Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Kawasaki KZ650: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which KZ650 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 80.7% average, from 725 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1979 (82.0% of 211 tests). Lowest: 1980 (75.4% of 57). Years more than two points below the model average: 1980.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (80.7%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 140 | 79.3% | -1.4 pp |
| 1978 | 228 | 81.6% | +0.9 pp |
| 1979 | 211 | 82.0% | +1.3 pp |
| 1980 | 57 | 75.4% | -5.3 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which KZ650 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1980 registered examples pass first time less often than the Kawasaki KZ650 overall (80.7%); the 1980 cohort is lowest at 75.4% from 57 tests.
- Which KZ650 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1979, at 82.0% of 211 first tests (2005–2025).
- How much does the KZ650 pass rate vary by year?
- 6.6 percentage points between the highest (1979, 82.0%) and lowest (1980, 75.4%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Kawasaki KZ650 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #3439 of 5428 models· other Kawasaki models: ZX-6R, ZX-9R, ZZR600, ER5, ZZ-R1100, ZX