Kawasaki EX 650 KHF MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki EX 650 KHF motorcycles pass the MOT 89.52% of the time, measured across 210 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.24% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.6 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 89.52% 188 of 210

Fixed at the station 5.24% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 13,078 miles

Average age at test 7.8 years old

Engine 649cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Kawasaki EX 650 KHF adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 63.6% of failed tests on this model.
Then check too high and tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (8.6% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 13,078 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	89.52%		210

Why the Kawasaki EX 650 KHF 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	63.6%	7
2	Too high	36.4%	4
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	36.4%	4
4	Excessively loose	27.3%	3
5	Does not conform to the specified requirements	18.2%	2
6	Grip insecure to handlebar	18.2%	2
7	Worn to excess	18.2%	2
8	Bracket excessively loose	9.1%	1
9	Deformed to the extent that steering is affected	9.1%	1
10	Excessively tight	9.1%	1

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	8.6%	18
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	6.2%	13
3	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.8%	8
4	Excessively loose	2.9%	6
5	Seriously damaged	2.4%	5
6	Significantly and obviously worn	2.4%	5
7	Worn to excess	2.4%	5
8	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	1.9%	4
9	Excessively distorted	1.4%	3
10	In such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1.4%	3

Kawasaki EX 650 KHF for sale

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

Used Kawasaki EX 650 KHF 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 EX 650 KHF MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki EX 650 KHF?+

89.52% of Kawasaki EX 650 KHF MOT tests end in a pass, based on 210 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki EX 650 KHF?+

Missing, which appears in 63.6% 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.