Kawasaki ZZR1400 MOT pass rate and common failures
Kawasaki ZZR1400 motorcycles pass the MOT 89.34% of the time, measured across 319 tests in the DVSA record. A further 4.08% 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 has a serious fluid leak - it accounts for 38.1% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check not working and inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, the next two most common reasons.
- Age matters here: 97.14% of 6-10 year old examples pass, against 85.29% at 16+ years - a gap of 11.8 points.
- 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 (7.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 28,714 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 | 97.14% | 35 | |
| 11-15 years | 92.92% | 113 | |
| 16+ years | 85.29% | 170 |
Why the Kawasaki ZZR1400 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 | Has a serious fluid leak | 38.1% | 8 | |
| 2 | Not working | 19% | 4 | |
| 3 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 14.3% | 3 | |
| 4 | Missing | 14.3% | 3 | |
| 5 | Too low | 14.3% | 3 | |
| 6 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 14.3% | 3 | |
| 7 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 9.5% | 2 | |
| 8 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 9.5% | 2 | |
| 9 | Grip insecure to handlebar | 9.5% | 2 | |
| 10 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 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 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 7.2% | 23 | |
| 2 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 6% | 19 | |
| 3 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 4.4% | 14 | |
| 4 | Has a serious fluid leak | 2.8% | 9 | |
| 5 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.8% | 9 | |
| 6 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 2.2% | 7 | |
| 7 | Excessively loose | 1.6% | 5 | |
| 8 | Tread not clearly visible | 1.3% | 4 | |
| 9 | Excessively tight | 0.9% | 3 | |
| 10 | Has excessive wear or free play | 0.9% | 3 |
Kawasaki ZZR1400 for sale
2 Kawasaki ZZR1400 adverts on MotoDealers UK right now, 1,110 Kawasaki in total.
Similar bikes compared
Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate | Avg mileage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 R1250 · 1,254cc | 6,764 | 96.17% | 17,373 | |
| BMW R 1200 · 1,170cc | 6,170 | 95.28% | 27,241 | |
| Yamaha YZF R1 · 998cc | 6,022 | 88.01% | 23,152 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method