KAWASAKI ER6

649cc Petrol Class 2

#2720 of 5426 overall #319 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1716 of 2787 other bikes

84.1%

first-time pass rate

8.8%

failed outright

13,000

median miles at test

23.0k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The ER6's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.4 points since 2009, 88.5% to 79.1%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ER6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ER6 passes first time 90.6% of the time; by 50k that's 76.9%.

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 ER6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	677	18.2	0.5×
lamps and reflectors	610	16.4	1.2×
lighting and signalling	486	13.1	0.4×
tyres and wheels	400	10.8	0.8×
steering and suspension	381	10.3	0.5×
structure and attachments	341	9.2	1.7×
tyres	263	7.1	1.4×
suspension	240	6.5	1.2×
drive system	202	5.4	1.0×
steering	110	3	1.0×

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 ER6 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 ER6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (86.9% pass). Weakest: 2015 (82.5%).

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 ER6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ER6 reliable?

The KAWASAKI ER6 is about average for its class: 84.1% of its 22,990 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2720 of 5426 models.

What does a ER6 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 18% of all defects recorded against failed ER6 tests.

What is the best year of ER6 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2016-registered examples do best (86.9%) and 2015 worst (82.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ER6 last?

The median ER6 shows 13,000 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.