YAMAHA FZ6

599cc Petrol Class 2

#2443 of 5426 overall #132 of 409 YAMAHAs #1529 of 2787 other bikes

YAMAHA FZ6 — Photo: Trougnouf · CC BY 4.0

85.2%

first-time pass rate

7.8%

failed outright

15,484

median miles at test

67.1k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FZ6's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.8 points since 2006, 90.8% to 84.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FZ6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FZ6 passes first time 91.1% of the time; by 50k that's 77.0%.

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 FZ6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,852	19.9	0.5×
lighting and signalling	1,524	16.4	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	1,353	14.5	0.9×
tyres and wheels	1,325	14.2	0.8×
steering and suspension	1,261	13.6	0.5×
tyres	490	5.3	0.9×
suspension	456	4.9	0.8×
drive system	419	4.5	0.7×
structure and attachments	355	3.8	0.6×
reg plates and vin	268	2.9	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 FZ6 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k 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 FZ6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2010 (90.1% pass). Weakest: 2003 (83.9%).

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 FZ6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FZ6 reliable?

The YAMAHA FZ6 is about average for its class: 85.2% of its 67,149 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2443 of 5426 models.

What does a FZ6 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 20% of all defects recorded against failed FZ6 tests.

What is the best year of FZ6 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2010-registered examples do best (90.1%) and 2003 worst (83.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FZ6 last?

The median FZ6 shows 15,484 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.