Kawasaki ER 650 HKF MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki ER 650 HKF motorcycles pass the MOT 90.93% of the time, measured across 430 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.88% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 4.1 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 90.93% 391 of 430

Fixed at the station 4.88% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 12,805 miles

Average age at test 5.79 years old

Engine 649cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Kawasaki ER 650 HKF adverts

What to check before the MOT

Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.

Start with missing - it accounts for 61.1% of failed tests on this model.
Then check not working on main beam and excessively tight, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 12,805 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.

Pass rate by age

A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.

Age at test	Pass rate		Tests
3-5 years	91.39%		267
6-10 years	90.18%		163

Why the Kawasaki ER 650 HKF fails

Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.

#	Item	Of failures	Tests
1	Missing	61.1%	11
2	Not working on main beam	33.3%	6
3	Excessively tight	22.2%	4
4	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	22.2%	4
5	Seriously damaged	22.2%	4
6	Less than 1.0 mm thick	16.7%	3
7	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	16.7%	3
8	Not working	16.7%	3
9	Not working on dipped beam	16.7%	3
10	Too high	16.7%	3

Most common advisories

Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.

#	Item	Of all tests	Tests
1	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	7.2%	31
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	5.8%	25
3	Excessively loose	5.3%	23
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.8%	12
5	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	2.6%	11
6	Tread not clearly visible	1.6%	7
7	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	1.4%	6
8	Inscription illegible	1.4%	6
9	Worn to excess	1.4%	6
10	Excessively binding	1.2%	5

Kawasaki ER 650 HKF for sale

No Kawasaki ER 650 HKF in stock at the moment - 1,110 other Kawasaki bikes are advertised.

Used Kawasaki ER 650 HKF Used Kawasaki All Kawasaki Kawasaki MOT statistics

Similar bikes compared

Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.

Model	Tests	Pass rate	Avg mileage
Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc	5,400	89.76%	19,444
Honda NC · 741cc	5,311	89.53%	22,765
Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc	4,890	80%	29,308
Honda CBR600F · 599cc	4,710	85.56%	30,651
Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc	4,510	81.62%	26,019
Suzuki SV650 · 646cc	3,834	80.99%	27,644

Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method

Kawasaki ER 650 HKF MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki ER 650 HKF?+

90.93% of Kawasaki ER 650 HKF MOT tests end in a pass, based on 430 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki ER 650 HKF?+

Missing, which appears in 61.1% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Kawasaki ER 650 HKF get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 90.18%, against 91.39% for examples 3-5 years old.

Where does this data come from?+

From the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, which records every MOT carried out in England, Scotland and Wales. It is published under the Open Government Licence and covers 2025.

Does a high pass rate mean the bike is reliable?+

Not by itself. The MOT checks safety items - brakes, tyres, lights, structure - and says nothing about engines, gearboxes or electrics. Read it as a maintenance signal, not a reliability score.