KAWASAKI VN1500 N1

1470cc Petrol Class 2

#1722 of 5426 overall #203 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1043 of 2787 other bikes

87.6%

first-time pass rate

7.0%

failed outright

16,906

median miles at test

502

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2015

The VN1500 N1's first-time pass rate has fallen 10.2 points since 2006, 93.5% to 83.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the VN1500 N1's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage VN1500 N1 passes first time 90.7% of the time; by 40k that's 87.8%.

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 N1

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	19	28.8	0.8×
lighting and signalling	15	22.7	0.5×
tyres and wheels	9	13.6	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	9	13.6	0.9×
tyres	4	6.1	1.2×
driving controls	3	4.5	1.7×
fuel and exhaust	2	3	0.5×
steering and suspension	2	3	0.1×
steering	2	3	1.0×
structure and attachments	1	1.5	0.3×

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 N1 beats 2 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 N1.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2001 (91.0% pass). Weakest: 2000 (86.1%).

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 N1 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI VN1500 N1 reliable?

The KAWASAKI VN1500 N1 is more reliable than average for its class: 87.6% of its 502 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1722 of 5426 models.

What does a VN1500 N1 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed VN1500 N1 tests.

How many miles will a VN1500 N1 last?

The median VN1500 N1 shows 16,906 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 87.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.