Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550
Real ownership data from 1,074 UK ZEPHYR 550 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common ZEPHYR 550 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid leaks | dangerous | 10.1% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 8.8% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 8.3% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 7.9% |
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 7.6% |
| Other | fail | 6.1% |
| Brake discs and pads | prs | 4.2% |
| Wheels | major | 3.2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is corrosion.
ZEPHYR 550 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8 | 27,266 mi | 1,234 | 72.86% |
| 1999 | 20 | 17,868 mi | 685 | 88.4% |
| 1998 | 32 | 23,830 mi | 608 | 83.38% |
| 1997 | 54 | 19,606 mi | 677 | 81.26% |
| 1996 | 67 | 20,040 mi | 667 | 79.32% |
| 1995 | 81 | 23,418 mi | 484 | 82.19% |
| 1994 | 109 | 23,174 mi | 498 | 77.78% |
| 1993 | 171 | 26,536 mi | 568 | 77.31% |
| 1992 | 209 | 28,415 mi | 480 | 76.49% |
| 1991 | 294 | 29,773 mi | 556 | 78.37% |
| 1990 | 21 | 23,690 mi | 465 | 75% |
ZEPHYR 550 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550?
Across 1,074 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are fluid leaks (10.1% of all recorded faults), controls and cables (8.8% of all recorded faults), suspension (8.3% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550?
The median Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550 in the UK has covered 26,282 miles, and typically rides about 550 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 16,990 and 36,857 miles.
Is the Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550 reliable?
78.69% of Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.06 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 1,074 Kawasaki ZEPHYR 550 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.