YAMAHA RD350

347cc Petrol Class 2

#2120 of 5426 overall #96 of 409 YAMAHAs #1301 of 2787 other bikes

86.3%

first-time pass rate

6.6%

failed outright

23,256

median miles at test

19.6k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The RD350's first-time pass rate has risen 13.6 points since 2005, 79.9% to 93.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the RD350's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage RD350 passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 50k that's 83.0%.

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 RD350

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	1,005	31.5	0.7×
brakes	806	25.3	0.7×
steering and suspension	619	19.4	0.7×
tyres and wheels	174	5.5	0.4×
lamps and reflectors	166	5.2	0.3×
drive system	113	3.5	0.6×
reg plates and vin	91	2.9	0.7×
fuel and exhaust	88	2.8	0.5×
body and structure	70	2.2	0.6×
suspension	57	1.8	0.3×

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 RD350 beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, KAWASAKI ZXR400).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k tests HONDA XR400 78.5% pass · 13.3k 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 RD350.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2016 (96.9% pass). Weakest: 1973 (80.7%).

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 RD350 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RD350 reliable?

The YAMAHA RD350 is about average for its class: 86.3% of its 19,574 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2120 of 5426 models.

What does a RD350 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 32% of all defects recorded against failed RD350 tests.

What is the best year of RD350 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2016-registered examples do best (96.9%) and 1987 worst (80.7%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RD350 last?

The median RD350 shows 23,256 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 83.0% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.