BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ KAWASAKI/ZX 600 E6F
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

KAWASAKI ZX 600 E6F

599cc Petrol Class 2
#1147 of 5428 overall #137 of 592 KAWASAKIs #698 of 2788 other bikes
89.4%
first-time pass rate
6.4%
failed outright
11,705
median miles at test
1,151
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+3.4pp
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 · 2009–2025

The ZX 600 E6F's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.3 points since 2009, 90.3% to 84.0%.

80%90%100%2009: 90.3% pass (31 tests)2010: 87.9% pass (66 tests)2011: 98.9% pass (89 tests)2012: 90.1% pass (91 tests)2013: 87.8% pass (90 tests)2014: 90.0% pass (90 tests)2015: 88.5% pass (87 tests)2016: 88.3% pass (77 tests)2017: 92.8% pass (83 tests)2018: 89.3% pass (56 tests)2019: 84.5% pass (58 tests)2020: 90.7% pass (43 tests)2021: 87.0% pass (69 tests)2022: 90.5% pass (63 tests)2023: 85.2% pass (61 tests)2024: 88.4% pass (43 tests)2025: 84.0% pass (50 tests)20092025

Pass rate by mileage

how the ZX 600 E6F's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ZX 600 E6F passes first time 92.9% of the time; by 30k that's 74.0%.

70%83%97%0k: 92.9% pass (494 tests)10k: 91.8% pass (390 tests)20k: 84.1% pass (145 tests)30k: 74.0% pass (77 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 600 E6F

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
59 38.1 0.7×
lamps and reflectors
27 17.4 1.0×
tyres and wheels
18 11.6 0.6×
lighting and signalling
9 5.8 0.1×
structure and attachments
9 5.8 0.6×
suspension
9 5.8 0.8×
drive system
7 4.5 0.8×
steering and suspension
7 4.5 0.2×
tyres
6 3.9 0.4×
wheels
4 2.6 4.3×

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 600 E6F beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 ZX 600 E6F.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the ZX 600 E6F

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

Highest pass rate: 2007 (92.2%). Lowest: 2005 (82.4%). Every ZX 600 E6F year compared →

80%87%94%2005: 82.4% pass (74 tests)2006: 89.1% pass (385 tests)2007: 92.2% pass (436 tests)2008: 87.1% pass (256 tests)200520072008

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 600 E6F FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZX 600 E6F reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZX 600 E6F is more reliable than average for its class: 89.4% of its 1,151 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1147 of 5428 models.

What does a ZX 600 E6F fail its MOT on most?

brakes: 38% of all defects recorded against failed ZX 600 E6F tests.

What is the best year of ZX 600 E6F to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (92.2%) and 2005 worst (82.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ZX 600 E6F last?

The median ZX 600 E6F shows 11,705 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 74.0% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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