YAMAHA R6

599cc Petrol Class 2

#3881 of 5426 overall #269 of 409 YAMAHAs #2459 of 2787 other bikes

78.2%

first-time pass rate

13.1%

failed outright

17,174

median miles at test

50.8k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The R6's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.6 points since 2005, 83.8% to 82.2%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the R6's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage R6 passes first time 84.9% of the time; by 50k that's 73.5%.

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 R6

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	5,006	32.8	1.5×
brakes	3,055	20	1.0×
steering and suspension	1,654	10.8	0.9×
tyres and wheels	1,533	10	1.3×
lamps and reflectors	1,221	8	0.9×
reg plates and vin	1,112	7.3	3.0×
drive system	527	3.4	1.2×
fuel and exhaust	490	3.2	1.2×
body and structure	354	2.3	1.2×
structure and attachments	330	2.2	0.7×

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 R6 beats 2 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 R6.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2007 (83.1% pass). Weakest: 1998 (66.0%).

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 R6 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA R6 reliable?

The YAMAHA R6 is less reliable than average for its class: 78.2% of its 50,812 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3881 of 5426 models.

What does a R6 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 33% of all defects recorded against failed R6 tests.

What is the best year of R6 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2007-registered examples do best (83.1%) and 1998 worst (66.0%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a R6 last?

The median R6 shows 17,174 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 73.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.