BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ VELOCETTE/KSS
Model report · 2005–2025

VELOCETTE KSS

350cc Petrol Class 2
#415 of 5428 overall #9 of 13 VELOCETTEs #257 of 2788 other bikes
92.3%
first-time pass rate
2.1%
failed outright
5,025
median miles at test
559
MOT tests, 2005–2025

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.

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2012

The KSS's first-time pass rate has fallen 10.4 points since 2006, 95.9% to 85.5%.

83%91%99%2006: 95.9% pass (73 tests)2007: 95.6% pass (68 tests)2008: 92.9% pass (70 tests)2009: 93.1% pass (72 tests)2010: 91.5% pass (71 tests)2011: 94.6% pass (74 tests)2012: 85.5% pass (62 tests)20062012

What fails on a KSS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
6 21.4 0.2×
tyres and wheels
6 21.4 0.4×
steering and suspension
5 17.9 0.2×
lighting and signalling
4 14.3 0.1×
Items Not Tested
2 7.1 3.9×
body and structure
2 7.1 0.4×
fuel and exhaust
1 3.6 0.2×
tyres
1 3.6 0.3×
driving controls
1 3.6 0.8×

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 KSS beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests Compare head-to-head →
KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k 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 KSS.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the KSS

More VELOCETTE models

other VELOCETTE bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
VELOCETTE VENOM 94.4% pass · 5,005 tests
VELOCETTE VIPER 93.8% pass · 1,970 tests
VELOCETTE LE 92.2% pass · 1,968 tests
VELOCETTE MAC 92.5% pass · 1,489 tests
VELOCETTE MSS 95.2% pass · 1,232 tests
VELOCETTE THRUXTON 95.3% pass · 570 tests

See all VELOCETTE models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1938 (96.6% pass). Weakest: 1947 (86.6%).

85%92%99%1930: 96.2% pass (53 tests)1938: 96.6% pass (59 tests)1947: 86.6% pass (127 tests)193019381947

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.

VELOCETTE KSS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the VELOCETTE KSS reliable?

The VELOCETTE KSS is more reliable than average for its class: 92.3% of its 559 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #415 of 5428 models.

What does a KSS fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 21% of all defects recorded against failed KSS tests.

What is the best year of KSS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1938-registered examples do best (96.6%) and 1947 worst (86.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

Embed this bike

Free to embed on your site, blog or forum — a live Velocette KSS reliability card that stays up to date and links back here. More on the free API page.