BIKERELIABILITY Reg check
League table/ YAMAHA/RD350 YPVS
Model report · 2005–2025

Data as of: DVSA MOT results to 2025

YAMAHA RD350 YPVS

347cc Petrol Class 2
#2491 of 5428 overall #137 of 409 YAMAHAs #1562 of 2788 other bikes
85.0%
first-time pass rate
6.9%
failed outright
25,733
median miles at test
594
MOT tests, 2005–2025
+1.6pp
vs expected · age & mileage

The pass rate is the MOT first-time pass: a roadworthiness check of the items an MOT covers (brakes, lights, tyres, steering, structure, emissions), not a full mechanical inspection of engine or gearbox internals. It is a reliability signal, not a complete measure of mechanical reliability. What this measures.

“vs expected” adjusts for age, mileage and test class, so a cherished classic and a hard-used commuter are compared fairly. How this works.

Pass rate over time

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

The RD350 YPVS's first-time pass rate has risen 1.9 points since 2006, 91.9% to 93.8%.

65%82%100%2006: 91.9% pass (37 tests)2007: 86.7% pass (30 tests)2010: 71.0% pass (31 tests)2011: 81.6% pass (38 tests)2012: 92.3% pass (39 tests)2013: 76.2% pass (42 tests)2014: 83.3% pass (36 tests)2017: 90.6% pass (32 tests)2018: 90.6% pass (32 tests)2023: 93.8% pass (32 tests)20062023

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage RD350 YPVS passes first time 89.2% of the time; by 40k that's 81.8%.

80%86%91%0k: 89.2% pass (83 tests)10k: 87.7% pass (122 tests)20k: 83.1% pass (172 tests)30k: 84.3% pass (159 tests)40k: 81.8% pass (44 tests)0k20k40k

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 YPVS

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
lighting and signalling
35 33 0.8×
brakes
25 23.6 0.6×
steering and suspension
13 12.3 0.6×
tyres and wheels
8 7.5 0.6×
drive system
8 7.5 1.4×
lamps and reflectors
6 5.7 0.3×
suspension
4 3.8 0.7×
body and structure
3 2.8 0.7×
steering
2 1.9 0.8×
reg plates and vin
2 1.9 0.6×

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 YPVS beats 2 of its 4 closest rivals (SUZUKI AN400, SUZUKI DR-Z400S, YAMAHA RD350).

SUZUKI AN400 86.2% pass · 27.1k tests Compare head-to-head →
SUZUKI DR-Z400S 80.4% pass · 26.8k tests Compare head-to-head →
YAMAHA RD350 86.3% pass · 19.6k tests Compare head-to-head →
KAWASAKI ZXR400 73.1% pass · 14.2k tests Compare head-to-head →

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 YPVS.

Compare with any bike

rival not listed above? pick any model to see it head-to-head with the RD350 Ypvs

More YAMAHA models

other YAMAHA bikes ranked by MOT pass rate
YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests
YAMAHA YZF-R6 79.0% pass · 155k tests
YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests
YAMAHA YBR 125 71.0% pass · 125k tests
YAMAHA XJR1300 87.4% pass · 95.1k tests
YAMAHA FZ6 85.2% pass · 67.1k tests

See all YAMAHA models →

Pass rate by registration year

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

Highest pass rate: 1986 (93.5%). Lowest: 1989 (81.5%). Every RD350 Ypvs year compared →

79%88%96%1983: 89.4% pass (66 tests)1986: 93.5% pass (123 tests)1988: 89.7% pass (78 tests)1989: 81.5% pass (54 tests)1990: 85.4% pass (82 tests)198319881990

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 YPVS FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RD350 YPVS reliable?

The YAMAHA RD350 YPVS is about average for its class: 85.0% of its 594 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2491 of 5428 models.

What does a RD350 YPVS fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling: 33% of all defects recorded against failed RD350 YPVS tests.

What is the best year of RD350 YPVS to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (93.5%) and 1989 worst (81.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RD350 YPVS last?

The median RD350 YPVS shows 25,733 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 81.8% of the time, so mileage alone rarely decides the result.

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