AI Damage2008 Kawasaki KLR650: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 filed 116 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 116
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 73% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 3% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 2% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 1% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 85 complaints (73% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 12 complaints (10% of all).
- Structure: 10 complaints (9% of all).
- Suspension: 9 complaints (8% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (4% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 116 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 85 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
The engine burns oil excessively at highway speeds (60 to 70 mph). An engine lockup due to lack of lubricant is a very real concern due to the oil consumption rate.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to oil leaks. The vehicle was not repaired and there were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 5400.
The started gear is grinding when I try to crank the bike. The dealer will not fix the issue. The cause of the failure is a deep bore on the side cover that holds the gear. It is a mfg issue. My concern is when the gear lock up? There is a good chance it could lock up as I'm riding down the rode.
The consumer contacted the manufacturer and was informed the oil consumption fell within the acceptable range as specified by kawasaki engineers. The consumer believed the pistons were too small for the cylinder bore on his bike.
The 2008 kawasaki klr 650 motorcycle oil drain plug should be recalled and changed to a low-profile drain plug. With its current height, it protrudes below the skid plate and is prone to damage. Additionally the skid plate is made of flimsy plastic and does not provide adequate protection for the engine.
All rubber grommets and protective boots are dry rotting at an accelerated rate brought problem to dealers attentions and he is willing to replace all the parts as long as I pay for them.
While traveling on main highway at 2am enroute to work I lost engine and lights. No warning. Unable to see anything let alone other motorists being able to see me. Replaced main fuse & battery...not the problem. Taking bike to dealer today. Out of warranty by approximately one month. Only 1500 miles on bike.
The bike has never fallen, been dropped or knocked over. When I pulled the cover off on 9/20/2008 at 1957hrs to head home I found that the left front turn signal was snapped off at the faring.
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 3,214 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the KLR650 has 11 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 116, above average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- 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 2008 Kawasaki KLR650?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, engine and cooling, structure. Total complaints: 116. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (4%), knocking, grinding or other noise (3%), vibration (2%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 2008 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.