Ariel VB vs Kawasaki ZX-6R

The Ariel VB passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki ZX-6R: 88.7% vs 78.1%, a 10.6-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Ariel VB	Kawasaki ZX-6R
First-time pass rate	88.7%	78.1%
Outright fail rate	2.7%	14.0%
Engine size	600cc	599cc
Rank among all models	#1370 of 5428	#3895 of 5428
Median miles at test	8,245	19,446
MOT tests analysed	221	173,956
Most common failure	steering and suspension	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 test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Ariel VB	Kawasaki ZX-6R
2006	93.3%	82.8%
2007	84.8%	81.0%
2008	93.8%	78.4%
2010	90.0%	76.3%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

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

Mileage	Ariel VB	Kawasaki ZX-6R
0k-10k miles	89.9%	86.1%
10k-20k miles	83.3%	80.6%

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

ARIEL VB 88.7% pass · 221 tests KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests

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