Kawasaki Er 650 CBF vs Yamaha FZS600

The Kawasaki Er 650 CBF passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 86.5% vs 82.6%, a 3.9-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Yamaha FZS600
First-time pass rate	86.5%	82.6%
Outright fail rate	7.6%	10.6%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+0.5 pts	-0.8 pts
Engine size	649cc	599cc
Rank among all models	#2052 of 5428	#3052 of 5428
Median miles at test	13,097	21,612
MOT tests analysed	1,664	136,558
Most common failure	lamps and reflectors	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.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Yamaha FZS600
Lights & signalling	3.4%	3.4%
Brakes	1.9%	4.5%
Tyres & wheels	2.0%	2.9%
Steering & suspension	1.5%	2.7%
Structure & body	1.0%	1.1%
Drive system	0.7%	0.9%
Fuel & exhaust	0.2%	1.1%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

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

Test year	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Yamaha FZS600
2018	86.9%	81.3%
2019	81.5%	83.0%
2020	90.9%	83.6%
2021	83.3%	82.8%
2022	84.2%	83.6%
2023	85.0%	84.2%
2024	80.2%	83.3%
2025	85.6%	84.0%

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	Kawasaki Er 650 CBF	Yamaha FZS600
0k-10k miles	91.0%	89.6%
10k-20k miles	86.1%	85.5%
20k-30k miles	85.2%	81.4%
30k-40k miles	77.4%	78.7%

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

Kawasaki Er 650 CBF vs Yamaha FZS600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF or the Yamaha FZS600?

The Kawasaki Er 650 CBF passes its MOT first time more often than the Yamaha FZS600: 86.5% vs 82.6%, a 3.9-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF still comes out ahead: +0.5 points vs comparable bikes for the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF, -0.8 for the Yamaha FZS600. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 3.4% of Kawasaki Er 650 CBF MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (2.0%).

What does the Yamaha FZS600 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 4.5% of Yamaha FZS600 MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (3.4%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF or the Yamaha FZS600?

At 30k-40k miles the Yamaha FZS600 passes first time more often: 77.4% for the Kawasaki Er 650 CBF vs 78.7% for the Yamaha FZS600.

KAWASAKI ER 650 CBF 86.5% pass · 1,664 tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests

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