Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2008 Kawasaki Er6?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2008 Kawasaki Er6?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2008 Kawasaki Er6?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2008 Kawasaki Er6 vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

24% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2008 Kawasaki Er6 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 501 vehicles, the 2008 Kawasaki Er6 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 86.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2008 Kawasaki Er6?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2008 Kawasaki Er6 are: Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (57.5% of vehicles), Exhaust noisy (57% of vehicles), Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (51% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2008 Kawasaki Er6?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Kawasaki Er6 (2008)

501 real MOT outcomes analysed • 86.5% first-time pass rate

2008 Kawasaki Er6

CarHunch analysed 501 real MOT records for the 2008 Kawasaki Er6. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2008 Kawasaki ER6 passes its MOT on the first try 86.5% of the time, which is a solid 6.5 percentage points above the UK average—but nearly a quarter of these bikes (23.9%) have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is a genuine buyer concern that warrants a thorough pre-purchase inspection. At an average mileage of 16,832 miles for a 16-year-old bike, these ER6s are running relatively low, suggesting many have been garage queens rather than hard-ridden commuters.

When failures do occur, they average 1.7 per test, and advisories run high at 7.4 per vehicle, pointing to wear items like chains, tyres, and brake pads that accumulate on older motorcycles—even well-maintained ones. Before buying, get an independent inspection to assess brake fluid condition, suspension wear, and any history of that dangerous defect category, because the headline pass rate can mask problems that only careful eyes will catch.

The 2008 Kawasaki Er6 passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (86.5%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

86.5%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

24%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.7

Over 11.6 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

15k

Middle half: 9k–22k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 86.5% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 7.4 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 501 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 501 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 57.5%

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Front Tyre tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Exhaust & emissions 57%

Exhaust noisy

Lighting 43.1%

Drive chain slightly loose

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Other issues 27.8%

Drive chain worn but not considered excessive

Brake wear 18.3%

Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit · Front Roller brake test indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort · Front Brake indicates slight fluctuation of brake effort · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 12.7%

Rear suspension bush has slight free play · Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush · Upper Rear suspension bush has slight free play

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2008.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 501 Kawasaki Er6 cars.

Before you buy a 2008 Kawasaki Er6

Based on MOT data from 501 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 24% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (100%)	500	86.6%	1.7

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,547 Kawasaki Er6 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 39.2%

999

Green 19.6%

500

Silver 11.1%

282

Blue 9.9%

252

Orange 8.7%

221

White 7.4%

189

Yellow 3.1%

Red 0.5%

Grey 0.4%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2008 Kawasaki Er6 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

14,645

typical

8,798

low mileage

22,015

high mileage

Half of all 2008 Kawasaki Er6 vehicles fall between 8,798 and 22,015 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 8,798 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 8,798–22,015 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2008 Kawasaki Er6s sit.

⚠ Over 29,720 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2008 Kawasaki Er6 — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 53% of 2008 Kawasaki Er6s are still active.

214 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 53% of the peak remain.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

11.6

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.7

Avg failures per vehicle

7.4

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Kawasaki Er6: All Er6 years → Which year to buy? →

2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012

Or browse all models: Kawasaki →

Compare with another model

See how the 2008 Kawasaki Er6 stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?