AI Damage2001 Kawasaki KLR650: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Kawasaki KLR650 filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 19
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 74% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 5% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 5% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 14 complaints (74% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 19 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 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
Cam chain adjuster otherwise know as a doohickey. If it fails it may cause the engine to seize up without warning, I change mine after it broke but did not cause massive internal damage I was unaware that mine had failed I did the change as preventative maintenance this problem has been known to the klr community for…
The idler shaft lever (aka "doohickey") broke in half and the pieces of it were floating around in the crank cased. This is very dangerous because if a piece of the idler shaft lever gets caught in the counterbalance chain or causes a crank bearing failure the engine could lock up at speed causing a crash.
The idle shaft lever in my 2001 kawasaki klr650 had completely broken into 2 pieces. I discovered this when upgrading the part. It could have caused catastrophic engine failure.
I have noticed rattle in engine almost since new. At 21000 miles I opened up the l side engine case. There was a broken engine balancer chain adjuster and many chunks of metal in crankcase. I checked the internet and apparently this is very common.
Consumer had noticed the swing arm bolts had been coming apart from motorcycle frame, which was attached to suspension, and could cause driver to lose control of motorcycle. Dealer had been contacted.
While driving and when holding clutch it suddenly engaged, causing unwanted and unexpected acceleration which could have caused a crash. Also, clutch plate may have been installed incorrectly. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealer has yet to determine cause.
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 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the KLR650 has 11 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 19, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Kawasaki KLR650?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, engine, powertrain. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (11%), engine failure or replacement (5%), stalls while driving (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 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 2001 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 2001 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 2026-11-05.