KAWASAKI ZR1100-D4

1052cc Petrol Class 2

#4044 of 5426 overall #484 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2555 of 2787 other bikes

77.1%

first-time pass rate

16.0%

failed outright

31,354

median miles at test

593

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2016

The ZR1100-D4's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.3 points since 2006, 85.7% to 84.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ZR1100-D4's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ZR1100-D4 passes first time 84.7% of the time; by 40k that's 81.9%.

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 ZR1100-D4

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	60	33	1.6×
steering and suspension	46	25.3	2.0×
lighting and signalling	31	17	1.0×
tyres and wheels	22	12.1	1.6×
drive system	6	3.3	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	5	2.7	1.1×
driving controls	4	2.2	2.9×
lamps and reflectors	3	1.6	0.3×
suspension	3	1.6	0.5×
reg plates and vin	2	1.1	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 ZR1100-D4 beats 0 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 ZR1100-D4.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1996 (77.5% pass). Weakest: 1997 (75.0%).

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 ZR1100-D4 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZR1100-D4 reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZR1100-D4 is less reliable than average for its class: 77.1% of its 593 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4044 of 5426 models.

What does a ZR1100-D4 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed ZR1100-D4 tests.

How many miles will a ZR1100-D4 last?

The median ZR1100-D4 shows 31,354 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 81.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.