Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 motorcycles pass the MOT 85.06% of the time, measured across 241 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.22% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 1.8 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 85.06% 205 of 241
Fixed at the station 6.22% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 26,993 miles
Average age at test 31.03 years old
Engine 738cc MOT class 2
For sale now 0 Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 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 38.1% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check too high and does not conform to the specified requirements, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (5.4% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 26,993 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
16+ years 85% 240

Why the Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 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 38.1% 8
2 Too high 23.8% 5
3 Does not conform to the specified requirements 19% 4
4 Excessively binding 14.3% 3
5 Missing 14.3% 3
6 Seriously damaged 14.3% 3
7 The less effective brake control does not achieve an efficiency of 25% 14.3% 3
8 Contaminated 9.5% 2
9 Effort inadequate at a wheel 9.5% 2
10 Has insufficient reserve travel 9.5% 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 5.4% 13
2 Has a serious fluid leak 5% 12
3 Excessively binding 4.1% 10
4 Excessively loose 4.1% 10
5 Has excessive play 3.7% 9
6 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 3.3% 8
7 Has a major leak of exhaust gases 2.9% 7
8 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.1% 5
9 Excessively distorted 1.7% 4
10 Less than 1.0 mm thick 1.7% 4

Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 for sale

No Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 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
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc 12,456 90.8% 12,824
Yamaha MT 800-1000cc · 800-1000cc 5,720 90.98% 16,130
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

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

Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750?+
85.06% of Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 241 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki ZEPHYR 750?+
Not working, which appears in 38.1% 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.
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