1998 Kawasaki KLR650 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other KLR650 years
- Not enough data 7th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650. That ranks 7th out of 17 KLR650 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (4 complaints, 67%), typically at around 11,700 miles. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 6owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Kawasaki KLR650 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 67% | 11,700 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 17% | 9,749 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Kawasaki KLR650 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The chain idler shaft adjuster on my klr has broken.
Problems with fuel system on 1998 model kawasaki motorcycle.*mr 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…
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…
On my 1998 kawasaki klr650 motorcycle, vin [xxx], the idler shaft lever (kawasaki part no: 13168-1436) broke, leaving no tension on the balancer chain inside the engine. This is an all-too-common problem on these bikes. Failure of the lever can result in failure of the chain. If the chain fails at…
I heard about a flaw of the engine balancer system of the kawasaki klr650, i assumed that my engine was okay, as it seemed to be running fine, but then gave in to my curiosity, opened the engine cases and inspected the balancer mechanisms. Sure enough, just as many other klr owners had reported…
Other Kawasaki KLR650 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 KLR650 | 16 | 0 |
| 2022 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 KLR650 | 6 | 0 |
| 2008 KLR650 | 116 | 1 |
| 2007 KLR650 | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 KLR650 | 6 | 0 |
| 2002 KLR650 | 11 | 0 |
| 2001 KLR650 | 19 | 0 |
| 2000 KLR650 | 8 | 0 |
| 1999 KLR650 | 7 | 0 |
| 1998 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 KLR650 | 1 | 0 |
See all Kawasaki KLR650 problems by year, every Kawasaki model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Kawasaki models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1998 Kawasaki KLR650 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other KLR650 model years, the 1998 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.