I purchased a 2023 that had this steering problem. I did contact my dealer about three weeks ago, and they acknowledged the problem. I made an appointment to take it in to have checked, but after calculating the amount of time and money it would be for me to make the nearly 400 mile round trip to my dealer, I decided to fix the problem myself. The steering was defintitely tighter that it should be. While this steering issue was an annoyance, I wouldn't put it in the catagory that "it could kill you", at least in my case. I will certainly do periodic checks of the steering to make sure that everything is Kosher. This is my first KLR and I am absolutely loving it.
I have this problem on my 2023 klr 650 its going to the dealer tomorrow after they retorqued the steering stem. I'm having the same problem. Now they're going to replace the cups and bearing. The bike has 160 miles on it.
I have one and dealer the says there is no recall on it and refuses to do anything. I have been a Kawasaki fan since I bought a 1973 Z1900 new when it first came out and also owned a H2750 and two KZ1000's. So I guess this relationship is over.
Got the 2023 adventure model, after getting used to having 5 gears and a lot less power and speed. Definitely the easiest and most enjoyable bike I’ve ever owned so far.
I recently purchased a left over 23 model in 24. The bearing issue showed up as soon as I hit the back roads.....less than 100 miles. I contacted the dealer after I did the research and asked if they knew of the issue. The said they had not had any reported issues with the steering bearings but said to bring it back and they would be glad to check it out. They ended up removing the bearings for inspection, re-greasing and re-torqueing. I have put a couple hundred miles on the bike and so far no more notchy steering. The bike handles like a completely different bike. I am very pleased with the bike.
I bought the 2023 model with the steering issue. I noticed it after about 300 miles. It is a very notchy feeling around slow speeds about 15-20 mph. My dealership completely took apart the steering, checked the bearings, looked good, and they greased them, re torqued them and I have almost 1000 miles on it now and no issues. Not all of them got squished to the point of damaged bearings. I wouldn't let it stop you from buying one, but if you do feel the steering not being smooth, get it reported
@@HarleyDayRider its such a good bike. especially for the money. Rode it 2 hours on the freeway at 75, no issues. it vibrates a bit more than a road bike but thats kinda expected with the thumper engines. they will do it all though which is fun.
Same here, just rebuilt the top end of my '93 that's ''modded to the moon'. Big brakes, big stator, dual core radiator, braided stainless lines, wrapped exhaust, big tank, IMS pegs, Tusk barkbusters, bashplate, Fredette chainguide and progressive front springs (with light oil and high preload) are really the mods that make the difference. but basically everything on the bike is modded in some way. I stripped EVERYTHING that wasn't critical to raw function and the bike lost about 100lbs, it rides like a big ass dirt bike without all the fairings, lights and crap. I replaced the entire front clip with a 7" round Harley light bucket mounted to the forks with a Jeep style 7" LED headlamp. And it's battle hardened, i've probably put 80k of hard, full send dakar style desert running miles on it, the head is half made out of JB Weld, it's been below sea level, over 10k feet above sea level, dropped in rivers, frozen solid, stuck hanging from trees a few times. Trust me, it's been there, wherever there is, and it's gotten me back home.
Can someone discribe what the feeling is like and how to discover this when looking to buy one on the used market. Thanks! also whats the warranty when buying a used bike from a 3rd party?
The handle bars will be very stiff going into a slow speed turn. If you mileage on the used bike is low enough go to a dealer and buy an extended warranty. Ride Safe
Good job Harley Day Rider for giving the motorcycle riding community a heads up on the the terrific Klr650. Glad to hear someone has our back. That's what friends do for each other. 👍
A head bearing itself isn't expensive, it's all the bs fairing crap ect on and off that costs. If only they designed their fairings to be quick release.
You will notice when you have to turn the bars. Just normal leaning you will be fine. It only seems to be a certain number of the bikes. Yours should not have the issue.
@@HarleyDayRider ok, thanks. I will be alert for this. I have 700 miles on the bike and haven’t noticed any binding or roughness when turning the bars.
