YAMAHA RD500

499cc Petrol Class 2

#1269 of 5426 overall #50 of 409 YAMAHAs #775 of 2787 other bikes

89.0%

first-time pass rate

5.8%

failed outright

20,156

median miles at test

1,955

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2025

The RD500's first-time pass rate has risen 4.4 points since 2006, 88.1% to 92.5%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the RD500's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage RD500 passes first time 91.4% of the time; by 50k that's 93.8%.

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 RD500

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	73	26.2	0.5×
brakes	71	25.4	0.6×
steering and suspension	66	23.7	0.8×
lamps and reflectors	14	5	0.3×
suspension	11	3.9	0.7×
tyres and wheels	10	3.6	0.2×
fuel and exhaust	9	3.2	0.6×
drive system	9	3.2	0.5×
driving controls	9	3.2	2.0×
reg plates and vin	7	2.5	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 RD500 beats 4 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 RD500.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1984 (91.4% pass). Weakest: 1986 (85.3%).

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 RD500 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA RD500 reliable?

The YAMAHA RD500 is more reliable than average for its class: 89.0% of its 1,955 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #1269 of 5426 models.

What does a RD500 fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 26% of all defects recorded against failed RD500 tests.

What is the best year of RD500 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1984-registered examples do best (91.4%) and 1986 worst (85.3%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a RD500 last?

The median RD500 shows 20,156 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 93.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.