2009 KAWASAKI KLR650 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE KLR 650 REAR SIGNAL LIGHTS ARE MADE WITH DEFECTIVE RUBBER THAT CAUSES THEM TO BREAK AND DANGLE BY THE ELECTRICAL WIRES. SOME OF THE 2008 MODELS WERE RECALLED, MINE IS A 2009. I CONTACTED KAWASAKI AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOT AN OPEN RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AND CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHECK WITH KAWASAKI FOR A COURTESY FIX. THAT WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT HAVING WORKING TURN SIGNALS AND WAS HOPING YOU COULD ASSIST ME WITH THIS ISSUE. JUST A QUICK NOTE, THIS BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN WREAKED AND STAYS IN A COVERED AREA. *TR

THE KLR 650 REAR SIGNAL LIGHTS ARE MADE WITH DEFECTIVE RUBBER THAT CAUSES THEM TO BREAK AND DANGLE BY THE ELECTRICAL WIRES. SOME OF THE 2008 MODELS WERE RECALLED, MINE IS A 2009. I CONTACTED KAWASAKI AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOT AN OPEN RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AND CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHECK WITH KAWASAKI FOR A COURTESY FIX. THAT WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT HAVING WORKING TURN SIGNALS AND WAS HOPING YOU COULD ASSIST ME WITH THIS ISSUE. JUST A QUICK NOTE, THIS BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN WREAKED AND STAYS IN A COVERED AREA. *TR

THIS `09 KLR 650 WAS PURCHASED USED FROM GUY WHO BOUGHT IT NEW HAVING APPROX. 8000 MI. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS POSSIBLY DUE TO ENGINE MOUNTING AND VIBRATION WHEREAS FOUND EXHAUST MANIFOLD CLAMP HAD VIBRATED LOOSE AND DETACHED FROM ENGINE EXHAUST PORT. ANOTHER TIME FOUND ONE OF THE SIDE FRAME BOLTS HAD SHEERED OR OTHERWISE BROKE DUE VIBRATION OR DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS INVOLVED HAVING TO REPLACE OR FIX SPEEDO CABLE AND THE PROTECTIVE LEG / HEAT EXHAUST SHIELD DUE TO MATERIAL OR VIBRATION ISSUES.

THIS `09 KLR 650 WAS PURCHASED USED FROM GUY WHO BOUGHT IT NEW HAVING APPROX. 8000 MI. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS POSSIBLY DUE TO ENGINE MOUNTING AND VIBRATION WHEREAS FOUND EXHAUST MANIFOLD CLAMP HAD VIBRATED LOOSE AND DETACHED FROM ENGINE EXHAUST PORT. ANOTHER TIME FOUND ONE OF THE SIDE FRAME BOLTS HAD SHEERED OR OTHERWISE BROKE DUE VIBRATION OR DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS INVOLVED HAVING TO REPLACE OR FIX SPEEDO CABLE AND THE PROTECTIVE LEG / HEAT EXHAUST SHIELD DUE TO MATERIAL OR VIBRATION ISSUES.

IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THIS VEHICLE (2009 KLR MANUFACTURED IN OCT. 2008) SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED FOR THE WIRING HARNESS AS THE PREVIOUS MODEL (2008 KLR) WAS. THE VEHICLE WILL LOOSE POWER/ELECTRICITY TO THE SPARK PLUG WHEN THE HANDLEBARS ARE TURNED WHICH IN TURN MOVES THE WIRING/WIRING HARNESS. THE PREVIOUS RECALL WAS INITIATED DUE TO WIRING HARNESS ISSUES. I RECENTLY HAD TO TOW MY KLR FROM THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AS IT LOST POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN THE BUSY CITY OF AUSTIN, TX. LUCKILY, THE VEHICLES THAT WERE NEXT TO ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID ME BUT THIS MAY HAVE LEAD TO ANOTHER FATALITY OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT/INJURY. AFTER TAKING TIME TO LOOK INTO THE NON-START ISSUE (INITIALLY BELIEVED TO BE A FUEL ISSUE), I NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL PRODUCE A SPARK WHEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND SHUTTING OFF WHEN TURNED TO THE LEFT. I BELIEVE THAT KAWASAKI SHOULD INITIATE A RECALL ON THEIR OWN BEHALF AND REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL HARNESSES FOR THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. I HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE AVAILABLE WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS THE ISSUE. THANK YOU...I CAN BE REACHED VIA E-MAIL AT [XXX]@GMAIL.COM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB