YAMAHA RADIAN

600cc Petrol Class 2

#3963 of 5426 overall #282 of 409 YAMAHAs #2509 of 2787 other bikes

77.6%

first-time pass rate

13.4%

failed outright

22,488

median miles at test

763

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2018

The RADIAN's first-time pass rate has fallen 6.6 points since 2006, 87.9% to 81.3%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage RADIAN passes first time 80.0% of the time; by 40k that's 63.2%.

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 RADIAN

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	49	23.2	1.0×
steering and suspension	46	21.8	1.3×
brakes	36	17.1	0.9×
lamps and reflectors	21	10	1.1×
tyres and wheels	17	8.1	1.1×
reg plates and vin	12	5.7	1.6×
drive system	8	3.8	1.3×
steering	8	3.8	2.2×
structure and attachments	7	3.3	1.3×
suspension	7	3.3	1.1×

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 RADIAN beats 1 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 RADIAN.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1987 (82.5% pass). Weakest: 1989 (69.5%).

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 RADIAN FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RADIAN reliable?

The YAMAHA RADIAN is less reliable than average for its class: 77.6% of its 763 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3963 of 5426 models.

What does a RADIAN fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 23% of all defects recorded against failed RADIAN tests.

What is the best year of RADIAN to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1987-registered examples do best (82.5%) and 1989 worst (69.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RADIAN last?

The median RADIAN shows 22,488 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 63.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.