2008 Kawasaki VERSYS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
1,800 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data updated: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Visibility is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 6 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility | 3 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices | 1 |
Visibility: 3; Electrical System: 1; Equipment: 1; Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 |
2008: 2; 2009: 4
Pattern summary
Visibility leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10234529 · 2008-07-16 (July 16, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS (NA) MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT DROPPED THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES WHILE IT WAS STATIONARY. THE IGNITION MODULE WAS SPINNING AND HE COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE DROPPING OF THE BIKE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY, THE IGNITION IS STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION, THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED, AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10246651 · 2008-10-24 (October 24, 2008)
THE MIRRORS ON MY 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE (BOUGHT IN SEPTEMBER, NOW WITH ABOUT 325 MILES ON IT) WILL NOT STAY AS SET: AS I DRIVE THEY LOOSEN AND FLOP AROUND SO THAT I HAVE NO REARWARD VISION, UNLESS I HOLD THE MIRROR WITH MY HAND, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IS SAFE. I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER, AND THEY APPLIED FOR A WARRANTY FIX, BUT TOLD ME THAT KAWASAKI HAS REFUSED A WARRANTY FIX. ON AN INTERNET FORUM FOR THE VERSYS MOTORCYCLE, MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM, AND MANY HAVE BOUGHT OTHER MIRRORS TO FIX WHAT KAWASAKI WILL NOT!…
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10275145 · 2009-06-28 (June 28, 2009)
THE PROBLEM: LEFT MIRROR ON THE KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE WILL NOT HOLD ITS POSITION. FREQUENCY: THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. IT EFFECTS MY MOTORCYCLE ABOUT EVERY 4 RIDES. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS IS A NORMAL FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE. THIS ISSUE RENDERS THE MIRROR USELESS AND A MAJOR DISTRACTION. WHY: DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE MIRROR ON THE BIKE AND THE VIBRATION OF THE MOTOR ON THE MOTORCYCLE (THE VIBRATION IS MINOR). THIS VIBRATION CAUSES THE MOUNT FOR THE MIRROR TO LOOSEN AND THEN THE WIND HITTING THE MIRROR CAUSES THE MIRROR…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275145 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10281175 · 2009-08-20 (August 20, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE TIRE SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE TECH INTERNATIONAL VALVE STEM AND REPLACED THE TIRE. THERE WERE PREVIOUS TIRE FAILURES ON THE FRONT TIRES ON TWO OCCASIONS ALSO CAUSED BY THE VALVE STEMS. THE CONTACT OBSERVED CRACKS IN THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10281175 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10286235 · 2009-10-04 (October 4, 2009)
I HAVE A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS AND THE MIRRORS MOVE AROUND,THEY WILL NOT STAY AT A FIXED POINT. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE ND WOULD LIKE KAWASAKI TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286235 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10286668 · 2009-10-07 (October 7, 2009)
2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE MIRRORS COME LOOSE AND SPIN WHILE UNDERWAY. OCCURS RANDOMLY AFTER RE-ALIGNMENT AND TIGHTENING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NUTS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN WHEN RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE AND THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER SHOULD REPLACE THE EXISTING MIRRORS WITH ONES THAT DO NOT COME LOOSE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286668 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