Only on some 2023 models. The steering stem nut was overtorqued due to an uncalibrated tool. If you catch it early enough you can loosen and retorque the nut but there is a chance the bearings were damaged at the factory.
The 2023 was NOT the first time to have this problem either . My 09 had this also back in the day and the first owner replaced and greased the bearings . It has not had any problems. This bike has been on UA-cam its entire life . The first owner was Navythomas8 then myself .
I have a 2022 KLR Base Model. I love the bike, but so far I have had the fuel pump replaced (Under recall), and I began having the notchy steering issue around 14000 kms. I took mine back in to the dealer who stated they were not aware of the problem and they even called Kawasaki who didn't acknowledge there was any issues or recalls other than the fuel pump with the bikes. And because my factory warranty was expired, (I bought it in March 2022 and this was in Aug 2023) they would not cover the cost of installing new bearings. I paid almost $600.00 Cad to have my upper and lower steering stem bearings replaced. I saw the originals they removed and they were clearly out of shape. I will keep driving for now and hope this doesn't happen again. So far so good. I have put on approx 3000 kms since the install. If this continues to happen, I will get a Tenere 700.
What Scam? I purchased my 2023 KLR and have put 1000K miles on it between riding it & my 2022 RGL. It’s taken me to places I wouldn’t have dreamed of on my Harley ! Great bike zero issues! BTW 2022 was the new version not 2023.
Thank you, sir. I've been considering the KLR for my daily commute, as well as for adventure. Aside from some tweaks, this seems like an excellent motorcycle.
Good Lord. This is like watching the news. Get it checked out and “SAVE YOUR LIFE”! What a bunch of fear-mongering bs! This is fairly well known and affects a few 2023 models. Not nearly all of them. I have one that’s totally fine. It’s simple….if your steering feels funny get the bearings replaced. You are not going to die! Better yet, just go trade the KLR in on a new China-Davidson Pan America! Then you’ll be guaranteed safety and reliability……..que the eye-roll
Thought about one last year but glad I bought a 2nd generation instead. A bike that needs a fuel pump and injection system might seem reliable on the face of it, but it can't be as reliable as an old mouth breather. Better looking - Yes.....all the more reason for someone to steal it alongside the road when it's been abandoned after breaking down.
So if you buy a new KLR your looking at doo-hicky, thermo-bob AND NOW steering head bearing replacement. Waiting til 2024 won’t help man, mamaKaw never fixes their mess.. but thanks for the head’s up 🤙🏽
It's not a scam. If the steering feels stiff, take it to the dealer and tell them the steering is stiff. Not many dealers would ignore this complaint since it could be called a liability. To call it a scam??
Great points, and thanks for your concern. The dealer said they would not fix it because there was no recall. Had to wait until the factory finally okayed new bearings. Ride Safe
I bought mine just a few months ago from Motonation in Memphis, TN. I noticed the problem, looked it up to see if anyone else was having the issue or if it was just me, and of course I stumbled across all this info. Contacted my dealer, spoke directly with the service shop, and spoke with a tech who of course looked it up on Kawasaki's info sheets, saw that the company had issued no reports about this issue, and he blew it off. He flat-out stated that he's not going to waste his time watching any vids on youtube to research the problem because his 16 yrs of experience evidently means he no longer has the capacity or desire to learn new information, and especially not to help a customer who just spent $7K on his product. I have to go thru the trouble of trailering it up there so that they can look at it, then probably go thru all the same hassle that everyone else is going through to get it fixed. Makes me want to go trade it in on something else, as much as I like the bike.
It's definitely not life threatening. I've seen guys go back to the dealer and get it fixed no problem. I think if your dealer doesn't want to help you out you are at the wrong dealer. In most cases all you have to do is loosen it and re-torque. Car manufacturers do this all the time.
