Kawasaki SC MOT pass rate and common failures
Kawasaki SC motorcycles pass the MOT 88.17% of the time, measured across 262 tests in the DVSA record. A further 2.67% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm - it accounts for 45.8% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check has a serious fluid leak and excessively binding, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (8.8% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 16,429 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 | 88.16% | 228 | |
| 11-15 years | 88.24% | 34 |
Why the Kawasaki SC 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 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 45.8% | 11 | |
| 2 | Has a serious fluid leak | 33.3% | 8 | |
| 3 | Excessively binding | 25% | 6 | |
| 4 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 25% | 6 | |
| 5 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 12.5% | 3 | |
| 6 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 8.3% | 2 | |
| 7 | Has a major leak of exhaust gases | 8.3% | 2 | |
| 8 | Missing | 8.3% | 2 | |
| 9 | Not working | 8.3% | 2 | |
| 10 | Rough when rotated | 8.3% | 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 | 8.8% | 23 | |
| 2 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 6.9% | 18 | |
| 3 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 6.5% | 17 | |
| 4 | Excessively binding | 3.8% | 10 | |
| 5 | Has a serious fluid leak | 3.4% | 9 | |
| 6 | Corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened | 2.7% | 7 | |
| 7 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 2.3% | 6 | |
| 8 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 1.9% | 5 | |
| 9 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 1.9% | 5 | |
| 10 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.9% | 5 |
Kawasaki SC for sale
No Kawasaki SC in stock at the moment - 1,103 other Kawasaki bikes are advertised.
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 | |
| Honda CRF 300 LA-M · 286cc | 1,297 | 88.43% | 3,963 | |
| BMW G310 · 313cc | 1,129 | 90.79% | 7,243 | |
| Piaggio VESPA GTS 300 SUPER · 277cc | 914 | 93.76% | 12,292 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method