Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF MOT pass rate and common failures

Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF motorcycles pass the MOT 89.56% of the time, measured across 316 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.01% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.

About average - within 2.7 points of the 86.87% figure for all motorcycles tested.

Pass rate 89.56% 283 of 316

Fixed at the station 6.01% passed after an on-the-spot repair

Average mileage at test 11,182 miles

Average age at test 6.85 years old

Engine 948cc MOT class 2

For sale now 0 Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF adverts

What to check before the MOT

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

Start with missing - it accounts for 85.7% of failed tests on this model.
Then check does not conform to the specified requirements and not working, the next two most common reasons.
The most common advisory is noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (9.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
Average recorded mileage at test is 11,182 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	89.87%		306

Why the Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF 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	85.7%	12
2	Does not conform to the specified requirements	42.9%	6
3	Not working	28.6%	4
4	Too high	28.6%	4
5	Not working on dipped beam	21.4%	3
6	Too low	21.4%	3
7	Grip insecure to handlebar	14.3%	2
8	Obviously incorrectly positioned	14.3%	2
9	Projected beam image obviously incorrect	14.3%	2
10	Throwing direct white light to the rear	14.3%	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	Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition	9.2%	29
2	Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm	8.2%	26
3	Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort	4.7%	15
4	Less than 1.0 mm thick	3.5%	11
5	Excessively loose	2.8%	9
6	Excessively stiff or notchy	1.3%	4
7	Seriously damaged	0.9%	3
8	Worn to excess	0.9%	3
9	Excessively deformed	0.3%	1
10	Has a serious fluid leak	0.3%	1

Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF for sale

No Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF in stock at the moment - 1,110 other Kawasaki bikes are advertised.

Used Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF 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
Triumph TIGER · 969cc	16,144	91.27%	22,934
Triumph BONNEVILLE 642-904cc · 642-904cc	12,456	90.8%	12,824
BMW R SERIES · 1,152cc	9,796	91.92%	40,594
BMW R1200 · 1,170cc	9,521	94.43%	28,830
BMW S 1000 · 999cc	8,445	91.96%	15,282
BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc	6,170	95.28%	27,241

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

Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF MOT questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF?+

89.56% of Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF MOT tests end in a pass, based on 316 tests in the DVSA dataset.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Kawasaki ZR 900 BJF?+

Missing, which appears in 85.7% 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.