KAWASAKI ER 650 A6S

649cc Petrol Class 2

#3028 of 5426 overall #359 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1921 of 2787 other bikes

82.7%

first-time pass rate

9.5%

failed outright

13,998

median miles at test

2,497

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The ER 650 A6S's first-time pass rate has fallen 7.1 points since 2009, 85.8% to 78.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ER 650 A6S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ER 650 A6S passes first time 91.2% of the time; by 50k that's 56.3%.

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 650 A6S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	93	19.5	0.7×
lighting and signalling	85	17.9	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	71	14.9	1.2×
steering and suspension	51	10.7	0.6×
structure and attachments	43	9	1.4×
tyres and wheels	41	8.6	0.7×
suspension	40	8.4	1.7×
drive system	27	5.7	1.2×
tyres	13	2.7	0.6×
reg plates and vin	12	2.5	0.8×

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 650 A6S 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 HONDA VFR800 FI 86.7% pass · 89.4k 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 650 A6S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2005 (87.1% pass). Weakest: 2006 (82.1%).

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 650 A6S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ER 650 A6S reliable?

The KAWASAKI ER 650 A6S is less reliable than average for its class: 82.7% of its 2,497 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3028 of 5426 models.

What does a ER 650 A6S fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 20% of all defects recorded against failed ER 650 A6S tests.

What is the best year of ER 650 A6S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2005-registered examples do best (87.1%) and 2006 worst (82.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ER 650 A6S last?

The median ER 650 A6S shows 13,998 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 56.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.