What did you replace stock turn signals with?

passedoutwookie · May 8, 2015

So my turn signals have been one by one falling off on my '08. I know I missed the recall, so I have been one by one "repairing" my turn signals (cut rubber out, use existing parts to reconnect housing). Yesterday when I returned home from an afternoon cruise I found that one of my repairs had fallen off and landed on the muffler and melted the housing pretty good. So now it looks like I will be forced to replace them.

What are you guys running as replacements? I've read the buell lights are cheap and effective. I was thinking of switching over to LED's, maybe just in the back. I know I will need replace the flasher unit if I do that. Help me out!

pdwestman · May 8, 2015

passedoutwookie,
I've no idea of any aftermarket signals which are a direct replacement for the OEM KLR signals.
But here is maybe some good news for you.
The beauty of a Factory Recall, it is STILL VALID! And therefore still free, to you.

Go to Kawasaki.com, go to owner info, key in your VIN. Confirm that it is still eligible. Go to your dealer. Have them confirm and order parts.

passedoutwookie · Aug 20, 2015

Welp, I called Kawasaki and, great news! It was covered. I got the confirmation number and took it into the dealer. After 3-4 days I called to check on it. Evidently they had decided that there was not covered by the recall, and had decided not to let me know. I called the Kawasaki rep I dealt with before and told him what had happened (along with the sharing the terrible reviews of this dealership's service dept) and he asked me to send he asked me to send some pictures in. When he got the pictures he informed me that the turn signals had not broken the correct way and so I was not covered. He said only clean breaks were covered, mine look to have dry rotted and then broken.

I had a terrible experience with the dealer and Kawasaki itself. It seems like both of them were just trying to dodge doing anything. Obviously my serial number was covered, and obviously the turn signals broke. Obviously I should be covered.

So long story short, I didn't get my turn signals replaced and I'm back to my original question, what have you guys replaced your signals with?

pdwestman · Aug 21, 2015

passedoutwookie,
PM me your VIN and I will check from my end! I am a dealer and I hate 'fly-by night dealers', they give a bad name to all of us!
IF your bike has NOT had the recall and is Eligible, it is KAWASAKI'S Responsibility to re-imburse the dealer for turn signal replacement! DRY Rot or crash damage does not matter in this case! IT is a mandatory Safety RECALL!
I hate warranty work as much as the next guy, pays for a mechanic ONLY! It does not help pay for the mortgage, light bill, phone bill, insurance bill, etc.

That is NOT your fault!

Did you Personally Go To, Kawasaki Motorcycles, ATV, SxS, Jet Ski Personal Watercraft, 'owner info' and key-in your VIN, and confirm eligibility of Your Bike! May still be 'free to you'!

Force the Issue, if you have to, if your bikes' VIN is still ELIGIBLE!!

GoMotor · Aug 21, 2015

When the signals started falling off my 2008 and before the recall, I just bought some cheap stick-on signals at Cycle Gear. You can look in their catalog at their web site.

I don't recall how the rubber broke. I do recall that the rubber boots on the control cables rotted.

passedoutwookie · Aug 21, 2015

I did not go to the site originally, just called Kawasaki. I actually had to call them twice. The first time I called I was told I wasn't covered. The second time they told me I was covered. Go figure. I'll PM you my VIN. I have not gone to the website, but I just followed that link and it took me to kawasaki's main page. Do I need to create an account? I will do that when I get to the office today and can get on a computer. Thanks for chiming in!

GoMotor · Aug 21, 2015

Now that I think about it, my dealership replaced all four signals my 2008 under the recall. Both the ones that had already broken and the ones that had not broken. The recall is simply to replace all four signals due to a known defect in materials up to a certain serial number regardless the warranty period. A the bike could be ten years old under a recall and if a computer search shows that the recall work on a certain serial numbered bike has not been done, it is still covered by the recall.

pdwestman · Aug 22, 2015

passedoutwookies bike is New Enough, that it should have had, the newer turn signals manufactured by "TOKAIDENSO", instead of the faulty "AMPAS" BRAND turn signals. The brand names are molded into the clear lenses!

The other two recalls that it did qualify for, appear to have been Done!
Muffler bolts and Wire harness.

Savage · Aug 24, 2015

I dislike big ugly stock blinkers, so I always remove them and replace with small, inexpensive non-LED Bikemaster ones. $15/pr.

passedoutwookie · Aug 28, 2015

Thanks for everyone's help, especially you westman. I ended up buying a set of four cheapo LED's off amazon. I replaced the rears and they are working fine. They blink a little faster, but that doesn't bother me. I have a couple resistors coming too incase I decide I can't take the rapid blinking.

Now off to figure out some other issues. Just changed my oil and broke the filter cover, great start to the weekend!

Tom Schmitz · Aug 28, 2015

It happens. Read this.

Cheapest one on e-bay right now is this one at $18.

Rattle can it if you don't like the color.

Perhaps Paul can confirm that it will fit.

For an extra $3 you can get this one, silver and KLR650.
Tom

passedoutwookie · Aug 28, 2015

Yeah, as soon as I did it I came inside and started googling. Seems like a common problem. To complicate matters I torqued the head of the bolt off so I will have to easy out it or see if I can't very carefully back it out with a small screwdriver and then find new bolts as well. Luckily the cap seems to be holding well enough to get me home from work. I see a torque wrench in my future!

Paul, can you confirm the caps that Tom listed are compatible with my 08? I called my dealer about it this morning and haven't heard back from them yet, which is not at all surprising.

Thanks again everybody!

Tom Schmitz · Aug 28, 2015

The one I'm using is from a '93 Mojave 250. I modified it for experimentation, but it would have fit the way it was.

The one on e-Bay should be a 11012-1695, which fit 90-97 KLR650s. I've put 2008/2009 caps on KLR600 and very early KLR650 clutch covers. As far as the oil cavity goes, they're all the same.

I'd probably drop the extra $3 for the other cap, though, just so I didn't run out and spend $8 on a rattle can...

"However, having a rattle can of the appropriate silver color comes in handy", Tom said in a silvery tone.

Tom

passedoutwookie · Aug 28, 2015

Awesome. I'm going to snatch it up.

Tom Schmitz · Aug 28, 2015

Powerful Jedi you can be, if you study the parts fiche.

When you find your part in the fiche, click on the part number. It will take you to a page for that part, and at the bottom it will list all the models the part is used on.

Handy when trying to buy stuff, especially when Kawasaki has changed part numbers on parts that are really common across all models and generations of KLR650s.

As an example, a part that is near and dear to Paul's and my heart is the relief valve assembly. If I wanted one and went on e-Bay and couldn't find one listed under "KLR650 relief valve", I'd check the fiche to see if there were other models that used that valve.

Surprise!

Tom

passedoutwookie · Aug 28, 2015

Whaaa? That's a helluva resource. Many thanks master yoda!

What did you replace stock turn signals with?

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