Kawasaki ZZR
Real ownership data from 618 UK ZZR motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common ZZR problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Chain and sprockets | dangerous | 18.8% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 14.1% |
| Controls and cables | dangerous | 11.1% |
| Tyres | user entered | 9.5% |
| Exhaust and emissions | fail | 5.5% |
| Brake discs and pads | prs | 4% |
| Wheels | major | 3.5% |
| Electrical | major | 3.5% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is lights and indicators.
ZZR 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 | 26,376 mi | 1,388 | 93.02% |
| 2011 | 14 | 26,108 mi | 1,868 | 86.36% |
| 2010 | 12 | 22,178 mi | 2,028 | 92.81% |
| 2009 | 10 | 24,776 mi | 1,280 | 91.87% |
| 2008 | 12 | 24,083 mi | 1,270 | 93.8% |
| 2007 | 18 | 29,218 mi | 1,351 | 87.23% |
| 2006 | 11 | 27,824 mi | 1,347 | 88.65% |
| 2003 | 6 | 30,990 mi | 1,994 | 76.67% |
| 2002 | 15 | 26,300 mi | 1,020 | 83.8% |
| 2001 | 18 | 28,014 mi | 1,054 | 80% |
| 2000 | 9 | 25,381 mi | 68 | 87.67% |
| 1999 | 17 | 26,251 mi | 964 | 81.82% |
| 1998 | 32 | 29,908 mi | 646 | 74.1% |
| 1997 | 32 | 37,400 mi | 1,127 | 77.07% |
| 1996 | 52 | 34,334 mi | 1,093 | 78.48% |
| 1995 | 71 | 35,906 mi | 880 | 79.17% |
| 1994 | 73 | 35,800 mi | 848 | 80.97% |
| 1993 | 39 | 36,974 mi | 808 | 77.45% |
| 1992 | 46 | 38,406 mi | 964 | 81.29% |
| 1991 | 29 | 37,096 mi | 761 | 72.1% |
ZZR questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Kawasaki ZZR?
Across 618 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are chain and sprockets (18.8% of all recorded faults), steering and head bearings (14.1% of all recorded faults), controls and cables (11.1% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Kawasaki ZZR?
The median Kawasaki ZZR in the UK has covered 33,270 miles, and typically rides about 1,030 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 23,129 and 44,765 miles.
Is the Kawasaki ZZR reliable?
80.81% of Kawasaki ZZR MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.13 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 618 Kawasaki ZZR motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.