BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ KAWASAKI/ZX 1000 WHF
Model report · 2005–2025

KAWASAKI ZX 1000 WHF

1043cc Petrol Class 2
92.7%
first-time pass rate
3.3%
failed outright
10,103
median miles at test
4,467
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2020–2025

The ZX 1000 WHF's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.6 points since 2020, 96.0% to 93.4%.

89%93%97%2020: 96.0% pass (985 tests)2021: 91.1% pass (779 tests)2022: 90.8% pass (780 tests)2023: 93.5% pass (733 tests)2024: 90.3% pass (575 tests)2025: 93.4% pass (603 tests)20202025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage ZX 1000 WHF passes first time 93.7% of the time; by 30k that's 91.3%.

86%91%95%0k: 93.7% pass (2,012 tests)10k: 91.3% pass (1,479 tests)20k: 87.4% pass (451 tests)30k: 91.3% pass (92 tests)0k20k30k

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 ZX 1000 WHF

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lamps and reflectors
59 26.6 0.6×
tyres
56 25.2 1.5×
brakes
32 14.4 0.2×
structure and attachments
29 13.1 0.9×
Identification of the vehicle
17 7.7 1.6×
suspension
13 5.9 0.4×
steering
8 3.6 0.4×
audible warning (Horn)
6 2.7 0.7×
wheels
2 0.9 0.7×

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 ZX 1000 WHF beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

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 ZX 1000 WHF.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2017 (93.0% pass). Weakest: 2018 (89.2%).

88%91%94%2017: 93.0% pass (4,320 tests)2018: 89.2% pass (120 tests)20172018

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 ZX 1000 WHF FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZX 1000 WHF reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZX 1000 WHF is more reliable than average for its class: 92.7% of its 4,467 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #343 of 5426 models.

What does a ZX 1000 WHF fail its MOT on most?

lamps and reflectors — 27% of all defects recorded against failed ZX 1000 WHF tests.

How many miles will a ZX 1000 WHF last?

The median ZX 1000 WHF shows 10,103 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 91.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.