KAWASAKI NINJA

600cc Petrol Class 2

#4095 of 5426 overall #494 of 592 KAWASAKIs #190 of 226 sport bikes

76.7%

first-time pass rate

15.7%

failed outright

21,678

median miles at test

1,845

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The NINJA's first-time pass rate has fallen 9.1 points since 2006, 79.4% to 70.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage NINJA passes first time 80.5% of the time; by 50k that's 62.7%.

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 NINJA

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	224	32.8	1.8×
brakes	145	21.2	1.3×
steering and suspension	115	16.8	1.5×
tyres and wheels	65	9.5	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	31	4.5	0.8×
drive system	26	3.8	1.7×
fuel and exhaust	25	3.7	1.6×
reg plates and vin	23	3.4	1.8×
body and structure	15	2.2	1.4×
suspension	14	2	0.7×

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 NINJA beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA CBR600F, YAMAHA YZF-R6, SUZUKI GSXR600).

HONDA CBR600F 81.7% pass · 202k tests YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests SUZUKI GSXR600 76.7% pass · 149k tests SUZUKI GSXR750 79.8% pass · 99.2k 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 NINJA.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (86.7% pass). Weakest: 1995 (68.8%).

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 NINJA FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI NINJA reliable?

The KAWASAKI NINJA is less reliable than average for its class: 76.7% of its 1,845 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4095 of 5426 models.

What does a NINJA fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed NINJA tests.

What is the best year of NINJA to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2001-registered examples do best (86.7%) and 1995 worst (68.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a NINJA last?

The median NINJA shows 21,678 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 62.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.