Kawasaki VN
Real ownership data from 849 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 | minor | 17.6% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 12% |
| Tyres | major | 10.9% |
| Other | user entered | 7.1% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 7.1% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 6% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 3.7% |
| Corrosion | major | 2.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
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 | 113 | 9,184 mi | 777 | 88.94% |
| 2016 | 165 | 11,762 mi | 998 | 86.31% |
| 2015 | 102 | 11,370 mi | 826 | 87.24% |
| 2014 | 175 | 13,380 mi | 1,163 | 88.8% |
| 2013 | 30 | 11,141 mi | 688 | 89.25% |
| 2012 | 8 | 23,872 mi | 839 | 86.79% |
| 2011 | 21 | 19,431 mi | 982 | 79.63% |
| 2010 | 16 | 20,580 mi | 1,434 | 90.08% |
| 2009 | 24 | 18,340 mi | 1,356 | 85.65% |
| 2008 | 20 | 17,074 mi | 1,075 | 88.44% |
| 2007 | 14 | 18,560 mi | 846 | 83.04% |
| 2006 | 19 | 18,652 mi | 1,544 | 89.57% |
| 2005 | 10 | 16,554 mi | 962 | 86.67% |
| 2003 | 9 | 20,359 mi | 890 | 92.48% |
| 2002 | 10 | 13,278 mi | 399 | 83.61% |
| 2001 | 7 | 17,016 mi | 642 | 81.48% |
| 2000 | 7 | 36,575 mi | 876 | 88.89% |
| 1999 | 5 | 28,768 mi | 1,243 | 82.14% |
| 1998 | 8 | 12,105 mi | 87 | 85.71% |
VN questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki VN?
Across 849 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (17.6% of all recorded faults), exhaust and emissions (12% of all recorded faults), tyres (10.9% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki VN?
The median Kawasaki VN in the UK has covered 13,264 miles, and typically rides about 916 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 7,375 and 21,488 miles.
Is the Kawasaki VN reliable?
87.01% of Kawasaki VN MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.04 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 849 Kawasaki VN motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.