AI Damage1998 Kawasaki KLR650: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650 filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 67% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (67% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
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…
Non-technical owners may not be aware that their engine is a ticking time bomb. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
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.
A broken idler shaft lever (doohickey) caused motor cycle to sieze.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,281 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the KLR650 has 11 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 6, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, fuel system, powertrain. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (17%), knocking, grinding or other noise (17%), unintended acceleration (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Kawasaki KLR650 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.