Kawasaki KLE500
Real ownership data from 1,027 UK KLE500 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common KLE500 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Chain and sprockets | major | 26.3% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 13.4% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 9% |
| Brake discs and pads | prs | 6.7% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 6.2% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 5.2% |
| Fluid leaks | major | 4.3% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 2.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is fluid leaks.
KLE500 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 37 | 19,500 mi | 1,230 | 81.36% |
| 2007 | 59 | 16,074 mi | 1,241 | 83.84% |
| 2006 | 99 | 19,663 mi | 1,171 | 83.15% |
| 2005 | 282 | 17,048 mi | 1,148 | 82.22% |
| 2003 | 5 | 22,981 mi | 1,957 | 78% |
| 2002 | 5 | 38,558 mi | 1,980 | 72.73% |
| 2001 | 5 | 35,144 mi | 552 | 78.57% |
| 2000 | 14 | 19,702 mi | 825 | 83.89% |
| 1999 | 25 | 23,251 mi | 1,176 | 83.18% |
| 1998 | 21 | 23,517 mi | 895 | 83.33% |
| 1997 | 15 | 30,194 mi | 792 | 75.71% |
| 1996 | 40 | 26,564 mi | 1,150 | 77.54% |
| 1995 | 54 | 26,074 mi | 749 | 78.2% |
| 1994 | 56 | 28,033 mi | 714 | 82.91% |
| 1993 | 94 | 30,162 mi | 519 | 78.67% |
| 1992 | 94 | 28,070 mi | 630 | 76.16% |
| 1991 | 109 | 31,304 mi | 638 | 75.64% |
KLE500 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki KLE500?
Across 1,027 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are chain and sprockets (26.3% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (13.4% of all recorded faults), controls and cables (9% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki KLE500?
The median Kawasaki KLE500 in the UK has covered 23,167 miles, and typically rides about 948 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 13,884 and 33,724 miles.
Is the Kawasaki KLE500 reliable?
80.72% of Kawasaki KLE500 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.08 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,027 Kawasaki KLE500 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.