Kawasaki Z550
Real ownership data from 8,040 UK Z550 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Z550 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | fail | 13.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 7.3% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 5.7% |
| Electrical | fail | 5.4% |
| Other | major | 5.3% |
| Brakes | dangerous | 5.2% |
| Lights and indicators | user entered | 3.8% |
| Fluid leaks | fail | 3.7% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is steering and head bearings.
Z550 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 13 | 53,556 mi | 4,010 | 90% |
| 2001 | 37 | 41,336 mi | 3,722 | 81.82% |
| 2000 | 71 | 23,471 mi | 1,504 | 82.09% |
| 1999 | 98 | 34,652 mi | 868 | 76.74% |
| 1998 | 114 | 25,318 mi | 2,018 | 75% |
| 1997 | 152 | 36,104 mi | 1,157 | 78.02% |
| 1996 | 100 | 40,326 mi | 762 | 77.17% |
| 1995 | 13 | 34,216 mi | 841 | 54.55% |
| 1994 | 93 | 31,102 mi | 947 | 74.36% |
| 1993 | 200 | 33,969 mi | 876 | 81.34% |
| 1992 | 299 | 43,188 mi | 1,095 | 76.82% |
| 1991 | 528 | 38,634 mi | 1,144 | 71.62% |
| 1990 | 746 | 39,594 mi | 726 | 77.89% |
| 1989 | 918 | 40,754 mi | 1,518 | 78.17% |
| 1988 | 681 | 33,350 mi | 529 | 74.05% |
| 1987 | 508 | 33,460 mi | 702 | 85.4% |
| 1986 | 373 | 38,662 mi | 579 | 78.69% |
| 1985 | 371 | 34,220 mi | 495 | 78.15% |
| 1984 | 516 | 40,262 mi | 392 | 77.14% |
| 1983 | 1,168 | 34,295 mi | 270 | 78.43% |
Z550 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki Z550?
Across 8,040 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are suspension (13.5% of all recorded faults), brake discs and pads (7.3% of all recorded faults), controls and cables (5.7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki Z550?
The median Kawasaki Z550 in the UK has covered 34,262 miles, and typically rides about 554 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 20,990 and 47,143 miles.
Is the Kawasaki Z550 reliable?
77.72% of Kawasaki Z550 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.3 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 8,040 Kawasaki Z550 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.