1998 KAWASAKI KLR650 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE CHAIN IDLER SHAFT ADJUSTER ON MY KLR HAS BROKEN.

PROBLEMS WITH FUEL SYSTEM ON 1998 MODEL KAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE.*MR AT TIMES THE MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCED AN ERRATIC SURGE AND BUCK AS IF IT HAD NO FUEL. UPON OPENING THE FILLER CAP, THE CONSUMER NOTICED TANK HAD PLENTY OF FUEL IN BOTH SECTIONS OF THE MOTORCYCLE, HOWEVER IT APPEARED THE FUEL WAS NOT DRAWN INTO THE CARBURETOR WITHOUT LONG AND REPEATED CRANKING OF THE STARTER. *JB *NM

THIS INVOLVES ENGINE PART #13168-1436 (LEVER, IDLER SHAFT) (ALSO KNOWN AS THE "DOOHICKEY") , WHICH IS PART OF THE ENGINE'S BALANCER CHAIN TENSIONER SYSTEM. WHILE MAKING AN UNRELATED ADJUSTMENT TO THE ENGINE I REMOVED THE LEFT SIDE ENGINE COVER AND NOTICED THAT A PORTION OF THE DOOHICKEY HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS LOOSE IN THE ENGINE CASE. THE DAMAGE TO THE DOOHICKEY WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN OTHER KLR650 ENGINES AND APPEARED TO BE DUE TO THE STARTER GEAR (ENGINE PART #16085-1205 (GEAR, ONEWAY CLUTCH)) IMPACTING THE DOOHICKEY. FORTUNATELY, IN THIS CASE THE ENGINE DID NOT SEIZE, BUT SINCE THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE LOOSE HARDENED STEEL PIECE LOOSE IT COULD EASILY HAVE DONE SO AT ANY TIME. SINCE THIS IS A MOTORCYCLE, AN ENGINE SEIZURE, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY RESULTED IN A CRASH. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO HAVE CAUGHT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THAT HAPPENED. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES IN COMPLAINTS NUMBERED: 764806 10000072 . *AK 10000454 10000465 10000675 10000938 10000978 10000992 10005395 10005592 10018484 10018988 10023897 10023930 10032798 10033071

ON MY 1998 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE, VIN [XXX], THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER (KAWASAKI PART NO: 13168-1436) BROKE, LEAVING NO TENSION ON THE BALANCER CHAIN INSIDE THE ENGINE. THIS IS AN ALL-TOO-COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE BIKES. FAILURE OF THE LEVER CAN RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE CHAIN. IF THE CHAIN FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE ENGINE WILL SEIZE, LOCKING THE BACK WHEEL WHICH WILL CERTAIN RESULT IN A NASTY ACCIDENT. KAWASAKI NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS. NON-TECHNICAL OWNERS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THEIR ENGINE IS A TICKING TIME BOMB. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HEARD ABOUT A FLAW OF THE ENGINE BALANCER SYSTEM OF THE KAWASAKI KLR650, I ASSUMED THAT MY ENGINE WAS OKAY, AS IT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE, BUT THEN GAVE IN TO MY CURIOSITY, OPENED THE ENGINE CASES AND INSPECTED THE BALANCER MECHANISMS. SURE ENOUGH, JUST AS MANY OTHER KLR OWNERS HAD REPORTED, THE IDLER SHAFT WAS BROKEN. I HAD AN AFTER MARKET IDLER SHAFT THAT IS FORGED FROM ONE PIECE OF HIGH GRADE STEEL AND INSTALLED IT. THE ENGINE RUNS QUIETER NOW AND PRESUMABLY IS LESS PRONE TO FAILURE OF THIS TYPE. THE MANUFACTURER, KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, APPARENTLY HAS CHOSEN TO CUT COSTS BY USING A CHEAP TWO PIECE WELDED IDLER SHAFT OF RELATIVELY CHEAP STEEL (AFTER ONLY 10,000 MILES, MY 1998 KLR 650'S IDLER SHAFT, WHICH WAS ALREADY BROKEN, CRUMPLED IN MY HAND). THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS BEEN WIDELY RECOGNIZED BY COMPETENT ENGINEERS WHO OWN KLRS, AND WHO HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO KAWASAKI, BUT THESE REPORTS HAVE GONE UNANSWERED. ALTHOUGH THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY FROM THIS DESIGN FAILURE IS PROBABLY LOW, THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THE BROKEN PARTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AT SPEED AND RESULT IN A CRASH. CERTAINLY THE ECONOMIC COSTS TO KLR OWNERS COULD BE SUBSTANTIAL IF THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW. I HEARD OF CASES OF VERY HIGH COSTS (OVER $1000) TO REBUILD THE ENGINE AFTER THIS PART FAILED. IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM OF AN OTHERWISE FINE PRODUCT, AND I HOPE THAT THIS REPORT, AND OTHER SIMILAR REPORTS, WILL RESULT IN THE MANUFACTURER TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE THAT ITS PRODUCT IS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. *JB