Norton Navigator vs Kawasaki ZXR400

The Norton Navigator passes its MOT first time more often than the Kawasaki ZXR400: 91.0% vs 73.1%, a 17.9-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Norton Navigator	Kawasaki ZXR400
First-time pass rate	91.0%	73.1%
Outright fail rate	3.8%	18.9%
Engine size	350cc	398cc
Rank among all models	#682 of 5428	#4490 of 5428
Median miles at test	15,546	23,651
MOT tests analysed	469	14,200
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	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	Norton Navigator	Kawasaki ZXR400
2010	91.7%	68.5%
2011	91.9%	71.2%
2012	83.8%	69.5%
2013	92.3%	68.6%
2014	95.0%	70.6%
2015	88.6%	75.5%
2016	97.1%	75.6%
2017	94.6%	74.7%

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	Norton Navigator	Kawasaki ZXR400
0k-10k miles	91.4%	87.1%
10k-20k miles	90.4%	77.4%
20k-30k miles	90.1%	69.9%
30k-40k miles	85.0%	67.8%

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

NORTON NAVIGATOR 91.0% pass · 469 tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k tests

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