KAWASAKI ER5

498cc Petrol Class 2

#3997 of 5426 overall #477 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2531 of 2787 other bikes

77.4%

first-time pass rate

14.2%

failed outright

21,259

median miles at test

53.1k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The ER5's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.5 points since 2005, 81.1% to 79.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ER5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ER5 passes first time 87.5% of the time; by 50k that's 67.1%.

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 ER5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	4,403	25.6	1.4×
steering and suspension	3,479	20.2	1.6×
lighting and signalling	3,230	18.8	1.1×
tyres and wheels	1,871	10.9	1.5×
drive system	1,676	9.7	3.1×
lamps and reflectors	675	3.9	0.5×
structure and attachments	566	3.3	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	499	2.9	1.1×
driving controls	416	2.4	3.2×
suspension	376	2.2	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 ER5 beats 1 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 ER5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (81.2% pass). Weakest: 1996 (74.1%).

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 ER5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ER5 reliable?

The KAWASAKI ER5 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.4% of its 53,115 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3997 of 5426 models.

What does a ER5 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed ER5 tests.

What is the best year of ER5 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (81.2%) and 1996 worst (74.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ER5 last?

The median ER5 shows 21,259 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 67.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.