Kawasaki Versys 1000
Real ownership data from 4,679 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 14.4% |
| Brakes | major | 12% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 4.8% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 4% |
| Suspension | fail | 3.2% |
| Other | dangerous | 2.4% |
| Wheels | fail | 2.4% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 1.6% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is electrical.
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 | 170 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 307 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 334 | 5,079 mi | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 286 | 6,678 mi | 9,601 | 95.11% |
| 2022 | 344 | 8,020 mi | 1,529 | 94.64% |
| 2021 | 345 | 10,804 mi | 2,106 | 94.91% |
| 2020 | 269 | 12,709 mi | 1,924 | 92.65% |
| 2019 | 445 | 14,082 mi | 2,002 | 91.59% |
| 2018 | 334 | 15,287 mi | 1,755 | 92.09% |
| 2017 | 428 | 16,672 mi | 1,578 | 92.24% |
| 2016 | 365 | 18,656 mi | 1,704 | 87.59% |
| 2015 | 420 | 22,234 mi | 1,796 | 88.68% |
| 2014 | 169 | 21,312 mi | 1,586 | 89.61% |
| 2013 | 218 | 23,692 mi | 1,883 | 90.23% |
| 2012 | 233 | 25,649 mi | 1,765 | 88.75% |
| 2011 | 11 | 31,725 mi | 2,040 | 90.83% |
Versys 1000 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Versys 1000?
Across 4,679 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brake discs and pads (14.4% of all recorded faults), brakes (12% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (4.8% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Versys 1000?
The median Kawasaki Versys 1000 in the UK has covered 15,328 miles, and typically rides about 1,782 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 9,092 and 24,074 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Versys 1000 reliable?
90.59% 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 4,679 Kawasaki Versys 1000 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.