BMW R1200 vs KAWASAKI ZX-12R

The BMW R1200 passes its MOT first time more often than the KAWASAKI ZX-12R — 92.9% vs 86.2%, a 6.7-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	BMW R1200	KAWASAKI ZX-12R
First-time pass rate	92.9%	86.2%
Outright fail rate	3.7%	7.8%
Median miles at test	20,069	19,137
MOT tests analysed	299,381	33,707
Most common failure	brakes	brakes

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.

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests KAWASAKI ZX-12R 86.2% pass · 33.7k tests

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