Kawasaki Versys Valve Recall? 2010+

[BBJ]

Curious if anyone knows of a recall on the Kawasaki Versys from 2010 up with valve issues. Seems there is a recall in Malayasia and baring in mind the bike is built here, it would affect all.

I will ask at Kawa but i'm not sure they would put the recall out. According to a US forum it seems the valves have been upgraded with a different part number due to loss of oil. Might be time for a change just in case!

From the forum:

Malaysia has a silent recall policy for valve issues on the 2010 + Versys due to bad valves. Not sure exactly what is bad, but the talk here from Malaysian riders is that Kawi is doing top end jobs to rectify the problem

These bikes are made in Thailand and my 2011 Thai Versys is starting to use more oil that normal for a bike with 50,000 Km and flogged normally

Any news of this elsewhere?

-----

Well... crap.

I went and checked part numbers and the valves used on the 2014 were 12005-0707; this part has been superceeded by 12005-0742.

2011 through 2014

Intake: 12004-0706

Exhaust: 12005-0707 - superceeded by 12005-0742


But, wait, 2010 and older Versys are a different story, both intake and exhaust valves have been changed:

Intake: 12004-0015 superceeded by 12004-0706

Exhaust: 12005-0735 superceeded by 12005-0742


So... I guess that if you plan on keeping your Versys for the long run, you should go ahead and replace the valves.

Edited January 15, 2016 by BBJ

[NormanW]

Yes kawasaki will replace valves and guides as part of a recall.

A mate had it done on his er6f at Real motorsports 2 months ago.

[jonnyscot]

When did this recall go live? I just had the valve clearance checked and adjusted at the start of the week at 37,000km on my 2012 versys at my local kawa dealer, +service and upgraded set of clutch/brake lever (2200 baht), all in for 6280 baht

Edit

Ok I just see someone had it changed 2 months ago, best I check with my kawa whether any parts were also changed

Edited January 15, 2016 by jonnyscot

[guzzi850m2]

I haven't heard anything about this. I got the "new" 2015 model.

I am on the UK Versys forum and that's a very big forum, not a word about any recalls/valve issues?

http://www.versys.co.uk/index.php/board,10.0.html

[jonnyscot]

Update: checked with my local kawa dealer, seems the info refers to versys, ninja and er6, 650's according to the shop bike serial numbers starting with the letter A. they will change out the parts

Edited January 16, 2016 by jonnyscot

[Kwasaki]

Update: checked with my local kawa dealer, seems the info refers to versys, ninja and er6, 650's according to the shop bike serial numbers starting with the letter A. they will change out the parts

Just to confirm l can get parts changed serial number l take it means engine number my starts with ER650AEA7..etc..etc.

[jonnyscot]

Yes serial no, same serial no on green book,, looks as though yours starts with A too,,,, my dealer mentioned something about a 600 baht charge to complete it, unsure what the charge is for, possibly service charge,, my dealer has a waiting list for the change out so I'll just wait until I'm back from my next trip offshore in April and put the versys to get done,

[guzzi850m2]

There is one guy on the UK versys forum with a 2008 that have done +180.000 km and never been opened.

He says it uses slightly more oil than a new one but not so much he gonna do anything about it.

[Kwasaki]

There is one guy on the UK versys forum with a 2008 that have done +180.000 km and never been opened.

He says it uses slightly more oil than a new one but not so much he gonna do anything about it.

l guess that's because the recall is from 2010 models according to OP till whatever year.

[BBJ]

I haven't heard anything about this. I got the "new" 2015 model.

I am on the UK Versys forum and that's a very big forum, not a word about any recalls/valve issues?

http://www.versys.co.uk/index.php/board,10.0.html

It is on the US forum, equally as big.

[fullcave]

Should be recalled for excessive weight and low power.. 636 is the ticket...

Edited January 19, 2016 by fullcave

[marcusb]

I dropped a valve on my er6n on a ride to Chiang Mai, messed up the pistons, cylinders etc. Was quoted around 60,000B, if I remember correctly(could have been 40,000, was a while ago)

The bike had 35,000KM on it and was out of warranty.

I sent a nice letter to Kawa BKK and said I thought this was way too early in a bikes life to have such serious problems. No response. When I went to get the bike the invoice was about 7,000 baht, for gaskets, fluids, etc., Kawa BKK had covered the rest.

I was a happy guy.

Obviously they were aware of the faulty valves. I think they will replace faulty valves before they snap for a good price, kind of a quiet recall…..

