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2008 Kawasaki KLR650

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

110 reports with mileage · 6 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 85 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

116 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2008
Exterior LightingStructure

RUBBER IS DETERIORATING ALL AROUND THE BIKE INCLUDING THE TURN SIGNALS. MY TURN SIGNALS HAVE FALLEN OFF THE REAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235532

700 miles · Jul 23, 2008
Exterior Lighting

THE RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL RUBBER BROKE ON MY KAWASAKI KLR 650 CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL TO DANGLE BY THE WIRES. I AM WAITING TO SEE IF THE DEALER WILL FIX IT FOR FREE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235454

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2008
Exterior Lighting

BLINKERS KEEP FALLING OFF MY NEW MOTORCYCLE.(FIVE TIMES SO FAR) COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235411

350 miles · Jul 22, 2008
Exterior LightingStructure

MY DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS FALL OF. THE RUBBER POST/BRACKET FAILS. THE BIKE IS ONLY ABOUT A MONTH OLD AND TWO HAVE ALREADY FAILED! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235391

800 miles · Jul 22, 2008
Exterior Lighting

THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ON MY MOTORCYCLE ARE CONTINUALLY FALLING OFF. THREE OUT OF FOUR HAVE FALLEN OFF SINCE FEBRUARY 2008. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235387

100 miles · Jul 22, 2008
Exterior Lighting

MY 2008 KLR 650 THE BLINKERS JUST START BREAKING AND FALL OFF FOR NO REASON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235346

7,000 miles · Jul 21, 2008
Exterior Lighting

2008 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE. -SUBJECT: TURN SIGNAL DEGRADATION AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF MANUFACTURED MATERIAL. -THE RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL ON MY MOTORCYCLE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING OR DUE CAUSE. I ARRIVED AT MY OFFICE TO FIND THE REAR INDICATOR HANGING BY THE WIRES WITH NO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT LEFT BY THE MATERIAL USED TO MANUF…

Read full complaint

2008 KAWASAKI KLR650 MOTORCYCLE. -SUBJECT: TURN SIGNAL DEGRADATION AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF MANUFACTURED MATERIAL. -THE RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL ON MY MOTORCYCLE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING OR DUE CAUSE. I ARRIVED AT MY OFFICE TO FIND THE REAR INDICATOR HANGING BY THE WIRES WITH NO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT LEFT BY THE MATERIAL USED TO MANUFACTURE IT. IT APPEARS THE MATERIAL WAS WEAK AND ROTTED FROM EXPOSURE TO VIBRATION AND UV LIGHT. THE SIGNAL REMAINED OPERATIONAL, BUT COULD NOT BE LEFT ATTACHED BY ONLY THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. -DEALER REPLACED THE INDICATOR AND PAID FOR IT OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET, SINCE KAWASAKI WOULD NOT HONOR IT AS A WARRANTY CLAIM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235148

2,000 miles · Jul 21, 2008
Exterior LightingStructure

1. NO EVENTS PRECIPITATED THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE. IT WAS PURELY NORMAL USE. 2. THE TURN SIGNAL MOUNTING SYSTEM CRACKED AND COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE MOUNTING AREA. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH RIGHT & LEFT REAR TURN SIGNALS. 3. THE LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER WITH THE SAME HARDWARE THAT W…

Read full complaint

1. NO EVENTS PRECIPITATED THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE. IT WAS PURELY NORMAL USE. 2. THE TURN SIGNAL MOUNTING SYSTEM CRACKED AND COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE MOUNTING AREA. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH RIGHT & LEFT REAR TURN SIGNALS. 3. THE LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER WITH THE SAME HARDWARE THAT WAS ORIGINAL TO THE MOTORCYCLE. THE RIGHT REAR IS STILL BROKEN BUT KEPT IN PLACE WITH DUCT TAPE UNTIL UPGRADED REPLACEMENT HARDWARE IS AVAILABLE FROM KAWASAKI. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235142

4,012 miles · Jul 21, 2008
Exterior Lighting

REAR TURN SIGNALS ON MY 2008 KAWASAKI KLR 650 ARE FALLING OFF UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235139

2,000 miles · Jul 21, 2008
Exterior Lighting

NORMAL RIDING OF MY 08 KLR650 RESULTED IN BOTH REAR TURN SIGNALS FALLING OFF. THE RIGHT ONE DANGLED AGAINST THE EXHAUST PIPE AND MELTED THE PLASTIC. THERE WERE ZERO CRASHES OR OTHER FORMS OF DAMAGE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS FAILURE. IN FACT, I HAVE SADDLEBAGS THAT "PROTECT" THE SIGNALS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235134

Official recalls

1

07V244000 · Structure:motorcycle:kickstand/center Stand

Jun 7, 2007

ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, THE SPRING RETAINING PIN ON THE FRAME MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY WELDED IN PLACE AND COULD FALL OUT, ALLOWING THE SIDESTAND TO DROP INTO THE "PARKING" POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: KAWASAKI WILL REPURCHASE THESE MOTORCYCLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 1, 2007. ALL DEALERS/OWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.