KAWASAKI Z550-G9

553cc Petrol Class 2

#4195 of 5426 overall #509 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2614 of 2787 other bikes

75.9%

first-time pass rate

12.7%

failed outright

36,650

median miles at test

212

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2007

The Z550-G9's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.8 points since 2006, 79.5% to 73.7%.

What fails on a Z550-G9

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
steering and suspension	23	31.1
brakes	19	25.7
lighting and signalling	13	17.6
body and structure	7	9.5
tyres and wheels	3	4.1
fuel and exhaust	3	4.1
reg plates and vin	2	2.7
driving controls	2	2.7
Items Not Tested	2	2.7

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 Z550-G9 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 Z550-G9.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (79.7% pass). Weakest: 2000 (76.8%).

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.