Kawasaki Zz-r1200 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 2,484 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 13.7%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Kawasaki Zz-r1200 MOT Reliability Overview
The Kawasaki Zz-r1200 is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,484 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.3% and a failure rate of 13.7%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Kawasaki Zz-r1200 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Kawasaki Zz-r1200 presents for MOT with approximately 27,397 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2004 models achieve the highest pass rate at 88.2%, while 2003 models have the lowest at 85.2%. This 3.0 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Kawasaki Zz-r1200 is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 7.7% 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 steering and suspension at 3.8%. Motorcycle tyres and wheels rounds out the top three at 3.7%. 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 Zz-r1200. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 6 to 19 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Kawasaki Zz-r1200 shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 6 (17.8% 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 | 8.5% | 212 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 4.5% | 111 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.0% | 99 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 3.3% | 82 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.2% | 80 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Suspension | 2.3% | 58 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Tyres | 1.6% | 39 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.5% | 38 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Drive System | 1.5% | 38 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Steering | 1.0% | 26 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 0.4% | 11 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 0.4% | 9 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Driving Controls | 0.3% | 7 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.1% | 3 |
| 15 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.1% | 3 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 27,397 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 | 3.12 | 8.5% | 212 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 1.63 | 4.5% | 111 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 1.45 | 4.0% | 99 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 1.20 | 3.3% | 82 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.18 | 3.2% | 80 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.85 | 2.3% | 58 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 0.57 | 1.6% | 39 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.56 | 1.5% | 38 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.56 | 1.5% | 38 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.38 | 1.0% | 26 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.16 | 0.4% | 11 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.13 | 0.4% | 9 |
| Motorcycle driving controls | 0.10 | 0.3% | 7 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.04 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.04 | 0.1% | 3 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Kawasaki Zz-r1200 has 27,397 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 Zz-r1200 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 5.00% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Kawasaki Zz-r1200 MOT Data
The Kawasaki Zz-r1200 is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,484 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.3% and a failure rate of 13.7%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Kawasaki Zz-r1200 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 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 Zz-r1200 is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 7.7% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 7.7% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Zz-r1200. 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 steering and suspension — 3.8% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 3.8% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Zz-r1200. 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 tyres and wheels — 3.7% of failures
Motorcycle tyres and wheels issues account for 3.7% of MOT failures on the Kawasaki Zz-r1200. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki Zz-r1200?
Based on 2,484 MOT tests in our database, the Kawasaki Zz-r1200 has an overall pass rate of 86.3% (13.7% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Kawasaki Zz-r1200?
The top 3 reasons a Kawasaki Zz-r1200 fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (7.7%), 2. Motorcycle steering and suspension (3.8%), 3. Motorcycle tyres and wheels (3.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Kawasaki Zz-r1200 reliable?
With a 13.7% MOT failure rate, the Zz-r1200 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Kawasaki Zz-r1200?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (7.7%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (3.8%); Motorcycle tyres and wheels (3.7%). 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.