MZ 500R vs Kawasaki ZX-6R

The MZ 500R passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki ZX-6R: 90.4% vs 78.1%, a 12.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	MZ 500R	Kawasaki ZX-6R
First-time pass rate	90.4%	78.1%
Outright fail rate	3.7%	14.0%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+7.7 pts	-5.8 pts
Engine size	494cc	599cc
Median miles at test	22,513	19,446
MOT tests analysed	188	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.

"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.

Pass rate by mileage

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

Mileage	MZ 500R	Kawasaki ZX-6R
10k-20k miles	91.3%	80.6%
20k-30k miles	96.4%	75.4%

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

MZ 500R 90.4% pass · 188 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.