Kawasaki ZR-7 MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki ZR-7 motorcycles pass the MOT 79.24% of the time, measured across 342 tests in the DVSA record. A further 8.19% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

Worse than average: 7.6 points below the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.
Pass rate 79.24% 271 of 342
Fixed at the station 8.19% passed after an on-the-spot repair
Average mileage at test 27,029 miles
Average age at test 23.41 years old
Engine 738cc MOT class 2
For sale now 0 Kawasaki ZR-7 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 51.2% of failed tests on this model.
  • Then check excessively binding and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
  • The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (8.5% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
  • Average recorded mileage at test is 27,029 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 79.23% 337

Why the Kawasaki ZR-7 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 51.2% 22
2 Excessively binding 23.3% 10
3 Has a serious fluid leak 20.9% 9
4 Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls 18.6% 8
5 Does not conform to the specified requirements 9.3% 4
6 Less than 1.0 mm thick 9.3% 4
7 Too low 9.3% 4
8 Contaminated 7% 3
9 Grip insecure to handlebar 7% 3
10 Has excessive play 7% 3

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 8.5% 29
2 Excessively loose 4.7% 16
3 Less than 1.0 mm thick 4.7% 16
4 Has a serious fluid leak 4.4% 15
5 Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition 3.5% 12
6 In such a condition that it is seriously weakened 3.2% 11
7 Excessively binding 2.6% 9
8 Excessively stiff or notchy 2.6% 9
9 Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort 2.6% 9
10 Excessively tight 2% 7

Kawasaki ZR-7 for sale

No Kawasaki ZR-7 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 ZR-7 MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki ZR-7?+
79.24% of Kawasaki ZR-7 MOT tests end in a pass, based on 342 tests in the DVSA dataset.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki ZR-7?+
Not working, which appears in 51.2% 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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