Kawasaki Z1000
Real ownership data from 10,775 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 19.2% |
| Electrical | minor | 9.7% |
| Steering and head bearings | dangerous | 9.6% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 6.8% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 6.5% |
| Fuel system | fail | 6.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | user entered | 6.3% |
| Frame and structure | dangerous | 5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
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 | 36 | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 68 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 101 | 955 mi | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 125 | 4,381 mi | — | 90.74% |
| 2022 | 167 | 5,235 mi | 1,212 | 92.89% |
| 2021 | 228 | 6,524 mi | 1,063 | 92.78% |
| 2020 | 341 | 7,391 mi | 1,091 | 92.12% |
| 2019 | 126 | 7,943 mi | 951 | 92.9% |
| 2018 | 166 | 8,885 mi | 1,056 | 90.14% |
| 2017 | 336 | 10,102 mi | 994 | 91.99% |
| 2016 | 395 | 11,550 mi | 886 | 89.65% |
| 2015 | 419 | 13,046 mi | 1,086 | 89.57% |
| 2014 | 402 | 13,064 mi | 1,064 | 87.78% |
| 2013 | 215 | 12,690 mi | 1,000 | 87.22% |
| 2012 | 326 | 16,295 mi | 1,098 | 89.37% |
| 2011 | 385 | 17,005 mi | 1,120 | 88.95% |
| 2010 | 455 | 16,155 mi | 1,016 | 87.57% |
| 2009 | 521 | 15,967 mi | 987 | 87.93% |
| 2008 | 564 | 17,186 mi | 955 | 86.25% |
| 2007 | 485 | 16,341 mi | 1,010 | 86.12% |
Z1000 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Z1000?
Across 10,775 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are fluid leaks (19.2% of all recorded faults), electrical (9.7% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (9.6% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Z1000?
The median Kawasaki Z1000 in the UK has covered 17,246 miles, and typically rides about 896 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 9,126 and 28,416 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Z1000 reliable?
86.31% 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 10,775 Kawasaki Z1000 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.