Kawasaki Z
Real ownership data from 1,893 UK Z motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Z problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | dangerous | 15.9% |
| Chain and sprockets | major | 10.4% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 6.4% |
| Other | fail | 6% |
| Lights and indicators | fail | 5.5% |
| Wheels | major | 5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 4% |
| Electrical | major | 3.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is corrosion.
Z 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 | 791 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 8 | — | — | — |
| 2017 | 6 | — | — | — |
| 2016 | 57 | — | — | — |
| 2015 | 61 | 13,242 mi | 382 | 100% |
| 2014 | 66 | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 28 | — | — | — |
| 2008 | 35 | 15,389 mi | 771 | 93.96% |
| 2007 | 80 | 14,234 mi | 776 | 91.15% |
| 2006 | 94 | 17,756 mi | 792 | 91.93% |
| 2005 | 69 | 19,092 mi | 828 | 92.08% |
| 2004 | 37 | 21,985 mi | 1,011 | 90.41% |
| 2003 | 22 | 18,948 mi | 722 | 93.94% |
| 2002 | 9 | 20,938 mi | 981 | 82.5% |
| 1999 | 11 | 35,259 mi | 1,912 | 75% |
| 1998 | 30 | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 49 | 52,510 mi | — | 89.29% |
| 1991 | 8 | 39,366 mi | 1,223 | 80% |
| 1988 | 8 | 42,911 mi | — | 100% |
| 1987 | 29 | 19,519 mi | 62 | 80% |
Z questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Z?
Across 1,893 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are brakes (15.9% of all recorded faults), chain and sprockets (10.4% of all recorded faults), controls and cables (6.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Z?
The median Kawasaki Z in the UK has covered 18,734 miles, and typically rides about 815 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 10,392 and 29,962 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Z reliable?
91.21% of Kawasaki Z MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.05 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,893 Kawasaki Z motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.