6 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2008 | 2009 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 350.0%ODI 10246651 · 20 miTHE MIRRORS ON MY 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE (BOUGHT IN SEPTEMBER, NOW WITH ABOUT 325 MILES ON IT) WILL NOT STAY AS SET: AS I DRIVE THEY LOOSEN AND FLOP AROUND SO THAT I HAVE NO REARWARD VISION, UNLESS I HOLD THE MIRROR WITH MY HAND, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IS SAFE. I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER, AND THEY APPLIED FOR A WARRANTY FIX, BUT TOLD ME THAT KAWASAKI HAS REFUSED A WARRANTY FIX. ON AN INTERNET FORUM FOR THE VERSYS MOTORCYCLE, MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM, AND MANY HAVE BOUGHT OTHER MIRRORS TO FIX WHAT KAWASAKI WILL NOT!… | 228.6%ODI 10275772 · 500 miLEFT MIRROR ON 2009 KAWASAKI VERSYS STARTED SPINNING WILDLY AND PROMPTLY BROKE OFF AT INTERSTATE SPEED (70MPH ON I 64). CAUGHT THE MIRROR AS IT SNAPPED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HAD I NOT BEEN RIDING FOR YEARS I MUST CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE LAID THE BIKE DOWN. PLEASE HAVE KAWASAKI ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. A NEW RIDER MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices | 116.7%ODI 10286235 · 1,800 miI HAVE A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS AND THE MIRRORS MOVE AROUND,THEY WILL NOT STAY AT A FIXED POINT. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE ND WOULD LIKE KAWASAKI TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR | 457.1%ODI 10286220 · 1,000 mi2009 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE MIRRORS COME LOOSE AND SPIN WHILE UNDERWAY. OCCURS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 300 MILES AFTER RE-ALIGNMENT AND TIGHTENING. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 116.7%ODI 10234529 · 2,200 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS (NA) MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT DROPPED THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES WHILE IT WAS STATIONARY. THE IGNITION MODULE WAS SPINNING AND HE COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE DROPPING OF THE BIKE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY, THE IGNITION IS STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION, THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED, AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10614658 · 21,000 miI WAS TRAVELING EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AROUND 1 AM ON THE 152 EAST IN CALIFORNIA FROM THE 1 TO THE 101. AN SUV HAD BEEN FOLLOWING ME FOR A BIT AND THE CAR HAD ITS HIGH BEAMS ON. I STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN FOR THE TRANSITION TO THE 101, AND THE CAR STARTED HONKING AT ME. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND A NICE LADY PULLED UP AND APOLOGIZED FOR FOLLOWING ME WITH HER HIGH BEAMS ON, BUT SHE SAID SHE DID IT TO MAKE SURE SHE COULD SEE ME BECAUSE THE BACK OF MY MOTORCYCLE WAS COMPLETELY DARK. I LOOKED BACK, AND LOW AND BEHOLD SHE WAS CORRECT.… |
| Equipment | 116.7%ODI 10281175TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE TIRE SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE TECH INTERNATIONAL VALVE STEM AND REPLACED THE TIRE. THERE WERE PREVIOUS TIRE FAILURES ON THE FRONT TIRES ON TWO OCCASIONS ALSO CAUSED BY THE VALVE STEMS. THE CONTACT OBSERVED CRACKS IN THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. | 114.3%ODI 10412098 · 5,500 miREAR VIEW MIRRORS LOOSEN DURING RIDE, EVEN AFTER TIGHTENING, WHICH MAKES IT UNSAFE TO SEE BEHIND. I HAVE TIGHTENED THE BOLTS SEVERAL TIMES AND LOOKED ONLINE FOR ADVICE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPAIR. ALTHOUGH I HAVE ONE DATE BELOW, IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Exterior Lighting | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10614658 · 21,000 miI WAS TRAVELING EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AROUND 1 AM ON THE 152 EAST IN CALIFORNIA FROM THE 1 TO THE 101. AN SUV HAD BEEN FOLLOWING ME FOR A BIT AND THE CAR HAD ITS HIGH BEAMS ON. I STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN FOR THE TRANSITION TO THE 101, AND THE CAR STARTED HONKING AT ME. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND A NICE LADY PULLED UP AND APOLOGIZED FOR FOLLOWING ME WITH HER HIGH BEAMS ON, BUT SHE SAID SHE DID IT TO MAKE SURE SHE COULD SEE ME BECAUSE THE BACK OF MY MOTORCYCLE WAS COMPLETELY DARK. I LOOKED BACK, AND LOW AND BEHOLD SHE WAS CORRECT.… |
