Ariel 350 vs Kawasaki ZXR400

The Ariel 350 passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki ZXR400: 92.7% vs 73.1%, a 19.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Ariel 350	Kawasaki ZXR400
First-time pass rate	92.7%	73.1%
Outright fail rate	4.0%	18.9%
Engine size	350cc	398cc
Median miles at test	30,325	23,651
MOT tests analysed	151	14,200
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	lighting and signalling

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Ariel 350	Kawasaki ZXR400
0k-10k miles	92.5%	87.1%
30k-40k miles	97.6%	67.8%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

ARIEL 350 92.7% pass · 151 tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.