Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA motorcycles pass the MOT 87.01% of the time, measured across 254 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.91% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 0.1 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 87.01% 221 of 254

Fixed at the station 5.91% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 8,146 miles

Average age at test 4.69 years old

Engine 649cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 66.7% 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 (9.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 8,146 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	87.01%		254

Why the Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA 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	66.7%	12
2	Too high	33.3%	6
3	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	22.2%	4
4	Excessively binding	16.7%	3
5	Does not conform to the specified requirements	11.1%	2
6	Excessively deformed	11.1%	2
7	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	11.1%	2
8	Has a serious fluid leak	11.1%	2
9	Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	11.1%	2
10	Less than 1.0 mm thick	11.1%	2

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	9.4%	24
2	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	5.5%	14
3	Excessively loose	3.9%	10
4	Worn to excess	3.1%	8
5	Less than 1.0 mm thick	2.8%	7
6	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	2%	5
7	Is bent and the brake cannot be readily applied	2%	5
8	Tread not clearly visible	1.6%	4
9	Incorrect which adversely affects the handling	1.2%	3
10	Excessively tight	0.8%	2

Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA for sale

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

Used Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA 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 MLFA MOT questions

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

87.01% of Kawasaki EX 650 MLFA MOT tests end in a pass, based on 254 tests in the DVSA dataset.

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

Missing, which appears in 66.7% 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.