Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb vs BMW R1200

The Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb passes its MOT first time more often than the BMW R1200: 95.0% vs 92.9%, a 2.1-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb	BMW R1200
First-time pass rate	95.0%	92.9%
Outright fail rate	0.9%	3.7%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+6.0 pts	+8.6 pts
Engine size	948cc	1,170cc
Rank among all models	#77 of 5428	#315 of 5428
Median miles at test	4,739	20,069
MOT tests analysed	2,593	299,381
Most common failure	Identification of the vehicle	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 ZR 900 Cjfb	BMW R1200
Brakes	0.0%	1.5%
Tyres & wheels	0.2%	1.0%
Lights & signalling	0.2%	0.9%
Steering & suspension	0.1%	0.7%
Structure & body	0.2%	0.1%

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 ZR 900 Cjfb	BMW R1200
2021	93.9%	93.9%
2022	95.1%	93.8%
2023	94.6%	94.1%
2024	96.1%	94.0%
2025	95.7%	94.2%

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 ZR 900 Cjfb	BMW R1200
0k-10k miles	95.1%	94.8%
10k-20k miles	94.3%	93.7%
20k-30k miles	97.6%	92.8%

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

Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb vs BMW R1200 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb or the BMW R1200?

The Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb passes its MOT first time more often than the BMW R1200: 95.0% vs 92.9%, a 2.1-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the BMW R1200 still comes out ahead: +6.0 points vs comparable bikes for the Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb, +8.6 for the BMW R1200. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb fail its MOT on most?

Tyres & wheels: 0.2% of Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb MOT tests failed on it, then lights & signalling (0.2%).

What does the BMW R1200 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 1.5% of BMW R1200 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (1.0%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb or the BMW R1200?

At 20k-30k miles the Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb passes first time more often: 97.6% for the Kawasaki ZR 900 Cjfb vs 92.8% for the BMW R1200.

KAWASAKI ZR 900 CJFB 95.0% pass · 2,593 tests BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests

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