[Kwasaki]

Sent email to Chang- Mai for booking in, got quick response.

Long wait though, earliest was 16th November 2016.

I guess hope nothing bad happens before then.

[BBJ]

Spoke to Motoaholic the other day who confirmed the recall. If you bought from there you can take to any Motoaholic dealer. They require the engine number on booking.

[Kwasaki]

Sent email to Chang- Mai for booking in, got quick response.

Long wait though, earliest was 16th November 2016.

I guess hope nothing bad happens before then.

Went to CM and confirmed booking for recall work, couldn't get the bike in sooner.

Got a mechanic to check the bike and he said it will be OK just don't let it over rev.

Been told a company that handle Kawasaki big bikes is opening in Pitsanulok in May'16 so will go along and look to see if they can do recall work any quicker.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Kwasaki

[jonnyscot]

My nearest dealer is approx an hour plus drive from Bangkok beside a provincial town I asked why so busy that they have waiting list, they said they will get bikes up from some of the BKK dealerships also so I guess some of this workload for this may be shared between them

[BBJ]

Booked mine in at Bukalow. 300+ before me. 500 plus at Rama 5. Blimey, how many Versyses or is it Versi have they sold?

Motoaholic ask for bookings on their website.

Edited February 15, 2016 by BBJ

[recom273]

Booked mine in at Bukalow. 300+ before me. 500 plus at Rama 5. Blimey, how many Versyses or is it Versi have they sold?

Motoaholic ask for bookings on their website.

Legend has it, Thailand and Malaysia are Kawasaki's biggest market for the Versys.

I need to check mine in soon, I'm dreading it, the mechanics at my local dealership break or strip something every time.

[jonnyscot]

Not only versys, er6 and ninjas also, these bikes very popular here,, wife was in to my local dealer yesterday, confirmed for 7th April to get mine done, they also had bikes in from Singburi getting the job done, which is around 80 odd km from Suphanburi

Edited February 16, 2016 by jonnyscot

[recom273]

So I went to my local dealer in Songkhla , I tried to explain about a valve recall, but they knew nothing - I asked them to call HQ, gave them my logbook and took a seat - 30 minutes later they came back and asked me why I was waiting .. TiT

After a while they came back clutching a sheet that said, 'health check package ?' .. I said, about 500-600b ? They said oh no, 700B.

How do I contact Kawasaki to get them to relay my issue .. To tell the truth, I don't want to go to this dealer, they always mess up, break something - I wish i lived in Korat, the service manager there is on the ball.

[recom273]

I just spoke to Kawasaki HQ. You have to laugh, it's a 700B valve health check up to establish if your valves need replacing .. He also mentioned it was a promotion, wow !

Edited February 16, 2016 by recom273

[guzzi850m2]

I just spoke to Kawasaki HQ. You have to laugh, it's a 700B valve health check up to establish if your valves need replacing .. He also mentioned it was a promotion, wow !

Sound doggy.

Do you have the contact details, thanks.

[Kwasaki]

" health check up " Changmai dealer said they have a very long waiting list for recall valve & guides change, not really surprised by that now, knowing it's just not Versys but involves Ern's & Ninja's as well.

They are also waiting parts, that is why everybody has to book with them.

[guzzi850m2]

Well I just spoke to Kawa Pattaya today this morning and they confirmed the Mk3 is not affected.

Here is an interesting link to a Malaysian web page:

http://3369adventure.blogspot.com/2014/12/kawasaki-650cc-variant-health-check.html

[Kwasaki]

Well I just spoke to Kawa Pattaya today this morning and they confirmed the Mk3 is not affected.

Here is an interesting link to a Malaysian web page:

http://3369adventure.blogspot.com/2014/12/kawasaki-650cc-variant-health-check.html

Dunno what Mk my is only the year 2011.

CM dealer checked engine number on the bike and confirmed that it needed to have valve work.

Also noted, mine is using oil 850 kilos about 1/4 litre and the exhaust exit is very black and sooty.

[jonnyscot]

Interesting find, well done guzzie, gives me cause for concern as I'm often riding for excessive times at those mentioned speeds,, yikes

[guzzi850m2]

Interesting find, well done guzzie, gives me cause for concern as I'm often riding for excessive times at those mentioned speeds,, yikes

I would not worry too much about it, check the UK Versys forum and they don't have any reported problems there and still lots of the older V's around.

One have a V with 180k km on it and it never been opened and the owner rides it hard.

