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

KAWASAKI ER 650 ECF

649cc Petrol Class 2
84.8%
first-time pass rate
7.1%
failed outright
12,318
median miles at test
1,791
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2015–2025

The ER 650 ECF's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.5 points since 2015, 89.0% to 83.5%.

77%84%91%2015: 89.0% pass (181 tests)2016: 85.6% pass (250 tests)2017: 86.3% pass (227 tests)2018: 86.1% pass (158 tests)2019: 80.9% pass (152 tests)2020: 84.4% pass (122 tests)2021: 81.2% pass (170 tests)2022: 88.8% pass (152 tests)2023: 83.2% pass (143 tests)2024: 79.4% pass (107 tests)2025: 83.5% pass (121 tests)20152025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage ER 650 ECF passes first time 90.4% of the time; by 40k that's 84.4%.

58%77%96%0k: 90.4% pass (758 tests)10k: 83.2% pass (564 tests)20k: 81.8% pass (296 tests)30k: 63.8% pass (105 tests)40k: 84.4% pass (45 tests)0k20k40k

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 ECF

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors
51 23.9 1.4×
brakes
40 18.8 0.4×
structure and attachments
27 12.7 1.8×
lighting and signalling
22 10.3 0.2×
tyres
19 8.9 1.2×
tyres and wheels
15 7 0.4×
suspension
14 6.6 0.9×
steering and suspension
10 4.7 0.2×
body and structure
8 3.8 0.8×
drive system
7 3.3 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 650 ECF beats 3 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 ER 650 ECF.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2013 (85.7% pass). Weakest: 2012 (84.5%).

84%85%87%2012: 84.5% pass (1,312 tests)2013: 85.7% pass (441 tests)20122013

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 ECF FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ER 650 ECF reliable?

The KAWASAKI ER 650 ECF is about average for its class: 84.8% of its 1,791 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2543 of 5426 models.

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

lamps and reflectors — 24% of all defects recorded against failed ER 650 ECF tests.

How many miles will a ER 650 ECF last?

The median ER 650 ECF shows 12,318 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 84.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.