MOT cost .

Suzuki

DR Z400s

941 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where DR Z400ss pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 9.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

85.4%

Pass-after-fix

6.1%

Fail

8.2%

Avg miles

12,671

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

The picture

Dr-Z400s: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 941 MOT tests, the Dr-Z400s returns 85.4% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-conforming number plate. Direction indicator lamp missing and wheel bearing with excessive play round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 12,671, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

Top ten reasons for rejection.

  1. 01

    Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

    10 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  2. 02

    A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    10 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  3. 03

    A wheel bearing with excessive play

    10 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  4. 04

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    9 occurrences · 1.0% of tests

  5. 05

    A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released

    9 occurrences · 1.0% of tests

  6. 06

    Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    8 occurrences · 0.9% of tests

  7. 07

    Rate of flashing not between 60 and 120 times per minute

    8 occurrences · 0.9% of tests

  8. 08

    Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear

    8 occurrences · 0.9% of tests

  9. 09

    A lamp missing or inoperative

    5 occurrences · 0.5% of tests

  10. 10

    Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

    5 occurrences · 0.5% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures

£23–£70

If every one of this DR Z400s's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

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Build your own retest budget.

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

H7 / W21W bulb pack

A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.

Search Amazon UK

Buying or keeping a DR Z400s?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a DR Z400s and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.