Kawasaki Z1R
Real ownership data from 63 UK Z1R motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Z1R problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | fail | 26.4% |
| Brakes | fail | 9.2% |
| Other | fail | 6.3% |
| Chain and sprockets | user entered | 3.4% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 3.4% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 3.4% |
| Wheels | major | 2.3% |
| Electrical | fail | 1.7% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
Z1R 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15 | 34,903 mi | 240 | 88.24% |
| 1979 | 12 | 33,262 mi | 196 | 85.92% |
| 1978 | 20 | 34,142 mi | 390 | 86.54% |
Z1R questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Z1R?
Across 63 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (26.4% of all recorded faults), brakes (9.2% of all recorded faults), other (6.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Z1R?
The median Kawasaki Z1R in the UK has covered 34,142 miles, and typically rides about 256 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 18,466 and 45,962 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Z1R reliable?
87.65% of Kawasaki Z1R 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 63 Kawasaki Z1R motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.