BIKERELIABILITY
MOT DATA · GREAT BRITAIN · 2005–2025
League table/ YAMAHA/ROYAL STAR
Model report · 2005–2025

YAMAHA ROYAL STAR

1294cc Petrol Class 2
#798 of 5426 overall #29 of 409 YAMAHAs #489 of 2787 other bikes
90.5%
first-time pass rate
4.8%
failed outright
19,069
median miles at test
882
MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The ROYAL STAR's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.6 points since 2006, 97.9% to 94.3%.

78%89%100%2006: 97.9% pass (47 tests)2007: 88.6% pass (44 tests)2008: 93.2% pass (44 tests)2009: 91.1% pass (45 tests)2010: 89.1% pass (46 tests)2011: 84.9% pass (53 tests)2012: 84.1% pass (44 tests)2013: 92.6% pass (54 tests)2014: 92.0% pass (50 tests)2015: 81.8% pass (55 tests)2016: 88.5% pass (52 tests)2017: 86.5% pass (52 tests)2019: 92.3% pass (39 tests)2020: 93.5% pass (31 tests)2021: 97.8% pass (46 tests)2022: 86.8% pass (38 tests)2023: 97.7% pass (43 tests)2024: 90.6% pass (32 tests)2025: 94.3% pass (35 tests)20062025

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage ROYAL STAR passes first time 88.9% of the time; by 50k that's 92.7%.

87%92%97%0k: 88.9% pass (180 tests)10k: 90.2% pass (276 tests)20k: 91.9% pass (186 tests)30k: 95.3% pass (107 tests)40k: 88.5% pass (61 tests)50k: 92.7% pass (41 tests)0k30k50k

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 ROYAL STAR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded
Component group Share of defects Defects % of defects vs all bikes
brakes
18 24.3 0.4×
lighting and signalling
17 23 0.3×
steering and suspension
11 14.9 0.3×
tyres and wheels
9 12.2 0.4×
reg plates and vin
7 9.5 1.0×
lamps and reflectors
6 8.1 0.2×
Identification of the vehicle
2 2.7 1.0×
tyres
2 2.7 0.3×
structure and attachments
1 1.4 0.2×
suspension
1 1.4 0.2×

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 ROYAL STAR beats 3 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k 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 ROYAL STAR.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2000 (93.8% pass). Weakest: 1996 (86.5%).

85%90%95%1996: 86.5% pass (163 tests)1997: 89.5% pass (143 tests)1998: 93.3% pass (210 tests)1999: 89.1% pass (92 tests)2000: 93.8% pass (64 tests)199619982000

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 ROYAL STAR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA ROYAL STAR reliable?

The YAMAHA ROYAL STAR is more reliable than average for its class: 90.5% of its 882 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #798 of 5426 models.

What does a ROYAL STAR fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 24% of all defects recorded against failed ROYAL STAR tests.

What is the best year of ROYAL STAR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2000-registered examples do best (93.8%) and 1996 worst (86.5%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a ROYAL STAR last?

The median ROYAL STAR shows 19,069 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 92.7% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.