KAWASAKI SC

299cc Petrol Class 2

#1666 of 5426 overall #199 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1010 of 2787 other bikes

87.8%

first-time pass rate

9.0%

failed outright

9,046

median miles at test

2,568

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2017–2025

The SC's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.0 points since 2017, 94.2% to 88.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage SC passes first time 91.3% of the time; by 30k that's 85.1%.

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 SC

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	165	36.3	1.1×
tyres	87	19.1	4.2×
lamps and reflectors	61	13.4	1.2×
suspension	57	12.5	2.2×
steering	44	9.7	3.8×
structure and attachments	18	4	0.9×
steering and suspension	8	1.8	0.1×
lighting and signalling	7	1.5	0.1×
tyres and wheels	5	1.1	0.1×
wheels	3	0.7	1.9×

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 SC beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, YAMAHA RD350, YAMAHA YP250).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests YAMAHA YP250 82.5% pass · 12.4k tests YAMAHA WR250F 78.0% pass · 10.5k 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 SC.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2014 (91.5% pass). Weakest: 2017 (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 SC FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI SC reliable?

The KAWASAKI SC is more reliable than average for its class: 87.8% of its 2,568 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1666 of 5426 models.

What does a SC fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 36% of all defects recorded against failed SC tests.

What is the best year of SC to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2014-registered examples do best (91.5%) and 2017 worst (81.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a SC last?

The median SC shows 9,046 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 85.1% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.