Kawasaki Z400 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 563 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 19.4%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Kawasaki Z400 MOT Reliability Overview
The Kawasaki Z400 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 563 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.6% and a failure rate of 19.4%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Kawasaki Z400 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Kawasaki Z400 presents for MOT with approximately 26,802 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1976 models achieve the highest pass rate at 92.1%, while 1977 models have the lowest at 61.3%. This 30.8 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Kawasaki Z400 is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 12.6% of all tests. 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. The second most common issue is Motorcycle steering and suspension at 9.4%. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors rounds out the top three at 6.6%. 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
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 Lighting And Signalling | 14.7% | 83 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 12.8% | 72 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Brakes | 7.3% | 41 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 6.6% | 37 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Drive System | 4.4% | 25 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.1% | 23 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 2.8% | 16 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 2.7% | 15 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 1.8% | 10 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Steering | 1.1% | 6 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Tyres | 1.1% | 6 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 1.1% | 6 |
| 13 | Non-component Advisories | 0.9% | 5 |
| 14 | Items Not Tested | 0.5% | 3 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.4% | 2 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 26,802 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 lighting and signalling | 5.50 | 14.7% | 83 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 4.77 | 12.8% | 72 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 2.72 | 7.3% | 41 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 2.45 | 6.6% | 37 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 1.66 | 4.4% | 25 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 1.52 | 4.1% | 23 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 1.06 | 2.8% | 16 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.99 | 2.7% | 15 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.66 | 1.8% | 10 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.40 | 1.1% | 6 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.40 | 1.1% | 6 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.40 | 1.1% | 6 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.33 | 0.9% | 5 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.20 | 0.5% | 3 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.13 | 0.4% | 2 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Kawasaki Z400 has 26,802 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 Z400 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 7.24% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Kawasaki Z400 MOT Data
The Kawasaki Z400 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 563 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.6% and a failure rate of 19.4%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Kawasaki Z400 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle steering and suspension 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 Z400 is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 12.6% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 12.6% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Z400. 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 steering and suspension — 9.4% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 9.4% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Z400. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 6.6% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 6.6% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Z400. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki Z400?
Based on 563 MOT tests in our database, the Kawasaki Z400 has an overall pass rate of 80.6% (19.4% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Kawasaki Z400?
The top 3 reasons a Kawasaki Z400 fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (12.6%), 2. Motorcycle steering and suspension (9.4%), 3. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (6.6%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Kawasaki Z400 reliable?
With a 19.4% MOT failure rate, the Z400 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Kawasaki Z400?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (12.6%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (9.4%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (6.6%). 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.