BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ KAWASAKI/EX500
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

KAWASAKI EX500

498cc Petrol Class 2
#4542 of 5428 overall #562 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2747 of 2788 other bikes
72.5%
first-time pass rate
20.2%
failed outright
24,525
median miles at test
876
MOT tests, 2005–2025
-10.5pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

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%.

57%70%83%2006: 78.5% pass (79 tests)2007: 71.8% pass (71 tests)2008: 72.0% pass (75 tests)2009: 73.0% pass (74 tests)2010: 76.4% pass (72 tests)2011: 69.9% pass (73 tests)2012: 73.0% pass (63 tests)2013: 60.9% pass (69 tests)2014: 72.4% pass (58 tests)2015: 64.2% pass (53 tests)20062015

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%.

50%70%90%0k: 84.4% pass (128 tests)10k: 74.6% pass (213 tests)20k: 68.8% pass (215 tests)30k: 70.3% pass (172 tests)40k: 55.7% pass (88 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 EX500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects 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 Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the EX500

More KAWASAKI models

other KAWASAKI bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests
KAWASAKI ZX-9R 80.7% pass · 89.0k tests
KAWASAKI ZZR600 79.0% pass · 53.7k tests
KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests
KAWASAKI ZZ-R1100 80.8% pass · 39.7k tests
KAWASAKI ZX 89.4% pass · 34.6k tests

See all KAWASAKI models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 1998 (85.7%). Lowest: 1989 (66.7%). Every EX500 year compared →

63%76%90%1989: 66.7% pass (51 tests)1993: 74.1% pass (58 tests)1995: 69.7% pass (66 tests)1998: 85.7% pass (70 tests)1999: 77.3% pass (75 tests)2000: 76.4% pass (89 tests)2001: 67.2% pass (64 tests)2002: 81.5% pass (81 tests)2003: 70.2% pass (57 tests)198919992003

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 #4542 of 5428 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, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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