garmon problem

[Greg Jorgensen]

Jim Douglas wrote: "... maybe get a letter started with others that have have the same issue, that is losing oil, way too much oil, get it signed by everyone one. I can build a quick website that will solicit information from users of, I assumre, 2008 KLR that have the problems, get name, address, city, state, zip miles, VIN number etc and each one entered I will forward to the highest executive we can find at Kawasaki! There is power in numbers and if we have more the better and they will realize that this issue is going to KILL their 2008 sales!" No need for a web site or letter: Kawasaki has already acknowledged the oil consumption problem in some 2008 KLRs, or at least their dealers are acknowledging it. Two local dealers I've talked to about this both said that if I document my oil consumption and mileage Kawasaki will replace the rings or do whatever work is required to make it stop losing oil. I know of at least two local '08 owners who documented their oil/mileage and got Kawasaki to fix the problem. My own bike burned a lot of oil at first but then settled down after about 5,000 miles. Like almost every glitch reported anecdotally the lack of hundreds of long threads about bikes that DON'T burn too much oil makes it seem like every '08 is an oil burner. Oh, the '08 season is pretty much over, and I understand Kawi did pretty well with the new KLRs. Even supposing a few hundred pissed off owners will influence Kawasaki (not likely), what would be served by killing their sales or putting dealers out of business? Get a leash on that ego. There's a lot of great information on this list but I get tired now and then of the constant berating of Kawasaki engineers and dealers and mechanics and the pissing contest that ensues whenever someone with a life outside their garage asks a technical question. Greg Jorgensen Portland, Oregon USA '08 KLR (red)

[AnanthR]

Well I was denied any coverage by Kawasaki. So atleast I have earned the right to be pissed. I did get the motorcycle serviced at the dealer on time, I did every break in procedure specified. Midway between the 600 mile and the 4000 mile service, I noticed that the bike was low on oil, and replaced the oil and the oil filter myself. Took an appointment for 4000 mile service and had the bike break down one day before that appointment. If Kawi is acknowledging the problem, let them send out a communication to that effect. They have shown to be proactive with recalling the muffler bolts, let the do the same with 08 KLRs and have the dealers check the bikes. In that sense I agree with what Jim has to say. We do need a concerted effort to get Kawasaki to hear. I love the KLR 650 and enjoyed every moment I spent riding around on the bike. I do not wish to kill off the bike. But I would certainly like Kawi to stand behind their engines and stand behind their customers. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Greg Jorgensen" wrote:

> > Jim Douglas wrote: > > "... maybe get a letter started with others that have have the same > issue, that is losing oil, way too much oil, get it signed by

everyone

> one. I can build a quick website that will solicit information from > users of, I assumre, 2008 KLR that have the problems, get name, > address, city, state, zip miles, VIN number etc and each one

entered I

> will forward to the highest executive we can find at Kawasaki! There > is power in numbers and if we have more the better and they will > realize that this issue is going to KILL their 2008 sales!" > > No need for a web site or letter: Kawasaki has already acknowledged > the oil consumption problem in some 2008 KLRs, or at least their > dealers are acknowledging it. Two local dealers I've talked to about > this both said that if I document my oil consumption and mileage > Kawasaki will replace the rings or do whatever work is required to > make it stop losing oil. I know of at least two local '08 owners who > documented their oil/mileage and got Kawasaki to fix the problem. My > own bike burned a lot of oil at first but then settled down after > about 5,000 miles. > > Like almost every glitch reported anecdotally the lack of hundreds

of

> long threads about bikes that DON'T burn too much oil makes it seem > like every '08 is an oil burner. > > Oh, the '08 season is pretty much over, and I understand Kawi did > pretty well with the new KLRs. Even supposing a few hundred pissed

off

> owners will influence Kawasaki (not likely), what would be served by > killing their sales or putting dealers out of business? Get a leash

on

> that ego. > > There's a lot of great information on this list but I get tired now > and then of the constant berating of Kawasaki engineers and dealers > and mechanics and the pissing contest that ensues whenever someone > with a life outside their garage asks a technical question. > > Greg Jorgensen > Portland, Oregon USA > '08 KLR (red) >

[Michael Nelson]

On Fri, Sep 19, 2008 at 01:56:55PM -0000, AnanthR wrote:

> They have shown to be proactive with recalling the muffler bolts

Don't go thinking that KHI is being all altruistic about the muffler bolt issue. The ONLY reason they did a recall on that is that it is a potential safety issue. If a muffler comes loose and jams up your rear tire and you crash, major lawsuit against KHI. Same if the muffler falls off, crashes through a following car's windshield and causes them to crash. They are protecting their own corporate asses with that recall. There is no safety / lawsuit component to the oil burning issue on the '08 models so KHI isn't going to proactively recall and fix them. -- "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open manhole and die." -- Mel Brooks San Francisco, CA

[boulder_adv_rider]

Check the voltage and the cable itself. If it works in your car it has to work on the moto unless the voltage is too low or you have a bad connection/cable somewhere. Make sure when you plug in your cable test it for power with a multi-meter not the unit itself. You need to make sure full power is getting to the unit.