YAMAHA FJ1100

1097cc Petrol Class 2

#3787 of 5426 overall #259 of 409 YAMAHAs #2404 of 2787 other bikes

78.9%

first-time pass rate

13.9%

failed outright

40,184

median miles at test

1,822

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2023

The FJ1100's first-time pass rate has risen 19.5 points since 2005, 71.7% to 91.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FJ1100's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FJ1100 passes first time 71.9% of the time; by 50k that's 73.9%.

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 FJ1100

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	189	28.2	1.6×
steering and suspension	163	24.3	2.0×
brakes	159	23.7	1.3×
tyres and wheels	61	9.1	1.5×
fuel and exhaust	28	4.2	1.8×
drive system	20	3	1.4×
driving controls	15	2.2	3.3×
body and structure	15	2.2	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	11	1.6	0.3×
reg plates and vin	9	1.3	0.9×

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 FJ1100 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 FJ1100.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1988 (90.7% pass). Weakest: 1985 (77.4%).

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 FJ1100 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FJ1100 reliable?

The YAMAHA FJ1100 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.9% of its 1,822 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3787 of 5426 models.

What does a FJ1100 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed FJ1100 tests.

What is the best year of FJ1100 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1988-registered examples do best (90.7%) and 1985 worst (77.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FJ1100 last?

The median FJ1100 shows 40,184 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.