KAWASAKI EX 500-D5

498cc Petrol Class 2

#4108 of 5426 overall #497 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2579 of 2787 other bikes

76.6%

first-time pass rate

16.7%

failed outright

20,805

median miles at test

1,974

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The EX 500-D5's first-time pass rate has fallen 13.6 points since 2005, 88.6% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the EX 500-D5's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage EX 500-D5 passes first time 85.1% of the time; by 50k that's 67.4%.

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 EX 500-D5

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	226	29.5	2.5×
brakes	186	24.3	1.7×
lighting and signalling	107	14	1.0×
tyres and wheels	68	8.9	1.5×
drive system	64	8.3	3.6×
fuel and exhaust	39	5.1	2.4×
suspension	24	3.1	1.0×
lamps and reflectors	21	2.7	0.4×
structure and attachments	18	2.3	1.0×
driving controls	14	1.8	3.0×

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 EX 500-D5 beats 0 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 EX 500-D5.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (77.1% pass). Weakest: 1999 (74.5%).

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 EX 500-D5 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI EX 500-D5 reliable?

The KAWASAKI EX 500-D5 is less reliable than average for its class: 76.6% of its 1,974 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4108 of 5426 models.

What does a EX 500-D5 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 29% of all defects recorded against failed EX 500-D5 tests.

How many miles will a EX 500-D5 last?

The median EX 500-D5 shows 20,805 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 67.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.