Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4?

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 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4?

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 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4?

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.

What are common problems with the 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4 are: Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (29.2% of vehicles), Front Brake disc(s) slightly worn (12.5% of vehicles), Front Brake disc(s) slightly scored (12.5% 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 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4?

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 Z750 P4 (1987)

133 real MOT outcomes analysed

1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4

CarHunch has 133 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4 vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

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Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Compare Models

Got a specific Kawasaki Z750 P4 you're checking out?

The real detail is in the individual vehicle report — MOT history, AI Hunches, mileage timeline, and defect patterns for that specific reg.

This 1987 Kawasaki Z750-P4 is a significant reliability concern, with only an 8.4% first-time pass rate—roughly one-tenth of the UK average of 80%—indicating these bikes are consistently failing their MOTs on first attempt. The good news is that dangerous defects are absent from the dataset, so the failures are largely fixable issues rather than safety-critical problems.

At an average mileage of 32,945 miles, these machines are relatively low-mileage for their age, yet still struggle to pass first time, suggesting age-related deterioration rather than heavy use is the culprit. If you're considering one, budget for pre-MOT inspection and remedial work on ignition, braking, and lighting systems—the typical failure points for 1980s bikes—and expect to invest in recommissioning before it passes test.

MOT statistics not available

We have 133 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4 vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

There are a few reasons this can happen:

Heavy commercial vehicle — trucks, buses and coaches over 3.5 tonnes are tested under the DVSA annual HGV/PSV regime, which uses a separate database not included in our data source
Imported vehicles — vehicles registered abroad and recently brought to the UK may have no UK MOT history yet
MOT-exempt — vehicles manufactured before 1986 qualify under the 40-year rolling exemption; some specialist and agricultural vehicles are also exempt
Never used on public roads — some vehicles are registered but kept off-road and have never required an MOT

Check on the official DVSA service →

What tends to go wrong

Based on 133 cars. % = share of cohort with at least one match (advisories + failures combined).

~1 in 3 Tyre wear

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (29.2%) · Rear tyre in poor condition. (8.3%) · Tyre valve stem slightly damaged (8.3%)

💡 Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. A used-car inspection will confirm how much is left.

~1 in 10 Brake wear

Front Brake disc(s) slightly worn (12.5%) · Front Brake disc(s) slightly scored (12.5%) · Rear Brake pad(s) close to minimum limit (8.3%) · …

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

~1 in 10 Suspension & steering

Rear wheel bearings have slight free play (12.5%)

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

8.3% Lighting

Headlamp aim too high (8.3%) · Headlamp deteriorated but function not impaired (8.3%) · Wheel alignment slightly misaligned. (8.3%) · …

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

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1987. Counts include advisories and failures.

Before you buy a 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4

Based on MOT data from 133 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 0% 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 →

Other model years — Kawasaki Z750 P4: All Z750 P4 years → Which year to buy? →

1985 1986 1989

Or browse all models: Kawasaki →

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See how the 1987 Kawasaki Z750 P4 stacks up against a rival.

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