Kawasaki Versys 1000
Real ownership data from 4,638 UK Versys 1000 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Versys 1000 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | dangerous | 15.9% |
| Wheels | fail | 8.7% |
| Brake discs and pads | major | 6.4% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 6.3% |
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 5.2% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 4.8% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 4.4% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is controls and cables.
Versys 1000 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 146 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 306 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 334 | 5,079 mi | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 284 | 6,778 mi | 9,601 | 96.47% |
| 2022 | 342 | 7,944 mi | 1,520 | 94.38% |
| 2021 | 341 | 10,469 mi | 2,106 | 94.72% |
| 2020 | 269 | 12,453 mi | 1,909 | 92.66% |
| 2019 | 443 | 13,787 mi | 1,970 | 91.62% |
| 2018 | 334 | 15,287 mi | 1,755 | 92.08% |
| 2017 | 429 | 16,400 mi | 1,560 | 92.35% |
| 2016 | 364 | 18,578 mi | 1,708 | 87.75% |
| 2015 | 418 | 21,958 mi | 1,796 | 88.87% |
| 2014 | 168 | 21,524 mi | 1,641 | 89.73% |
| 2013 | 218 | 23,552 mi | 1,883 | 90.25% |
| 2012 | 231 | 25,649 mi | 1,778 | 88.73% |
| 2011 | 10 | 29,202 mi | 2,040 | 90% |
Versys 1000 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Versys 1000?
Across 4,638 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (15.9% of all recorded faults), wheels (8.7% of all recorded faults), brake discs and pads (6.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Versys 1000?
The median Kawasaki Versys 1000 in the UK has covered 15,250 miles, and typically rides about 1,786 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 9,064 and 23,982 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Versys 1000 reliable?
90.64% of Kawasaki Versys 1000 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 4,638 Kawasaki Versys 1000 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.