YAMAHA FS1E

49cc Petrol Class 1

#2264 of 5426 overall #111 of 409 YAMAHAs #26 of 455 moped bikes

85.8%

first-time pass rate

7.3%

failed outright

13,549

median miles at test

2,714

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The FS1E's first-time pass rate has risen 8.5 points since 2006, 81.5% to 90.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FS1E's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage FS1E passes first time 88.3% of the time; by 40k that's 84.3%.

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 FS1E

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	290	46.3	1.2×
steering and suspension	111	17.7	0.8×
brakes	80	12.8	0.5×
tyres and wheels	65	10.4	0.9×
fuel and exhaust	22	3.5	1.0×
drive system	19	3	0.8×
driving controls	12	1.9	1.9×
reg plates and vin	11	1.8	0.7×
body and structure	10	1.6	0.7×
lamps and reflectors	6	1	0.1×

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 FS1E beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 FS1E.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1971 (90.7% pass). Weakest: 1988 (65.5%).

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 FS1E FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FS1E reliable?

The YAMAHA FS1E is more reliable than average for its class: 85.8% of its 2,714 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #2264 of 5426 models.

What does a FS1E fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 46% of all defects recorded against failed FS1E tests.

What is the best year of FS1E to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1971-registered examples do best (90.7%) and 1988 worst (65.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FS1E last?

The median FS1E shows 13,549 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 84.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.