Kawasaki ZL400
Real ownership data from 72 UK ZL400 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common ZL400 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 11.8% |
| Brakes | major | 9.3% |
| Suspension | major | 7.7% |
| Other | fail | 4.1% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 3.9% |
| Tyres | fail | 3.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | fail | 3% |
| Steering and head bearings | fail | 2.4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is suspension.
ZL400 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 | 9,596 mi | 36 | 80% |
| 1999 | 6 | 17,653 mi | 1,054 | 77.78% |
| 1998 | 14 | 18,270 mi | 2,371 | 80.28% |
| 1997 | 14 | 21,638 mi | 1,270 | 74.12% |
| 1996 | 9 | 21,256 mi | 324 | 76.67% |
| 1986 | 7 | 21,836 mi | 435 | 66.67% |
ZL400 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki ZL400?
Across 72 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (11.8% of all recorded faults), brakes (9.3% of all recorded faults), suspension (7.7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki ZL400?
The median Kawasaki ZL400 in the UK has covered 21,390 miles, and typically rides about 730 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 12,692 and 29,088 miles.
Is the Kawasaki ZL400 reliable?
74.4% of Kawasaki ZL400 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 1.01 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 72 Kawasaki ZL400 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.