KAWASAKI EX500-D6

498cc Petrol Class 2

#4311 of 5426 overall #526 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2661 of 2787 other bikes

74.9%

first-time pass rate

17.0%

failed outright

19,272

median miles at test

2,055

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The EX500-D6's first-time pass rate has risen 9.1 points since 2005, 71.9% to 81.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the EX500-D6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage EX500-D6 passes first time 85.0% of the time; by 50k that's 52.6%.

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-D6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	190	24.8	2.2×
brakes	172	22.5	1.5×
lighting and signalling	108	14.1	1.0×
drive system	95	12.4	4.7×
tyres and wheels	71	9.3	1.5×
fuel and exhaust	44	5.7	2.7×
lamps and reflectors	31	4	0.6×
suspension	24	3.1	1.2×
structure and attachments	17	2.2	1.0×
steering	14	1.8	1.3×

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-D6 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-D6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (78.7% pass). Weakest: 1999 (74.8%).

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-D6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI EX500-D6 reliable?

The KAWASAKI EX500-D6 is less reliable than average for its class: 74.9% of its 2,055 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4311 of 5426 models.

What does a EX500-D6 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 25% of all defects recorded against failed EX500-D6 tests.

How many miles will a EX500-D6 last?

The median EX500-D6 shows 19,272 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 52.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.