BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ KAWASAKI/EN 650 DLFA
Model report · 2005–2025

KAWASAKI EN 650 DLFA

649cc Petrol Class 2
90.1%
first-time pass rate
4.8%
failed outright
5,074
median miles at test
588
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2023–2025

The EN 650 DLFA's first-time pass rate has risen 2.7 points since 2023, 87.3% to 90.0%.

86%90%93%2023: 87.3% pass (197 tests)2024: 92.0% pass (175 tests)2025: 90.0% pass (190 tests)20232025

What fails on a EN 650 DLFA

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
tyres
14 27.5 3.2×
lamps and reflectors
11 21.6 0.8×
structure and attachments
9 17.6 2.0×
brakes
7 13.7 0.2×
Identification of the vehicle
5 9.8 3.7×
suspension
3 5.9 0.7×
steering
2 3.9 0.4×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the EN 650 DLFA beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the EN 650 DLFA.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 2019 (94.4% pass). Weakest: 2020 (89.0%).

88%92%95%2019: 94.4% pass (90 tests)2020: 89.0% pass (480 tests)20192020

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

KAWASAKI EN 650 DLFA FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI EN 650 DLFA reliable?

The KAWASAKI EN 650 DLFA is more reliable than average for its class: 90.1% of its 588 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #919 of 5426 models.

What does a EN 650 DLFA fail its MOT on most?

tyres — 27% of all defects recorded against failed EN 650 DLFA tests.