KAWASAKI KLX650

651cc Petrol Class 2

#3975 of 5426 overall #470 of 592 KAWASAKIs #26 of 29 off-road bikes

77.5%

first-time pass rate

12.9%

failed outright

18,804

median miles at test

1,621

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The KLX650's first-time pass rate has risen 16.7 points since 2005, 80.0% to 96.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the KLX650's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage KLX650 passes first time 79.7% of the time; by 50k that's 93.3%.

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 KLX650

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	202	35.9	1.6×
steering and suspension	102	18.1	1.6×
brakes	97	17.2	1.0×
tyres and wheels	40	7.1	0.9×
reg plates and vin	38	6.7	3.1×
drive system	23	4.1	1.5×
body and structure	19	3.4	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	17	3	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	14	2.5	0.2×
driving controls	11	2	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.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (86.9% pass). Weakest: 1993 (72.9%).

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 KLX650 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI KLX650 reliable?

The KAWASAKI KLX650 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.5% of its 1,621 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3975 of 5426 models.

What does a KLX650 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 36% of all defects recorded against failed KLX650 tests.

What is the best year of KLX650 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1996-registered examples do best (86.9%) and 1993 worst (72.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a KLX650 last?

The median KLX650 shows 18,804 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.