KAWASAKI GPZ500S

498cc Petrol Class 2

#4298 of 5426 overall #524 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2658 of 2787 other bikes

75.0%

first-time pass rate

18.0%

failed outright

22,843

median miles at test

19.8k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The GPZ500S's first-time pass rate has risen 10.7 points since 2005, 75.5% to 86.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the GPZ500S's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage GPZ500S passes first time 85.4% of the time; by 50k that's 64.8%.

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 GPZ500S

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	2,473	28.9	2.8×
brakes	2,107	24.6	1.8×
lighting and signalling	1,388	16.2	1.3×
tyres and wheels	755	8.8	1.7×
drive system	679	7.9	3.4×
fuel and exhaust	473	5.5	2.8×
lamps and reflectors	196	2.3	0.4×
suspension	190	2.2	1.0×
structure and attachments	165	1.9	0.9×
driving controls	138	1.6	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 GPZ500S 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 GPZ500S.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (84.6% pass). Weakest: 1991 (67.9%).

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 GPZ500S FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI GPZ500S reliable?

The KAWASAKI GPZ500S is less reliable than average for its class: 75.0% of its 19,751 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4298 of 5426 models.

What does a GPZ500S fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 29% of all defects recorded against failed GPZ500S tests.

What is the best year of GPZ500S to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (84.6%) and 1991 worst (67.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a GPZ500S last?

The median GPZ500S shows 22,843 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 64.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.