Kawasaki GT550
Real ownership data from 2,020 UK GT550 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common GT550 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 22.7% |
| Fluid leaks | fail | 17.7% |
| Corrosion | major | 8.6% |
| Frame and structure | major | 6.3% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 5.9% |
| Brake discs and pads | major | 3.4% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 3.3% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 3% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is controls and cables.
GT550 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 11 | 58,426 mi | 4,151 | 80% |
| 2001 | 53 | 44,710 mi | 1,689 | 80% |
| 2000 | 67 | 42,645 mi | 1,513 | 78.78% |
| 1999 | 83 | 30,608 mi | 1,023 | 80% |
| 1998 | 58 | 43,914 mi | 1,511 | 76.63% |
| 1997 | 85 | 34,050 mi | 1,134 | 76.54% |
| 1996 | 78 | 41,088 mi | 1,137 | 77.84% |
| 1995 | 74 | 31,642 mi | 618 | 81.76% |
| 1994 | 100 | 38,512 mi | 1,043 | 76.98% |
| 1993 | 138 | 37,714 mi | 958 | 79% |
| 1992 | 189 | 38,803 mi | 842 | 78.3% |
| 1991 | 236 | 38,024 mi | 763 | 75.93% |
| 1990 | 259 | 39,625 mi | 725 | 76.54% |
| 1989 | 235 | 42,160 mi | 645 | 78.29% |
| 1988 | 140 | 39,386 mi | 558 | 77.68% |
| 1987 | 80 | 43,223 mi | 644 | 77.63% |
| 1986 | 31 | 42,151 mi | 1,021 | 75.33% |
| 1985 | 23 | 38,326 mi | 547 | 75% |
| 1984 | 24 | 43,423 mi | 1,290 | 77.31% |
| 1983 | 43 | 36,219 mi | 441 | 79.71% |
GT550 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki GT550?
Across 2,020 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are controls and cables (22.7% of all recorded faults), fluid leaks (17.7% of all recorded faults), corrosion (8.6% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki GT550?
The median Kawasaki GT550 in the UK has covered 39,008 miles, and typically rides about 830 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 25,133 and 53,795 miles.
Is the Kawasaki GT550 reliable?
77.77% of Kawasaki GT550 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.06 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 2,020 Kawasaki GT550 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.