Kawasaki Kle500 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 6,116 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 19.8%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Kawasaki Kle500 MOT Reliability Overview
The Kawasaki Kle500 is a less common vehicle in the UK, with 6,116 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 15 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.2% and a failure rate of 19.8%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Kawasaki Kle500 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Kawasaki Kle500 presents for MOT with approximately 20,033 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2000 models achieve the highest pass rate at 93.0%, while 2003 models have the lowest at 70.0%. This 23.0 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Kawasaki Kle500 is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 12.1% of all tests. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. The second most common issue is Motorcycle lighting and signalling at 8.6%. Motorcycle drive system rounds out the top three at 4.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Kawasaki Kle500. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Kawasaki Kle500 actually sees a 18% decrease in failure rate after the warranty period. This is likely due to survivorship bias — unreliable cars are already off the road by this age. Peak failure occurs at age 19 (28.1% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Brakes | 14.5% | 889 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 9.8% | 597 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Drive System | 5.1% | 313 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 4.7% | 285 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.4% | 269 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.7% | 228 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 2.1% | 131 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 1.9% | 119 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 1.1% | 68 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.9% | 56 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Tyres | 0.8% | 50 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 0.8% | 49 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.5% | 33 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.5% | 32 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.4% | 25 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 20,033 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle brakes | 7.26 | 14.5% | 889 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 4.87 | 9.8% | 597 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 2.55 | 5.1% | 313 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 2.33 | 4.7% | 285 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 2.20 | 4.4% | 269 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.86 | 3.7% | 228 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 1.07 | 2.1% | 131 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.97 | 1.9% | 119 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.56 | 1.1% | 68 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.46 | 0.9% | 56 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.41 | 0.8% | 50 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.40 | 0.8% | 49 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.27 | 0.5% | 33 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.26 | 0.5% | 32 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.20 | 0.4% | 25 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Kawasaki Kle500 has 20,033 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Kawasaki Kle500 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 9.88% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Kawasaki Kle500 MOT Data
The Kawasaki Kle500 is a less common vehicle in the UK, with 6,116 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 15 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.2% and a failure rate of 19.8%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Kawasaki Kle500 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle brakes and motorcycle lighting and signalling for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Kle500 is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 12.1% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 12.1% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Kle500. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 8.6% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 8.6% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Kle500. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Motorcycle drive system — 4.1% of failures
Motorcycle drive system issues account for 4.1% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Kle500. Motorcycle drive system issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki Kle500?
Based on 6,116 MOT tests in our database, the Kawasaki Kle500 has an overall pass rate of 80.2% (19.8% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Kawasaki Kle500?
The top 3 reasons a Kawasaki Kle500 fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (12.1%), 2. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (8.6%), 3. Motorcycle drive system (4.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Kawasaki Kle500 reliable?
With a 19.8% MOT failure rate, the Kle500 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Kawasaki Kle500?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (12.1%); Motorcycle lighting and signalling (8.6%); Motorcycle drive system (4.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.