Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025
Kawasaki Z650: MOT pass rate by registration year
Which Z650 years pass first time, and which fall short of the model's 81.6% average, from 7,430 DVSA tests.
Pass rate by registration year
Highest pass rate: 1983 (85.6% of 201 tests). Lowest: 1985 (76.1% of 67). Years more than two points below the model average: 1971, 1981, 1985.
| Registered | Tests | First-time pass | vs model (81.6%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 62 | 77.4% | -4.2 pp |
| 1976 | 130 | 82.3% | +0.7 pp |
| 1977 | 1,232 | 83.4% | +1.8 pp |
| 1978 | 1,728 | 80.2% | -1.4 pp |
| 1979 | 1,210 | 84.1% | +2.5 pp |
| 1980 | 1,295 | 80.2% | -1.4 pp |
| 1981 | 722 | 77.0% | -4.6 pp |
| 1982 | 351 | 83.2% | +1.6 pp |
| 1983 | 201 | 85.6% | +4.0 pp |
| 1984 | 238 | 84.5% | +2.9 pp |
| 1985 | 67 | 76.1% | -5.5 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 Z650 years have the lowest MOT pass rate?
- 1971, 1981, 1985 registered examples pass first time less often than the Kawasaki Z650 overall (81.6%); the 1985 cohort is lowest at 76.1% from 67 tests.
- Which Z650 year has the highest MOT pass rate?
- 1983, at 85.6% of 201 first tests (2005–2025). Years more than two points above the model average: 1979, 1983, 1984.
- How much does the Z650 pass rate vary by year?
- 9.5 percentage points between the highest (1983, 85.6%) and lowest (1985, 76.1%) 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 Z650 reliability, failures and mileage · ranked #3254 of 5428 models· other Kawasaki models: ZX-6R, ZX-9R, ZZR600, ER5, ZZ-R1100, ZX