Kawasaki ZL1000
Real ownership data from 172 UK ZL1000 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common ZL1000 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 12.5% |
| Brakes | major | 9.6% |
| Suspension | major | 3.5% |
| Other | fail | 3.3% |
| Tyres | fail | 3.3% |
| Exhaust and emissions | major | 1.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 1.4% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 1% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brakes.
ZL1000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 14 | 27,344 mi | 378 | 82.88% |
| 1988 | 35 | 34,716 mi | 540 | 86.27% |
| 1987 | 87 | 28,683 mi | 441 | 80.13% |
| 1986 | 7 | 21,162 mi | 70 | 91.3% |
ZL1000 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki ZL1000?
Across 172 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (12.5% of all recorded faults), brakes (9.6% of all recorded faults), suspension (3.5% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki ZL1000?
The median Kawasaki ZL1000 in the UK has covered 28,719 miles, and typically rides about 442 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 17,965 and 37,246 miles.
Is the Kawasaki ZL1000 reliable?
83.29% of Kawasaki ZL1000 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.76 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 172 Kawasaki ZL1000 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.