Kawasaki EX 649cc MOT pass rate and common failures
Kawasaki EX 649cc motorcycles pass the MOT 86.19% of the time, measured across 1,028 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.54% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
Calculated from DVSA records for Kawasaki EX, 649-650cc.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with not working - it accounts for 47.1% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm and missing, the next two most common reasons.
- Age matters here: 86.6% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 79.07% at 16+ years - a gap of 7.5 points.
- The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (6.3% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 16,639 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-10 years | 86.6% | 761 | |
| 11-15 years | 86.04% | 222 | |
| 16+ years | 79.07% | 43 |
Why the Kawasaki EX 649cc 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 | 47.1% | 40 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 18.8% | 16 | |
| 3 | Missing | 16.5% | 14 | |
| 4 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 10.6% | 9 | |
| 5 | Insecure | 9.4% | 8 | |
| 6 | Excessively loose | 8.2% | 7 | |
| 7 | Grip insecure to handlebar | 8.2% | 7 | |
| 8 | Seriously damaged | 8.2% | 7 | |
| 9 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 7.1% | 6 | |
| 10 | Not working on dipped beam | 7.1% | 6 |
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 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 6.3% | 65 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 6.1% | 63 | |
| 3 | Excessively loose | 5.4% | 55 | |
| 4 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 2.8% | 29 | |
| 5 | Has a serious fluid leak | 2.7% | 28 | |
| 6 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.6% | 27 | |
| 7 | Worn to excess | 1.7% | 17 | |
| 8 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.5% | 15 | |
| 9 | Has an excessively worn bush | 1.3% | 13 | |
| 10 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 1.3% | 13 |
Kawasaki EX 649cc for sale
No Kawasaki EX 649cc in stock at the moment - 1,111 other Kawasaki bikes are advertised.
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 | |
| Honda CBR600F · 599cc | 4,914 | 85.61% | 30,486 | |
| Suzuki GSF600 · 600cc | 4,890 | 80% | 29,308 | |
| Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc | 4,713 | 81.54% | 26,085 | |
| Royal Enfield INTERCEPTOR INT 650 · 649cc | 4,016 | 91.24% | 5,914 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method