *LA