Kawasaki KZ650
Real ownership data from 185 UK KZ650 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common KZ650 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 17.3% |
| Brakes | fail | 7.9% |
| Tyres | fail | 4.1% |
| Suspension | fail | 3.3% |
| Other | fail | 3% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.8% |
| Chain and sprockets | fail | 1.5% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 1.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is chain and sprockets.
KZ650 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 7 | 18,928 mi | 160 | 90.91% |
| 1999 | 8 | 24,265 mi | 380 | 72.73% |
| 1998 | 8 | 23,649 mi | 21 | 76.19% |
| 1997 | 15 | 21,419 mi | 179 | 88.1% |
| 1996 | 11 | 23,742 mi | 187 | 79.17% |
| 1995 | 8 | 36,486 mi | 690 | 89.8% |
| 1994 | 7 | 36,205 mi | 111 | 63.64% |
| 1992 | 6 | 32,646 mi | 342 | 75% |
| 1981 | 5 | 16,444 mi | 858 | 82.61% |
| 1980 | 13 | 19,642 mi | 215 | 73.08% |
| 1979 | 21 | 26,112 mi | 305 | 82.69% |
| 1978 | 24 | 25,168 mi | 163 | 86.42% |
| 1977 | 13 | 25,794 mi | 264 | 75.51% |
KZ650 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki KZ650?
Across 185 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (17.3% of all recorded faults), brakes (7.9% of all recorded faults), tyres (4.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki KZ650?
The median Kawasaki KZ650 in the UK has covered 25,168 miles, and typically rides about 190 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 15,946 and 35,020 miles.
Is the Kawasaki KZ650 reliable?
81.34% of Kawasaki KZ650 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.85 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 185 Kawasaki KZ650 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.