Kawasaki Z1
Real ownership data from 325 UK Z1 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Z1 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 15.7% |
| Brakes | fail | 8.6% |
| Tyres | fail | 4.8% |
| Other | fail | 3.4% |
| Suspension | fail | 2.9% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.7% |
| Electrical | fail | 2.5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 1.3% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
Z1 mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| Year | Examples | Median mileage | Miles/year | First-time pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 | 13,906 mi | 2,863 | 77.78% |
| 2016 | 11 | 15,148 mi | — | 88.89% |
| 2015 | 7 | 12,341 mi | 40 | 93.33% |
| 2014 | 5 | 29,304 mi | 1,280 | 100% |
| 2013 | 16 | 48 mi | 134 | 94.87% |
| 2011 | 5 | 6,751 mi | 104 | 90.91% |
| 1999 | 7 | 24,635 mi | 232 | 83.67% |
| 1998 | 7 | 17,026 mi | 292 | 94.29% |
| 1997 | 7 | 22,417 mi | 267 | 88% |
| 1996 | 9 | 27,293 mi | 91 | 94.23% |
| 1995 | 8 | 36,555 mi | 186 | 84.21% |
| 1994 | 6 | 28,922 mi | 338 | 94.74% |
| 1993 | 13 | 31,404 mi | 250 | 87.93% |
| 1992 | 10 | 23,930 mi | 386 | 88.76% |
| 1991 | 13 | 22,417 mi | 95 | 92.63% |
| 1989 | 7 | 47,537 mi | 207 | 82.26% |
| 1978 | 5 | 3,042 mi | 175 | 66.67% |
| 1977 | 5 | 29,134 mi | 469 | 90.48% |
| 1976 | 19 | 26,649 mi | 252 | 77.65% |
| 1975 | 27 | 25,251 mi | 231 | 86.23% |
Z1 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Z1?
Across 325 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (15.7% of all recorded faults), brakes (8.6% of all recorded faults), tyres (4.8% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Z1?
The median Kawasaki Z1 in the UK has covered 21,430 miles, and typically rides about 221 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 4,904 and 33,406 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Z1 reliable?
88.95% of Kawasaki Z1 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.49 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 325 Kawasaki Z1 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.