[recom273]

I spent a few hours trying to get hold of the English speaking customer service, no one gave me 100% confidence in the answer I got. I repeated the request of 'recall for ER, Ninja 650 and Versys' and he assured me he knew what he was talking about and it was 700B for the service.

I took the bike to the dealers, and found the owners daughter who speaks English, again 'valve recall' because there seems to be a problem with the valves. The terminology didnt seem to be understood, I see a different ER or Ninja every day - yet locals aren't returning their bike like they have been in BKK.

So I took my bike in at the weekend, Monday morning they opened it up and promptly broke the gasket and I have been waiting for a delivery since then.

I got the bike back this afternoon. She gave me a run down on parts changed .. but no valve swap-out, just shims, and a whole lot of other work that she said that Kawasaki insisted upon .. including washing the bike, filling the garmin power port with water and cable trying the wiring of he aux lighting system ?

When I questioned the 'service' she said it was just shims, valve gaskets and adjustment.

1x Oil filter
4 ? x O Ring ( why 4 )
2 x Oil cooler ??
Engine Oil change
3 x Shim 3.00
1 x Brake fluid
2 x valve gaskets ( ? )
1 x Engine gasket

Any Versys owners with any thoughts ?

Looks like a 3294B oil change / valve check for 700B

Edited March 17, 2016 by recom273

[Kwasaki]

I spent a few hours trying to get hold of the English speaking customer service, no one gave me 100% confidence in the answer I got. I repeated the request of 'recall for ER, Ninja 650 and Versys' and he assured me he knew what he was talking about and it was 700B for the service.

I took the bike to the dealers, and found the owners daughter who speaks English, again 'valve recall' because there seems to be a problem with the valves. The terminology didnt seem to be understood, I see a different ER or Ninja every day - yet locals aren't returning their bike like they have been in BKK.

So I took my bike in at the weekend, Monday morning they opened it up and promptly broke the gasket and I have been waiting for a delivery since then.

I got the bike back this afternoon. She gave me a run down on parts changed .. but no valve swap-out, just shims, and a whole lot of other work that she said that Kawasaki insisted upon .. including washing the bike, filling the garmin power port with water and cable trying the wiring of he aux lighting system ?

When I questioned the 'service' she said it was just shims, valve gaskets and adjustment.

1x Oil filter

4 ? x O Ring ( why 4 )

2 x Oil cooler ??

Engine Oil change

3 x Shim 3.00

1 x Brake fluid

2 x valve gaskets ( ? )

1 x Engine gasket

Any Versys owners with any thoughts ?

Looks like a 3294B oil change / valve check for 700B

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1458224880.974609.jpg

me's versys owner did you check year for your bike recall & engine number. ?

did you check part"s numbers for your bike year. ?

[recom273]

I spent a few hours trying to get hold of the English speaking customer service, no one gave me 100% confidence in the answer I got. I repeated the request of 'recall for ER, Ninja 650 and Versys' and he assured me he knew what he was talking about and it was 700B for the service.

I took the bike to the dealers, and found the owners daughter who speaks English, again 'valve recall' because there seems to be a problem with the valves. The terminology didnt seem to be understood, I see a different ER or Ninja every day - yet locals aren't returning their bike like they have been in BKK.

So I took my bike in at the weekend, Monday morning they opened it up and promptly broke the gasket and I have been waiting for a delivery since then.

I got the bike back this afternoon. She gave me a run down on parts changed .. but no valve swap-out, just shims, and a whole lot of other work that she said that Kawasaki insisted upon .. including washing the bike, filling the garmin power port with water and cable trying the wiring of he aux lighting system ?

When I questioned the 'service' she said it was just shims, valve gaskets and adjustment.

1x Oil filter

4 ? x O Ring ( why 4 )

2 x Oil cooler ??

Engine Oil change

3 x Shim 3.00

1 x Brake fluid

2 x valve gaskets ( ? )

1 x Engine gasket

Any Versys owners with any thoughts ?

Looks like a 3294B oil change / valve check for 700B

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1458224880.974609.jpg

me's versys owner did you check year for your bike recall & engine number. ?

did you check part"s numbers for your bike year. ?

Yes, the engine number begins with ER650AEAE .. they took the paperwork and checked up on the computer, and the came to the decision it needed some work, and came to a price of 6 hours labour - I then put them on the phone to kawasaki who informed them that the work was a fixed 700B fee.

Details seem way sketchy ? No one seems to refer to it as a recall, the first dealers thought it was a health check, Kawasaki English support was pretty much useless, they wouldn't even work off the serial number - they said I should take it to a dealers for inspection.

What about yours ?