2002 KAWASAKI KLR650 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I HAVE A 2002 KAWASAKI KLR 650 WITH 6053 MILES I AM TRYING TO SELL IT BUT NO ONE WANTS IT WITH OUT THE BALANCER UPGRADE AKA DOOHICKEY. I DID MINE TODAY AND FOUND THE SPRING BROKEN. THE TAIL END WAS MISSING. I KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS BAD PART INC. THE BALANCER ITSELF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE THE BROKEN SPRING DID BUT THE BIKE STILL RUNS, AND WITH THE UPGRADE FROM EAGLE IT SOUND ALOT BETTER. I THINK KAWASAKI OWN ME SOME $$ FOR THE PARTS AND DAMAGE. I DOUBT IF I WILL EVER SEE ANY BUT WOULD LIKE TOO. HEIR COULD OF BEEN A FATAL CRASH WHEN THE MOTOR FINALLY JUMPED TIME OR SEIZED DUE TO METAL IN THE VALVES/ENGINE. FIRE OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO A SERIOUS LOCKUP AND CRASH. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 KAWASAKI KLR 650 WITH 6053 MILES I AM TRYING TO SELL IT BUT NO ONE WANTS IT WITH OUT THE BALANCER UPGRADE AKA DOOHICKEY. I DID MINE TODAY AND FOUND THE SPRING BROKEN. THE TAIL END WAS MISSING. I KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS BAD PART INC. THE BALANCER ITSELF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE THE BROKEN SPRING DID BUT THE BIKE STILL RUNS, AND WITH THE UPGRADE FROM EAGLE IT SOUND ALOT BETTER. I THINK KAWASAKI OWN ME SOME $$ FOR THE PARTS AND DAMAGE. I DOUBT IF I WILL EVER SEE ANY BUT WOULD LIKE TOO. HEIR COULD OF BEEN A FATAL CRASH WHEN THE MOTOR FINALLY JUMPED TIME OR SEIZED DUE TO METAL IN THE VALVES/ENGINE. FIRE OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO A SERIOUS LOCKUP AND CRASH. *TR

I OWN A 2002 KAWASAKI KLR650 WITH APPROXIMATELY 9500 MILES ON IT. I WAS RIDING AT LOW SPEED ON THE DATE BELOW WHEN I HEARD A LOUD METAL CLANG IN THE ENGINE AND THE MOTORCYCLE CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN. WHEN I BROUGHT THE MOTORCYCLE INTO THE REPAIR SHOP, I OBSERVED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OPENED THAT THE IDLER SHAFT LEVER , A WELDED PIECE OF STEEL, SNAPPED IN HALF, SENDING BOTH BROKEN PIECES INTO THE LOWER END OF ENGINE, AND DISLODGING THE BALANCER CHAIN FROM THE SPROCKET, WHICH CAUSED NEAR-CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. AFTER SIGNIFICANT TIME AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT, 40% OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE MOTORCYCLE, IT WAS PUT BACK ON THE ROAD HAVING BEEN REPAIRED WITH ONLY KAWASAKI FACTORY PARTS AND RAN FINE FOR A TIME. ABOUT 2000 MILES LATER, I WAS DOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN I NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL ATTACHED TO THE MAGNETIC OIL PLUG. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND THIS TO BE A PIECE OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED IDLER SHAFT LEVER. ONCE AGAIN THE PIECE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAD I NOT INSTALLED A MAGNETIC OIL PLUG ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM MOST DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.*AK

KAWASAKI KLR650'S HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AN ENGINE BALANCER LEVER BREAKING. I HAVE A 2002 KLR AND FOUND MY LEVER TO BE BROKEN IN THREE PLACES. ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH IN THIS CASE, THE BROKEN PIECES COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT (AND HAVE IN THE PAST). YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT THIS PIECE TO BREAK WHILE YOU ON THE HIGH WAY. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT NEW KLR OWNERS CHANGE THIS PART OUT WITH AN AFTER MARKET PART TO AVOID INJURY. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE COUNTER BALANCE PART ON MOTORCYCLE FAILED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED AN AFTER MARKET PART AND REPLACED THE FAILED ONE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. *AK