| Structure:Body | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 102865912009 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE LEFTHAND MIRROR COMES LOOSE AND SPINS WHILE UNDERWAY. OCCURS APPROXIMATELY EVERY RIDE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, EVEN AFTER RE-ALIGNMENT AND TIGHTENING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NUTS. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10735654 · 6,500 miTHE SIDE MIRRORS FOR MY KAWASAKI VERSYS HAS HAD REPEATED FAILURES. I'VE HAD TO TRY TO REPAIR AND THEN REPLACE THE MIRRORS MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MIRROR CAN NOT BE TIGHTENED AND HAT SPEEDS > 30MPH THE WIND PUSHES THE MIRROR ALL THE WAY IN MAKING IT INOPERABLE. I'VE TIRED TO HAVE REPAIR SHOPS FIX BUT THEY SAID IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Visibility/Wiper | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10735654 · 6,500 miTHE SIDE MIRRORS FOR MY KAWASAKI VERSYS HAS HAD REPEATED FAILURES. I'VE HAD TO TRY TO REPAIR AND THEN REPLACE THE MIRRORS MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MIRROR CAN NOT BE TIGHTENED AND HAT SPEEDS > 30MPH THE WIND PUSHES THE MIRROR ALL THE WAY IN MAKING IT INOPERABLE. I'VE TIRED TO HAVE REPAIR SHOPS FIX BUT THEY SAID IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Too few reports for a range | 1,000 mi | 3 (sparse) | ODI 10246651 · 20 miTHE MIRRORS ON MY 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE (BOUGHT IN SEPTEMBER, NOW WITH ABOUT 325 MILES ON IT) WILL NOT STAY AS SET: AS I DRIVE THEY LOOSEN AND FLOP AROUND SO THAT I HAVE NO REARWARD VISION, UNLESS I HOLD THE MIRROR WITH MY HAND, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IS SAFE. I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER, AND THEY APPLIED FOR A WARRANTY FIX, BUT TOLD ME THAT KAWASAKI HAS REFUSED A WARRANTY FIX. ON AN INTERNET FORUM FOR THE VERSYS MOTORCYCLE, MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM, AND MANY HAVE BOUGHT OTHER MIRRORS TO FIX WHAT KAWASAKI WILL NOT!… ODI 10275145 · 1,000 miTHE PROBLEM: LEFT MIRROR ON THE KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE WILL NOT HOLD ITS POSITION. FREQUENCY: THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. IT EFFECTS MY MOTORCYCLE ABOUT EVERY 4 RIDES. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS IS A NORMAL FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE. THIS ISSUE RENDERS THE MIRROR USELESS AND A MAJOR DISTRACTION. WHY: DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE MIRROR ON THE BIKE AND THE VIBRATION OF THE MOTOR ON THE MOTORCYCLE (THE VIBRATION IS MINOR). THIS VIBRATION CAUSES THE MOUNT FOR THE MIRROR TO LOOSEN AND THEN THE WIND HITTING THE MIRROR CAUSES THE MIRROR… ODI 10286668 · 10,000 mi2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS MOTORCYCLE MIRRORS COME LOOSE AND SPIN WHILE UNDERWAY. OCCURS RANDOMLY AFTER RE-ALIGNMENT AND TIGHTENING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NUTS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN WHEN RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE AND THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER SHOULD REPLACE THE EXISTING MIRRORS WITH ONES THAT DO NOT COME LOOSE. *TR |
| Electrical System | Too few reports for a range | 2,200 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10234529 · 2,200 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS (NA) MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT DROPPED THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES WHILE IT WAS STATIONARY. THE IGNITION MODULE WAS SPINNING AND HE COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE DROPPING OF THE BIKE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY, THE IGNITION IS STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION, THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED, AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE… |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices | Too few reports for a range | 1,800 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10286235 · 1,800 miI HAVE A 2008 KAWASAKI VERSYS AND THE MIRRORS MOVE AROUND,THEY WILL NOT STAY AT A FIXED POINT. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE ND WOULD LIKE KAWASAKI TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2009: 5 complaints · 2011: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Visibility | Electrical System | Equipment | Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.