Kawasaki KLX MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki KLX motorcycles pass the MOT 79.9% of the time, measured across 204 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.45% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 7 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 79.9% 163 of 204

Fixed at the station 2.45% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 7,680 miles

Average age at test 11.05 years old

Engine 216cc MOT class 1 and 2

For sale now 0 Kawasaki KLX 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 27.8% of failed tests on this model.
Then check missing and excessively binding, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (6.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 7,680 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	76.35%		148
11-15 years	87.8%		41

Why the Kawasaki KLX 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	27.8%	10
2	Missing	25%	9
3	Excessively binding	19.4%	7
4	Has excessive play	19.4%	7
5	Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls	13.9%	5
6	Excessively loose	13.9%	5
7	Too low	13.9%	5
8	Flashing more than 120 times a minute	11.1%	4
9	Grip insecure to handlebar	11.1%	4
10	Is unsuitable	11.1%	4

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	6.4%	13
2	Has excessive play	5.4%	11
3	Excessively binding	4.9%	10
4	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	4.4%	9
5	Worn to excess	4.4%	9
6	Excessively distorted	3.4%	7
7	Inscription illegible	2.9%	6
8	Is so short that the brake cannot be readily applied	2.9%	6
9	Excessively loose	2.5%	5
10	Sprocket worn to excess	2.5%	5

Kawasaki KLX for sale

No Kawasaki KLX in stock at the moment - 1,109 other Kawasaki bikes are advertised.

Used Kawasaki KLX 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
Piaggio VESPA GTS · 240-300cc	4,305	92.15%	9,875
Honda CRF 220-250cc · 220-250cc	2,452	89.76%	7,549
Honda NSS 250-297cc · 250-297cc	1,397	90.34%	17,407
Piaggio VESPA GTS 300 SUPER · 277cc	914	93.76%	12,292
Piaggio PX 200 E · 193cc	897	90.64%	14,883
Honda CRF 250 LA-K · 250cc	524	90.08%	5,319

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

Kawasaki KLX MOT questions

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

79.9% of Kawasaki KLX MOT tests end in a pass, based on 204 tests in the DVSA dataset.

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

Not working, which appears in 27.8% of failed tests on this model.

Does the Kawasaki KLX get harder to pass as it ages?+

At 11-15 years old the pass rate is 87.8%, against 76.35% for examples 6-10 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.