Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Kawasaki Z400: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which Z400 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 80.5% average, from 781 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1981 (90.4% of 52 tests). Lowest: 1978 (73.1% of 67). Years more than two points below the model average: 1978.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (80.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 125 | 86.4% | +5.9 pp |
| 1978 | 67 | 73.1% | -7.4 pp |
| 1979 | 127 | 81.1% | +0.6 pp |
| 1980 | 253 | 80.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 52 | 90.4% | +9.9 pp |
Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years. A first-time MOT pass is a roadworthiness check, not a full mechanical inspection.
Pass rate over time
Questions
- Which Z400 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1978 registered examples pass first time less often than the Kawasaki Z400 overall (80.5%); the 1978 cohort is lowest at 73.1% from 67 tests.
- Which Z400 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1981, at 90.4% of 52 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1976, 1981.
- How much does the Z400 pass rate vary by year?
- 17.3 percentage points between the highest (1981, 90.4%) and lowest (1978, 73.1%) cohorts with at least 50 tests. Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.
Full report: Kawasaki Z400 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #3478 of 5428 models· other Kawasaki models: ZX-6R, ZX-9R, ZZR600, ER5, ZZ-R1100, ZX