KAWASAKI ZL1000

998cc Petrol Class 2

#2960 of 5426 overall #351 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1873 of 2787 other bikes

83.0%

first-time pass rate

9.5%

failed outright

28,478

median miles at test

1,058

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The ZL1000's first-time pass rate has risen 7.7 points since 2006, 77.6% to 85.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ZL1000's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ZL1000 passes first time 86.2% of the time; by 50k that's 92.3%.

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 ZL1000

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	58	27.8	1.0×
lighting and signalling	50	23.9	0.7×
steering and suspension	30	14.4	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	17	8.1	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	15	7.2	1.6×
tyres and wheels	11	5.3	0.5×
reg plates and vin	9	4.3	1.3×
suspension	8	3.8	0.8×
structure and attachments	7	3.3	1.0×
body and structure	4	1.9	0.6×

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 ZL1000 beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 ZL1000.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1988 (86.5% pass). Weakest: 1987 (80.2%).

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 ZL1000 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZL1000 reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZL1000 is about average for its class: 83.0% of its 1,058 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2960 of 5426 models.

What does a ZL1000 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed ZL1000 tests.

What is the best year of ZL1000 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1988-registered examples do best (86.5%) and 1987 worst (80.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ZL1000 last?

The median ZL1000 shows 28,478 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 92.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.