It definitely IS life threatening! Caused me to dump mine twice in moderately deep gravel. Fortunately at low speed. I did have to go to a second dealer. And in EVERY case they should be replaced because they are damaged by the overtightening! The dealers and Kawasaki just want to do the minimum to get you to go away. They actually authorized my dealer to use after market bearings as they were so backordered. The bearings cost $40 for fucks sake. Just replace them!
It is pretty cheap. I ride mine for about 10 days to two weeks, one or twice a year. In between I throw in some fuel stabilizer, run it until the fuel is out of the system, unhook the battery and throw it in storage. Come back a year later, hook the battery back up, crank it over for 10 seconds and it fires up. Good for another week. I’d like to see an expensive Ducati do that.
I bought the KLR 650S in July 2023, after about 50 miles on it, the steering started to suddenly tighten up in turns, and was hard to control. This bike is dangerous and can kill you. You have to have it fixed. I heard there is a class action coming for Kawasaki.
Yo compré una 2023, mi moto tenía esa vibración del manillar. El vendedor hizo el reporte y tuve que esperar 4 meses para todo el proceso y llegada de las piezas . El vendedor reemplazó las piezas por garantía . Ahora mi KLR650 es una delicia . Pero me pase 5 meses con un mal sabor de boca al comprar una moto nueva de agencia con un problema de fábrica . Saludos desde Mexico
I purchased a 2023 that had this steering problem. I did contact my dealer about three weeks ago, and they acknowledged the problem. I made an appointment to take it in to have checked, but after calculating the amount of time and money it would be for me to make the nearly 400 mile round trip to my dealer, I decided to fix the problem myself. The steering was defintitely tighter that it should be. While this steering issue was an annoyance, I wouldn't put it in the catagory that "it could kill you", at least in my case. I will certainly do periodic checks of the steering to make sure that everything is Kosher. This is my first KLR and I am absolutely loving it.
It is best to know how to work on your own bike. Ride Safe
I have this problem on my 2023 klr 650 its going to the dealer tomorrow after they retorqued the steering stem. I'm
having the same problem. Now they're going to replace the cups and bearing. The bike has 160 miles on it.
Yes, you will notice it very quickly. Ride Safe
I know 6 people who own them and even had one myself. Zero issues. Don't hesitate to buy one
I agree. It was just one batch of the bikes with issues. Ride Safe
@@HarleyDayRider saying by a guy who ride harley lol come on dude , harley is a pure scam . just a brand for some veteran who feel to be like SOA
I have one and dealer the says there is no recall on it and refuses to do anything. I have been a Kawasaki fan since I bought a 1973 Z1900 new when it first came out and also owned a H2750 and two KZ1000's. So I guess this relationship is over.
I feel they should at least look at them. Ride Safe
Just fix it yourself.
There's a year warranty even if you didn't buy the extended. There should also be a lemon law in your state.
Thanks from Brisbane Australia Great information 👍
Thanks I am glad I could help you out. Ride Safe
this video is what happens when old ppl have too much time on their hands. calling a factory defect a scam is insane.
The issue was that no one wanted to admit there was an issue. Ride Safe
Got the 2023 adventure model, after getting used to having 5 gears and a lot less power and speed. Definitely the easiest and most enjoyable bike I’ve ever owned so far.
They are great bikes. I really love riding the KLR 650. Ride Safe
@@HarleyDayRider thank you , you stay safe as well
I have 10,600 miles on my KLR 2022 not one single problem. The thing is a beast, I've taken it places I probably shouldn't have. Thanks for the info!
It is an amazing bike, for sure. Ride Safe
I recently purchased a left over 23 model in 24. The bearing issue showed up as soon as I hit the back roads.....less than 100 miles. I contacted the dealer after I did the research and asked if they knew of the issue. The said they had not had any reported issues with the steering bearings but said to bring it back and they would be glad to check it out. They ended up removing the bearings for inspection, re-greasing and re-torqueing. I have put a couple hundred miles on the bike and so far no more notchy steering. The bike handles like a completely different bike. I am very pleased with the bike.
