YAMAHA FZR600

598cc Petrol Class 2

#4607 of 5426 overall #351 of 409 YAMAHAs #2759 of 2787 other bikes

71.6%

first-time pass rate

18.9%

failed outright

28,589

median miles at test

11.8k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The FZR600's first-time pass rate has risen 12.7 points since 2005, 72.5% to 85.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the FZR600's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage FZR600 passes first time 76.0% of the time; by 50k that's 65.0%.

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 FZR600

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,721	28.3	2.2×
brakes	1,389	22.9	1.9×
steering and suspension	1,286	21.2	2.5×
tyres and wheels	512	8.4	1.9×
fuel and exhaust	308	5.1	3.1×
drive system	260	4.3	2.3×
reg plates and vin	172	2.8	2.2×
lamps and reflectors	163	2.7	0.6×
body and structure	158	2.6	2.4×
suspension	103	1.7	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 FZR600 beats 0 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 FZR600.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (85.2% pass). Weakest: 1990 (67.3%).

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 FZR600 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA FZR600 reliable?

The YAMAHA FZR600 is less reliable than average for its class: 71.6% of its 11,754 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #4607 of 5426 models.

What does a FZR600 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed FZR600 tests.

What is the best year of FZR600 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (85.2%) and 1990 worst (67.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a FZR600 last?

The median FZR600 shows 28,589 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 65.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.