Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA motorcycles pass the MOT 90.39% of the time, measured across 333 tests in the DVSA record. A further 3.3% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Better than average: 3.5 points above the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 90.39% 301 of 333
Fixed at the station 3.3% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 9,516 miles
Average age at test 5.72 years old
Engine 649cc MOT class 1 and 2
For sale now 0 Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

  • Start with missing - it accounts for 33.3% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm and less than 1.0 mm thick, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 9,516 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 89.81% 216
6-10 years 91.45% 117

Why the Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA 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 33.3% 7
2 Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm 23.8% 5
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 14.3% 3
4 Excessively binding 9.5% 2
5 Has a serious fluid leak 9.5% 2
6 Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps 9.5% 2
7 Not working 9.5% 2
8 Not working on dipped beam 9.5% 2
9 Too low 9.5% 2
10 Does not conform to the specified requirements 4.8% 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 7.8% 26
2 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 7.5% 25
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 4.2% 14
4 Excessively loose 3.9% 13
5 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 1.5% 5
6 Excessively binding 1.2% 4
7 Excessively tight 1.2% 4
8 Has a serious fluid leak 1.2% 4
9 Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied 1.2% 4
10 Worn to excess 1.2% 4

Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA for sale

No Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA in stock at the moment - 1,110 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
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 KKFA MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA?+
90.39% of Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA MOT tests end in a pass, based on 333 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA?+
Missing, which appears in 33.3% of failed tests on this model.
Does the Kawasaki EX 650 KKFA get harder to pass as it ages?+
At 6-10 years old the pass rate is 91.45%, against 89.81% 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.
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