I am glad you found it early and they fixed it. Ride Safe
I bought the 2023 model with the steering issue. I noticed it after about 300 miles. It is a very notchy feeling around slow speeds about 15-20 mph. My dealership completely took apart the steering, checked the bearings, looked good, and they greased them, re torqued them and I have almost 1000 miles on it now and no issues. Not all of them got squished to the point of damaged bearings. I wouldn't let it stop you from buying one, but if you do feel the steering not being smooth, get it reported
edit* I have put just over1000 miles on it since the fix and it feels good to me.
Thank you! I really like the bike and have been looking at it for awhile. Ride Safe
@@HarleyDayRider its such a good bike. especially for the money. Rode it 2 hours on the freeway at 75, no issues. it vibrates a bit more than a road bike but thats kinda expected with the thumper engines. they will do it all though which is fun.
This info has been out for quite a while.
Its an easy fix, and it isnt all the KLRs, ots only certain serial numbers of the newer model
I just have not seen anyone talking about it. Ride Safe
I love love love y Gen 1 KLR. I have so over invested in it and don't plan on ever letting go.
Whats not to love. Great bike for sure. Ride Safe
Same here, just rebuilt the top end of my '93 that's ''modded to the moon'. Big brakes, big stator, dual core radiator, braided stainless lines, wrapped exhaust, big tank, IMS pegs, Tusk barkbusters, bashplate, Fredette chainguide and progressive front springs (with light oil and high preload) are really the mods that make the difference.
but basically everything on the bike is modded in some way. I stripped EVERYTHING that wasn't critical to raw function and the bike lost about 100lbs, it rides like a big ass dirt bike without all the fairings, lights and crap. I replaced the entire front clip with a 7" round Harley light bucket mounted to the forks with a Jeep style 7" LED headlamp.
And it's battle hardened, i've probably put 80k of hard, full send dakar style desert running miles on it, the head is half made out of JB Weld, it's been below sea level, over 10k feet above sea level, dropped in rivers, frozen solid, stuck hanging from trees a few times. Trust me, it's been there, wherever there is, and it's gotten me back home.
Can someone discribe what the feeling is like and how to discover this when looking to buy one on the used market. Thanks! also whats the warranty when buying a used bike from a 3rd party?
The handle bars will be very stiff going into a slow speed turn. If you mileage on the used bike is low enough go to a dealer and buy an extended warranty. Ride Safe
Have a friend with a 2019 model and he loves that bike. 😎👍
Oh yes my friend loves his also. Ride Safe
thought they stopped making them in 2018 and started up again in 2022
@@willyroussel3563
May be newer then. 🤷♂️
He bought it in the last 3 or 4 years and he enjoys it. I was thinking he told me 2019.
Almost every HD guy who rides one, buys one. Period.
I have to agree 100%. Ride Safe
I have the 23 Adventure and did not have the stearing issue that im aware of. I have 2k miles in her trouble-free so far.
It was only on a few bikes. Ride Safe
Good job Harley Day Rider for giving the motorcycle riding community a heads up on the the terrific Klr650. Glad to hear someone has our back. That's what friends do for each other. 👍
Thanks! I try to stay up on all motorcycles. Ride Safe
A head bearing itself isn't expensive, it's all the bs fairing crap ect on and off that costs.
If only they designed their fairings to be quick release.
Thanks for the information. Ride Safe
If it’s wrong, it should be repaired under warranty regardless of a recall.
I feel the same way. Ride Safe
I bought my 2023 KLR 650 3 weeks ago and haven’t felt any stiffness or problems with the steering. What should I be looking for?
You will notice when you have to turn the bars. Just normal leaning you will be fine. It only seems to be a certain number of the bikes. Yours should not have the issue.
@@HarleyDayRider ok, thanks. I will be alert for this. I have 700 miles on the bike and haven’t noticed any binding or roughness when turning the bars.
Glad you shared this safety issue.
