YAMAHA FJ1200

1188cc Petrol Class 2

#3704 of 5426 overall #253 of 409 YAMAHAs #2355 of 2787 other bikes

79.4%

first-time pass rate

13.3%

failed outright

41,078

median miles at test

20.4k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The FJ1200's first-time pass rate has risen 8.8 points since 2005, 77.6% to 86.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FJ1200's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FJ1200 passes first time 78.8% of the time; by 50k that's 76.9%.

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 FJ1200

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,765	29.2	1.4×
steering and suspension	1,420	23.5	1.7×
lighting and signalling	1,336	22.1	1.1×
tyres and wheels	550	9.1	1.2×
lamps and reflectors	219	3.6	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	204	3.4	1.2×
drive system	170	2.8	1.0×
suspension	165	2.7	0.9×
structure and attachments	109	1.8	0.7×
tyres	100	1.7	0.6×

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 FJ1200 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 FJ1200.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1993 (85.5% pass). Weakest: 1985 (73.7%).

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 FJ1200 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FJ1200 reliable?

The YAMAHA FJ1200 is less reliable than average for its class: 79.4% of its 20,415 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3704 of 5426 models.

What does a FJ1200 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 29% of all defects recorded against failed FJ1200 tests.

What is the best year of FJ1200 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1993-registered examples do best (85.5%) and 1985 worst (73.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FJ1200 last?

The median FJ1200 shows 41,078 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 76.9% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.