KAWASAKI ZX 600-G1

599cc Petrol Class 2

#4420 of 5426 overall #544 of 592 KAWASAKIs #2707 of 2787 other bikes

73.8%

first-time pass rate

16.7%

failed outright

23,924

median miles at test

1,007

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2012

The ZX 600-G1's first-time pass rate has fallen 24.0 points since 2005, 75.6% to 51.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the ZX 600-G1's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage ZX 600-G1 passes first time 73.9% of the time; by 40k that's 72.7%.

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-G1

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	104	26.1	1.7×
steering and suspension	97	24.4	2.3×
lighting and signalling	82	20.6	1.5×
tyres and wheels	49	12.3	2.0×
fuel and exhaust	17	4.3	2.1×
body and structure	14	3.5	2.5×
structure and attachments	10	2.5	1.2×
reg plates and vin	10	2.5	1.7×
lamps and reflectors	8	2	0.4×
tyres	7	1.8	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 ZX 600-G1 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 ZX 600-G1.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1998 (74.0% pass). Weakest: 1999 (71.3%).

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-G1 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the KAWASAKI ZX 600-G1 reliable?

The KAWASAKI ZX 600-G1 is less reliable than average for its class: 73.8% of its 1,007 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4420 of 5426 models.

What does a ZX 600-G1 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 26% of all defects recorded against failed ZX 600-G1 tests.

How many miles will a ZX 600-G1 last?

The median ZX 600-G1 shows 23,924 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 72.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.