Kawasaki ZZR600 MOT pass rate and common failures
Kawasaki ZZR600 motorcycles pass the MOT 82.86% of the time, measured across 1,050 tests in the DVSA record. A further 6.57% 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 inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps - it accounts for 24.3% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check not working and excessively binding, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (7.2% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 30,074 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 | 82.82% | 1,048 |
Why the Kawasaki ZZR600 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 | Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 24.3% | 27 | |
| 2 | Not working | 19.8% | 22 | |
| 3 | Excessively binding | 17.1% | 19 | |
| 4 | Does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamp(s) | 15.3% | 17 | |
| 5 | Has a serious fluid leak | 13.5% | 15 | |
| 6 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 10.8% | 12 | |
| 7 | Insecure | 10.8% | 12 | |
| 8 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 10.8% | 12 | |
| 9 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 8.1% | 9 | |
| 10 | Excessively loose | 6.3% | 7 |
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 | 7.2% | 76 | |
| 2 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 6.5% | 68 | |
| 3 | Excessively binding | 5.3% | 56 | |
| 4 | Has a serious fluid leak | 5.1% | 54 | |
| 5 | Excessively loose | 4.6% | 48 | |
| 6 | In such a condition that it is seriously weakened | 3.6% | 38 | |
| 7 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 3.1% | 33 | |
| 8 | Worn to excess | 3% | 31 | |
| 9 | Less than 1.0 mm thick | 2.6% | 27 | |
| 10 | Corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened | 1.8% | 19 |
Kawasaki ZZR600 for sale
1 Kawasaki ZZR600 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Kawasaki ZX-6R · 599-636cc | 4,510 | 81.62% | 26,019 | |
| Suzuki SV650 · 646cc | 3,834 | 80.99% | 27,644 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method