KAWASAKI EX500

498cc Petrol Class 2

#4540 of 5426 overall #562 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2746 of 2787 other bikes

72.5%

first-time pass rate

20.2%

failed outright

24,525

median miles at test

876

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2015

The EX500's first-time pass rate has fallen 14.3 points since 2006, 78.5% to 64.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the EX500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage EX500 passes first time 84.4% of the time; by 40k that's 55.7%.

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 EX500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	120	27.5	3.5×
brakes	115	26.3	2.3×
lighting and signalling	65	14.9	1.2×
tyres and wheels	41	9.4	1.8×
fuel and exhaust	28	6.4	3.8×
drive system	26	5.9	3.0×
structure and attachments	13	3	1.3×
reg plates and vin	10	2.3	1.2×
suspension	10	2.3	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	9	2.1	0.4×

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 EX500 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 EX500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (85.7% pass). Weakest: 1989 (66.7%).

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 EX500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI EX500 reliable?

The KAWASAKI EX500 is less reliable than average for its class: 72.5% of its 876 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4540 of 5426 models.

What does a EX500 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 27% of all defects recorded against failed EX500 tests.

What is the best year of EX500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1998-registered examples do best (85.7%) and 1989 worst (66.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a EX500 last?

The median EX500 shows 24,525 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 55.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.