Kawasaki Z1000
Real ownership data from 10,802 UK Z1000 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Z1000 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | minor | 14.6% |
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 11.1% |
| Fuel system | fail | 10% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 7.8% |
| Corrosion | major | 7% |
| Steering and head bearings | minor | 6.8% |
| Suspension | user entered | 6.3% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 3.3% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is exhaust and emissions.
Z1000 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 | 39 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 68 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 102 | 955 mi | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 127 | 4,547 mi | 3,295 | 91.8% |
| 2022 | 169 | 5,235 mi | 1,182 | 93.18% |
| 2021 | 229 | 6,535 mi | 1,067 | 92.63% |
| 2020 | 344 | 7,492 mi | 1,084 | 92.14% |
| 2019 | 126 | 7,943 mi | 951 | 92.96% |
| 2018 | 166 | 8,954 mi | 1,056 | 90.24% |
| 2017 | 336 | 10,102 mi | 1,011 | 91.89% |
| 2016 | 397 | 11,686 mi | 894 | 89.55% |
| 2015 | 419 | 13,046 mi | 1,083 | 89.59% |
| 2014 | 403 | 13,101 mi | 1,052 | 87.88% |
| 2013 | 216 | 12,840 mi | 1,000 | 87.28% |
| 2012 | 326 | 16,295 mi | 1,098 | 89.34% |
| 2011 | 385 | 17,043 mi | 1,118 | 88.96% |
| 2010 | 457 | 16,155 mi | 1,021 | 87.61% |
| 2009 | 521 | 16,034 mi | 987 | 87.89% |
| 2008 | 566 | 17,250 mi | 957 | 86.28% |
| 2007 | 485 | 16,341 mi | 1,010 | 86.13% |
Z1000 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Z1000?
Across 10,802 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are electrical (14.6% of all recorded faults), fluid leaks (11.1% of all recorded faults), fuel system (10% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Z1000?
The median Kawasaki Z1000 in the UK has covered 17,289 miles, and typically rides about 896 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 9,149 and 28,505 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Z1000 reliable?
86.32% of Kawasaki Z1000 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 10,802 Kawasaki Z1000 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.