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League table/ KAWASAKI/ZEPHYR 1100
Model report · 2005–2025

KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 1100

1062cc Petrol Class 2
#2962 of 5428 overall #351 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1874 of 2788 other bikes
83.0%
first-time pass rate
10.7%
failed outright
23,566
median miles at test
5,141
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+0.2pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The ZEPHYR 1100's first-time pass rate has risen 6.5 points since 2005, 82.0% to 88.5%.

75%83%91%2005: 82.0% pass (61 tests)2006: 83.3% pass (414 tests)2007: 82.6% pass (384 tests)2008: 83.3% pass (348 tests)2009: 81.5% pass (368 tests)2010: 79.9% pass (318 tests)2011: 81.3% pass (321 tests)2012: 77.3% pass (278 tests)2013: 82.1% pass (273 tests)2014: 78.9% pass (266 tests)2015: 84.1% pass (252 tests)2016: 83.1% pass (242 tests)2017: 83.9% pass (230 tests)2018: 84.6% pass (182 tests)2019: 85.0% pass (180 tests)2020: 84.7% pass (157 tests)2021: 84.9% pass (199 tests)2022: 86.7% pass (196 tests)2023: 87.8% pass (181 tests)2024: 86.6% pass (134 tests)2025: 88.5% pass (157 tests)20052025

Pass rate by mileage

how the ZEPHYR 1100's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ZEPHYR 1100 passes first time 85.0% of the time; by 50k that's 75.2%.

73%80%87%0k: 85.0% pass (547 tests)10k: 84.7% pass (1,426 tests)20k: 83.9% pass (1,451 tests)30k: 82.4% pass (960 tests)40k: 77.6% pass (474 tests)50k: 75.2% pass (141 tests)0k30k50k

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 ZEPHYR 1100

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
323 28.2 1.1×
lighting and signalling
228 19.9 0.7×
steering and suspension
192 16.8 1.0×
tyres and wheels
111 9.7 0.9×
lamps and reflectors
64 5.6 0.5×
fuel and exhaust
63 5.5 1.4×
reg plates and vin
53 4.6 1.4×
drive system
45 3.9 1.0×
suspension
42 3.7 1.0×
driving controls
24 2.1 2.0×

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 ZEPHYR 1100 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests Compare head-to-head →
BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests Compare head-to-head →
TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 ZEPHYR 1100.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the Zephyr 1100

More KAWASAKI models

other KAWASAKI bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests
KAWASAKI ZX-9R 80.7% pass · 89.0k tests
KAWASAKI ZZR600 79.0% pass · 53.7k tests
KAWASAKI ER5 77.4% pass · 53.1k tests
KAWASAKI ZZ-R1100 80.8% pass · 39.7k tests
KAWASAKI ZX 89.4% pass · 34.6k tests

See all KAWASAKI models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1997 (85.1% pass). Weakest: 1992 (81.8%).

81%83%86%1992: 81.8% pass (1,709 tests)1993: 83.4% pass (1,364 tests)1994: 83.9% pass (794 tests)1995: 83.2% pass (416 tests)1996: 81.9% pass (326 tests)1997: 85.1% pass (328 tests)1998: 83.7% pass (104 tests)199219951998

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 ZEPHYR 1100 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 1100 reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 1100 is about average for its class: 83.0% of its 5,141 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2962 of 5428 models.

What does a ZEPHYR 1100 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed ZEPHYR 1100 tests.

What is the best year of ZEPHYR 1100 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1997-registered examples do best (85.1%) and 1992 worst (81.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ZEPHYR 1100 last?

The median ZEPHYR 1100 shows 23,566 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 75.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.

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