Kawasaki ZL600
Real ownership data from 271 UK ZL600 motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common ZL600 problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and indicators | major | 17.4% |
| Brakes | major | 13.5% |
| Suspension | fail | 9.4% |
| Tyres | dangerous | 5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 3.8% |
| Controls and cables | fail | 2.8% |
| Electrical | fail | 2.8% |
| Other | fail | 2% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is brake discs and pads.
ZL600 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 21 | 12,774 mi | 461 | 85.5% |
| 1997 | 73 | 19,299 mi | 696 | 85.17% |
| 1996 | 56 | 20,550 mi | 580 | 82.5% |
| 1995 | 56 | 22,459 mi | 595 | 82.8% |
| 1986 | 53 | 24,404 mi | 424 | 78.42% |
ZL600 questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki ZL600?
Across 271 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are lights and indicators (17.4% of all recorded faults), brakes (13.5% of all recorded faults), suspension (9.4% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki ZL600?
The median Kawasaki ZL600 in the UK has covered 21,246 miles, and typically rides about 570 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 12,782 and 29,602 miles.
Is the Kawasaki ZL600 reliable?
82.72% of Kawasaki ZL600 MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.4 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 271 Kawasaki ZL600 motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.