Trying to be helpful where I can. Ride Safe
First time I heard of head bearing issues. Doohicky problem is well known.
Only on select bikes. Ride Safe
Only on some 2023 models. The steering stem nut was overtorqued due to an uncalibrated tool. If you catch it early enough you can loosen and retorque the nut but there is a chance the bearings were damaged at the factory.
@@KLRJUNE my bad, thought I would just add some context.
ua-cam.com/video/pTxLcGdu5nI/v-deo.htmlsi=VxdC7D5lnuABzJl-
The 2023 was NOT the first time to have this problem either . My 09 had this also back in the day and the first owner replaced and greased the bearings . It has not had any problems. This bike has been on UA-cam its entire life . The first owner was Navythomas8 then myself .
That is great to know. Thanks for sharing this information. Ride Safe
I have a 2022 KLR Base Model. I love the bike, but so far I have had the fuel pump replaced (Under recall), and I began having the notchy steering issue around 14000 kms. I took mine back in to the dealer who stated they were not aware of the problem and they even called Kawasaki who didn't acknowledge there was any issues or recalls other than the fuel pump with the bikes. And because my factory warranty was expired, (I bought it in March 2022 and this was in Aug 2023) they would not cover the cost of installing new bearings. I paid almost $600.00 Cad to have my upper and lower steering stem bearings replaced. I saw the originals they removed and they were clearly out of shape. I will keep driving for now and hope this doesn't happen again. So far so good. I have put on approx 3000 kms since the install. If this continues to happen, I will get a Tenere 700.
It is terrible when a company will not just say it's wrong and fix it. I am glad you are happy with your bike. Ride Safe
What Scam? I purchased my 2023 KLR and have put 1000K miles on it between riding it & my 2022 RGL. It’s taken me to places I wouldn’t have dreamed of on my Harley ! Great bike zero issues! BTW 2022 was the new version not 2023.
Yes, this only affected a certain run of the bikes. My buddy almost died when his steering locked up on a trail. Ride Safe
Thank you, sir. I've been considering the KLR for my daily commute, as well as for adventure. Aside from some tweaks, this seems like an excellent motorcycle.
It is a great bike! Ride Safe
Good Lord. This is like watching the news. Get it checked out and “SAVE YOUR LIFE”! What a bunch of fear-mongering bs! This is fairly well known and affects a few 2023 models. Not nearly all of them. I have one that’s totally fine. It’s simple….if your steering feels funny get the bearings replaced. You are not going to die! Better yet, just go trade the KLR in on a new China-Davidson Pan America! Then you’ll be guaranteed safety and reliability……..que the eye-roll
Thanks! I just wanted to report this for my friend with fewer subscribers. Just helping the motorcycle community. Ride Safe
Still better than the pan America.
So is a bicycle. Ride Safe
@HarleyDayRider I own a 22 PAS And it's a beast! When it's actually running that is..lmao
Thought about one last year but glad I bought a 2nd generation instead.
A bike that needs a fuel pump and injection system might seem reliable on the face of it, but it can't be as reliable as an old mouth breather.
Better looking - Yes.....all the more reason for someone to steal it alongside the road when it's been abandoned after breaking down.
Glad you got everything working. Ride Safe
I just bought a NOS 2022 klr650 traveler and will say I do not have any issues with steering just get in the show room and turn the bars
Great bikes for sure.
So if you buy a new KLR your looking at doo-hicky, thermo-bob AND NOW steering head bearing replacement. Waiting til 2024 won’t help man, mamaKaw never fixes their mess.. but thanks for the head’s up 🤙🏽
That is good to know. Thanks! Ride Safe
It's not a scam. If the steering feels stiff, take it to the dealer and tell them the steering is stiff. Not many dealers would ignore this complaint since it could be called a liability.
To call it a scam??
Great points, and thanks for your concern. The dealer said they would not fix it because there was no recall. Had to wait until the factory finally okayed new bearings. Ride Safe
i also was looking purchase KLR at Berts in S. Cal, it is on sale $5,600 to $6,800. just wonder is that why it is $1,300 off.
