YAMAHA RD

347cc Petrol Class 2

#2230 of 5426 overall #106 of 409 YAMAHAs #1380 of 2787 other bikes

85.9%

first-time pass rate

7.7%

failed outright

21,450

median miles at test

2,253

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The RD's first-time pass rate has risen 20.3 points since 2006, 77.1% to 97.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage RD passes first time 85.3% of the time; by 40k that's 88.8%.

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 RD

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	155	35.5	0.9×
brakes	94	21.5	0.7×
steering and suspension	84	19.2	0.9×
tyres and wheels	28	6.4	0.5×
drive system	23	5.3	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	18	4.1	0.9×
body and structure	15	3.4	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	8	1.8	0.2×
reg plates and vin	7	1.6	0.5×
driving controls	5	1.1	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 RD beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k 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 RD.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1988 (92.2% pass). Weakest: 1987 (76.1%).

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 RD FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RD reliable?

The YAMAHA RD is about average for its class: 85.9% of its 2,253 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2230 of 5426 models.

What does a RD fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 35% of all defects recorded against failed RD tests.

What is the best year of RD to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1988-registered examples do best (92.2%) and 1987 worst (76.1%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RD last?

The median RD shows 21,450 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 88.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.