YAMAHA FJ

1188cc Petrol Class 2

#3356 of 5426 overall #216 of 409 YAMAHAs #2142 of 2787 other bikes

81.1%

first-time pass rate

12.1%

failed outright

39,812

median miles at test

1,272

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The FJ's first-time pass rate has held steady since 2006 (80.0% → 80.6%).

Pass rate by mileage

how the FJ's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FJ passes first time 87.3% of the time; by 50k that's 80.6%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a FJ

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	117	32.6	1.3×
lighting and signalling	70	19.5	1.0×
steering and suspension	66	18.4	1.3×
tyres and wheels	31	8.6	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	20	5.6	0.7×
drive system	16	4.5	1.3×
suspension	15	4.2	1.0×
fuel and exhaust	11	3.1	1.0×
structure and attachments	7	1.9	0.8×
tyres	6	1.7	0.5×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the FJ beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the FJ.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1986 (90.4% pass). Weakest: 1992 (76.8%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

YAMAHA FJ FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FJ reliable?

The YAMAHA FJ is less reliable than average for its class: 81.1% of its 1,272 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3356 of 5426 models.

What does a FJ fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 33% of all defects recorded against failed FJ tests.

What is the best year of FJ to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (90.4%) and 1992 worst (76.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FJ last?

The median FJ shows 39,812 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 80.6% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.