Kawasaki KLR
Real ownership data from 53 UK KLR motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common KLR problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 10.4% |
| Brakes | fail | 7.9% |
| Other | fail | 4.3% |
| Tyres | fail | 2.7% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 2.7% |
| Suspension | fail | 2.3% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 2.3% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 1.8% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
KLR mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 6 | 19,901 mi | 624 | 88.71% |
| 1999 | 5 | 11,389 mi | 489 | 100% |
| 1996 | 6 | 16,627 mi | 12 | 68.42% |
| 1995 | 6 | 33,394 mi | 684 | 74.55% |
KLR questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki KLR?
Across 53 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (10.4% of all recorded faults), brakes (7.9% of all recorded faults), other (4.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki KLR?
The median Kawasaki KLR in the UK has covered 17,488 miles, and typically rides about 472 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 13,432 and 27,905 miles.
Is the Kawasaki KLR reliable?
82.03% of Kawasaki KLR MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 1 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 53 Kawasaki KLR motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.