Kawasaki ER5 MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki ER5 motorcycles pass the MOT 80.24% of the time, measured across 901 tests in the DVSA record. A further 7.1% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 6.6 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 80.24% 723 of 901

Fixed at the station 7.1% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 28,322 miles

Average age at test 24.29 years old

Engine 498cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Kawasaki ER5 adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with not working - it accounts for 34.2% of failed tests on this model.
Then check has a serious fluid leak and does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort (7.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 28,322 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
16+ years	80.24%		901

Why the Kawasaki ER5 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	Not working	34.2%	39
2	Has a serious fluid leak	17.5%	20
3	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	14.9%	17
4	Too low	14.9%	17
5	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	14%	16
6	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	9.6%	11
7	Excessively binding	8.8%	10
8	Insecure	8.8%	10
9	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	8.8%	10
10	Excessively loose	7.9%	9

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	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	7.8%	70
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	5.9%	53
3	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	5.5%	50
4	Has a serious fluid leak	4.7%	42
5	Excessively loose	4.1%	37
6	Excessively stiff or notchy	3.6%	32
7	Has a major leak of exhaust gases	3.1%	28
8	Worn to excess	2.7%	24
9	Has excessive play	2.1%	19
10	Excessively binding	2%	18

Kawasaki ER5 for sale

No Kawasaki ER5 in stock at the moment - 1,107 other Kawasaki bikes are advertised.

Used Kawasaki ER5 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
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
Suzuki GSXR600 · 599cc	3,831	81.83%	25,077

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

Kawasaki ER5 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki ER5?+

80.24% of Kawasaki ER5 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 901 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki ER5?+

Not working, which appears in 34.2% of failed tests on this model.

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.