Kawasaki VN
Real ownership data from 842 UK VN motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common VN problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | fail | 17% |
| Tyres | fail | 12.7% |
| Lights and indicators | major | 11.8% |
| Other | fail | 7.3% |
| Brake discs and pads | major | 6.6% |
| Electrical | major | 6.4% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 5.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 5.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is lights and indicators.
VN 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 22 | 9,522 mi | 644 | 79.61% |
| 2017 | 112 | 9,105 mi | 804 | 88.87% |
| 2016 | 163 | 11,762 mi | 984 | 86.32% |
| 2015 | 102 | 11,370 mi | 826 | 87.26% |
| 2014 | 172 | 13,150 mi | 1,160 | 89.04% |
| 2013 | 30 | 11,141 mi | 688 | 89.73% |
| 2012 | 8 | 23,872 mi | 839 | 86.79% |
| 2011 | 21 | 19,431 mi | 890 | 79.44% |
| 2010 | 16 | 20,580 mi | 1,397 | 89.92% |
| 2009 | 24 | 18,340 mi | 1,356 | 85.58% |
| 2008 | 19 | 15,392 mi | 1,075 | 88.3% |
| 2007 | 14 | 18,560 mi | 846 | 83.04% |
| 2006 | 19 | 18,652 mi | 1,544 | 89.51% |
| 2005 | 10 | 16,554 mi | 962 | 86.67% |
| 2003 | 9 | 18,086 mi | 902 | 93.13% |
| 2002 | 10 | 13,278 mi | 399 | 83.61% |
| 2001 | 7 | 17,016 mi | 660 | 81.25% |
| 2000 | 7 | 36,575 mi | 876 | 88.89% |
| 1999 | 5 | 28,768 mi | 1,243 | 81.82% |
| 1998 | 8 | 12,105 mi | 87 | 85.71% |
VN questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki VN?
Across 842 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (17% of all recorded faults), tyres (12.7% of all recorded faults), lights and indicators (11.8% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki VN?
The median Kawasaki VN in the UK has covered 13,114 miles, and typically rides about 898 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 7,354 and 21,298 miles.
Is the Kawasaki VN reliable?
87.06% of Kawasaki VN 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 842 Kawasaki VN motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.