I would say yes. Just have them check the torque before you buy it. Ride Safe
I bought mine just a few months ago from Motonation in Memphis, TN. I noticed the problem, looked it up to see if anyone else was having the issue or if it was just me, and of course I stumbled across all this info. Contacted my dealer, spoke directly with the service shop, and spoke with a tech who of course looked it up on Kawasaki's info sheets, saw that the company had issued no reports about this issue, and he blew it off. He flat-out stated that he's not going to waste his time watching any vids on youtube to research the problem because his 16 yrs of experience evidently means he no longer has the capacity or desire to learn new information, and especially not to help a customer who just spent $7K on his product. I have to go thru the trouble of trailering it up there so that they can look at it, then probably go thru all the same hassle that everyone else is going through to get it fixed. Makes me want to go trade it in on something else, as much as I like the bike.
I had the same issues when talking to the dealers. It is best to take it and trade it for one of the Honda lineups. Ride Safe
My 2023klr semen's fine but @ first chain adj the axle nut was over torqued about 30 lbs
Must be someone at the factory that does not know how to set the torque? Ride Safe
I got mine fixed under warranty. It's the weirdest thing I ever felt. Thanks man !
Great to hear! Ride Safe
Heard about this before, Shame on Kawasaki
Yes, take ownership of the issue. Ride Safe
It's definitely not life threatening. I've seen guys go back to the dealer and get it fixed no problem. I think if your dealer doesn't want to help you out you are at the wrong dealer. In most cases all you have to do is loosen it and re-torque. Car manufacturers do this all the time.
I was worried about the steering locking up while riding. Ride Safe
It definitely IS life threatening! Caused me to dump mine twice in moderately deep gravel. Fortunately at low speed. I did have to go to a second dealer. And in EVERY case they should be replaced because they are damaged by the overtightening! The dealers and Kawasaki just want to do the minimum to get you to go away. They actually authorized my dealer to use after market bearings as they were so backordered. The bearings cost $40 for fucks sake. Just replace them!
😳
Glad you got your fixed. Ride Safe
Sounds like alot of b.s.you dont even own one.its a great bike
No, my buddy did; he wanted me to report on this news. Ride Safe
There might be a reason why it's the cheapest bike out there, sometimes you get what you pay for. I put kawasaki in last place
Many people say that. Those who own them seem to love the bike. Ride Safe
It is pretty cheap. I ride mine for about 10 days to two weeks, one or twice a year. In between I throw in some fuel stabilizer, run it until the fuel is out of the system, unhook the battery and throw it in storage. Come back a year later, hook the battery back up, crank it over for 10 seconds and it fires up. Good for another week.
I’d like to see an expensive Ducati do that.
Dealers can’t correct poor engineering
You have a great point. Ride Safe
Look up the Proper Name of the Part .
This was the name the dealer gave me. Sorry if you felt it was wrong. Thanks for watching and Ride Safe
Why not back off a quarter turn
That is what they did. Ride Safe
😱👍🏻
Thanks! Ride Safe
I bought the KLR 650S in July 2023, after about 50 miles on it, the steering started to suddenly tighten up in turns, and was hard to control. This bike is dangerous and can kill you. You have to have it fixed. I heard there is a class action coming for Kawasaki.
Yes, sometimes it does not take long to notice this issue. I am glad you got yours fixed. Ride Safe
Yo compré una 2023, mi moto tenía esa vibración del manillar. El vendedor hizo el reporte y tuve que esperar 4 meses para todo el proceso y llegada de las piezas . El vendedor reemplazó las piezas por garantía . Ahora mi KLR650 es una delicia . Pero me pase 5 meses con un mal sabor de boca al comprar una moto nueva de agencia con un problema de fábrica . Saludos desde Mexico
Me alegro que hayan arreglado tu bicicleta. Siento que la moto es un paseo fantástico, sin duda. Viaja seguro