KAWASAKI ER 500 C5P

498cc Petrol Class 2

#3291 of 5426 overall #385 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2095 of 2787 other bikes

81.4%

first-time pass rate

10.8%

failed outright

17,702

median miles at test

3,383

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2008–2025

The ER 500 C5P's first-time pass rate has risen 3.1 points since 2008, 83.6% to 86.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ER 500 C5P's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ER 500 C5P passes first time 88.6% of the time; by 50k that's 69.3%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a ER 500 C5P

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	195	25.7	1.1×
steering and suspension	131	17.3	1.0×
lighting and signalling	120	15.8	0.6×
tyres and wheels	99	13	1.3×
drive system	83	10.9	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	36	4.7	0.5×
suspension	30	4	0.9×
structure and attachments	29	3.8	1.1×
tyres	23	3	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	13	1.7	0.5×

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 ER 500 C5P beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests

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 ER 500 C5P.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (88.7% pass). Weakest: 2005 (79.0%).

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 ER 500 C5P FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ER 500 C5P reliable?

The KAWASAKI ER 500 C5P is less reliable than average for its class: 81.4% of its 3,383 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3291 of 5426 models.

What does a ER 500 C5P fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed ER 500 C5P tests.

What is the best year of ER 500 C5P to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2008-registered examples do best (88.7%) and 2005 worst (79.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ER 500 C5P last?

The median ER 500 C5P shows 17,702 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 69.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.