KAWASAKI VN 1700 E9F CLASSIC

1700cc Petrol Class 2

#823 of 5426 overall #92 of 592 KAWASAKIs #502 of 2787 other bikes

90.4%

first-time pass rate

3.5%

failed outright

10,987

median miles at test

228

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate by mileage

how the VN 1700 E9F CLASSIC's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VN 1700 E9F CLASSIC passes first time 97.0% of the time; by 20k that's 83.3%.

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 VN 1700 E9F CLASSIC

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
lamps and reflectors	6	40
brakes	2	13.3
steering and suspension	2	13.3
tyres	1	6.7
Identification of the vehicle	1	6.7
tyres and wheels	1	6.7
lighting and signalling	1	6.7
structure and attachments	1	6.7

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the VN 1700 E9F CLASSIC beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA XJR1300, SUZUKI GSX1400, SUZUKI GSX1300R).

YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k tests SUZUKI GSX1400 88.3% pass · 56.8k tests SUZUKI GSX1300R 86.3% pass · 48.4k tests KAWASAKI ZX-12R 86.2% pass · 33.7k 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 VN 1700 E9F CLASSIC.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (92.7% pass). Weakest: 2011 (91.4%).

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.