KAWASAKI VN1500 G1

1470cc Petrol Class 2

#1818 of 5426 overall #213 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1101 of 2787 other bikes

87.3%

first-time pass rate

8.3%

failed outright

19,411

median miles at test

661

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The VN1500 G1's first-time pass rate has fallen 12.7 points since 2006, 96.0% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VN1500 G1's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VN1500 G1 passes first time 93.9% of the time; by 40k that's 80.0%.

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 VN1500 G1

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	26	27.1	0.7×
lighting and signalling	19	19.8	0.5×
tyres and wheels	16	16.7	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	10	10.4	0.8×
steering and suspension	10	10.4	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	7	7.3	1.2×
reg plates and vin	3	3.1	0.8×
body and structure	2	2.1	0.6×
Identification of the vehicle	2	2.1	1.3×
Items Not Tested	1	1	1.6×

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 VN1500 G1 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, SUZUKI GSF1200).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k 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 VN1500 G1.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1999 (95.2% pass). Weakest: 1998 (88.1%).

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 VN1500 G1 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI VN1500 G1 reliable?

The KAWASAKI VN1500 G1 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.3% of its 661 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1818 of 5426 models.

What does a VN1500 G1 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 27% of all defects recorded against failed VN1500 G1 tests.

How many miles will a VN1500 G1 last?

The median VN1500 G1 shows 19,411 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 80.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.