KAWASAKI ZR 1000 B8F

953cc Petrol Class 2

#2050 of 5426 overall #233 of 592 KAWASAKIs #1247 of 2787 other bikes

86.5%

first-time pass rate

5.9%

failed outright

11,681

median miles at test

1,635

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2025

The ZR 1000 B8F's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.1 points since 2011, 86.4% to 85.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ZR 1000 B8F's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ZR 1000 B8F passes first time 88.8% of the time; by 30k that's 83.3%.

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 ZR 1000 B8F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	36	23.8	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	25	16.6	0.7×
tyres and wheels	25	16.6	0.7×
brakes	21	13.9	0.3×
Identification of the vehicle	9	6	2.4×
steering and suspension	9	6	0.1×
reg plates and vin	7	4.6	0.5×
tyres	7	4.6	0.6×
suspension	6	4	0.5×
steering	6	4	0.9×

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 ZR 1000 B8F beats 2 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 ZR 1000 B8F.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2008 (86.6% pass). Weakest: 2009 (86.1%).

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 ZR 1000 B8F FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZR 1000 B8F reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZR 1000 B8F is about average for its class: 86.5% of its 1,635 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2050 of 5426 models.

What does a ZR 1000 B8F fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 24% of all defects recorded against failed ZR 1000 B8F tests.

How many miles will a ZR 1000 B8F last?

The median ZR 1000 B8F shows 11,681 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 83.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.