KAWASAKI KLE 500 B6F

498cc Petrol Class 2

#3146 of 5426 overall #368 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2001 of 2787 other bikes

82.2%

first-time pass rate

9.5%

failed outright

12,937

median miles at test

1,108

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2009–2025

The KLE 500 B6F's first-time pass rate has risen 11.0 points since 2009, 77.6% to 88.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the KLE 500 B6F's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage KLE 500 B6F passes first time 87.6% of the time; by 30k that's 73.8%.

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 KLE 500 B6F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	56	27.6	0.9×
lighting and signalling	41	20.2	0.7×
drive system	28	13.8	2.1×
lamps and reflectors	23	11.3	0.9×
tyres and wheels	16	7.9	0.7×
steering and suspension	15	7.4	0.3×
structure and attachments	12	5.9	1.1×
tyres	5	2.5	0.7×
Identification of the vehicle	4	2	1.6×
Items Not Tested	3	1.5	2.9×

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 KLE 500 B6F beats 3 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 KLE 500 B6F.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (83.3% pass). Weakest: 2006 (81.7%).

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 KLE 500 B6F FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI KLE 500 B6F reliable?

The KAWASAKI KLE 500 B6F is less reliable than average for its class: 82.2% of its 1,108 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3146 of 5426 models.

What does a KLE 500 B6F fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed KLE 500 B6F tests.

How many miles will a KLE 500 B6F last?

The median KLE 500 B6F shows 12,937 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 73.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.