YAMAHA TDM850

849cc Petrol Class 2

#3073 of 5426 overall #186 of 409 YAMAHAs #1951 of 2787 other bikes

82.5%

first-time pass rate

10.7%

failed outright

27,452

median miles at test

19.5k

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

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

The TDM850's first-time pass rate has risen 1.8 points since 2005, 80.0% to 81.8%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the TDM850's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage TDM850 passes first time 87.9% of the time; by 50k that's 77.3%.

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 TDM850

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	1,056	25.2	1.0×
lighting and signalling	929	22.2	0.8×
steering and suspension	716	17.1	1.0×
tyres and wheels	441	10.5	1.0×
drive system	244	5.8	1.4×
fuel and exhaust	235	5.6	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	217	5.2	0.5×
suspension	138	3.3	0.8×
tyres	105	2.5	0.7×
structure and attachments	102	2.4	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 TDM850 beats 2 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 TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k 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 TDM850.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2003 (89.4% pass). Weakest: 1994 (75.6%).

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 TDM850 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA TDM850 reliable?

The YAMAHA TDM850 is less reliable than average for its class: 82.5% of its 19,486 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3073 of 5426 models.

What does a TDM850 fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 25% of all defects recorded against failed TDM850 tests.

What is the best year of TDM850 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2003-registered examples do best (89.4%) and 1994 worst (75.6%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TDM850 last?

The median TDM850 shows 27,452 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 77.3% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.