YAMAHA TENERE

660cc Petrol Class 2

#3940 of 5426 overall #279 of 409 YAMAHAs #96 of 99 adventure bikes

77.8%

first-time pass rate

12.7%

failed outright

32,140

median miles at test

731

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2022

The TENERE's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.9 points since 2006, 80.9% to 75.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

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

A low-mileage TENERE passes first time 94.5% of the time; by 50k that's 69.4%.

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 TENERE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	58	28	1.3×
lighting and signalling	44	21.3	1.0×
steering and suspension	43	20.8	1.4×
lamps and reflectors	15	7.2	0.9×
tyres and wheels	14	6.8	0.9×
drive system	7	3.4	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	7	3.4	1.3×
body and structure	7	3.4	1.4×
structure and attachments	6	2.9	0.8×
suspension	6	2.9	0.9×

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 TENERE beats 0 of its 2 closest rivals (TRIUMPH TIGER 800, YAMAHA XT 660 Z TENERE).

TRIUMPH TIGER 800 91.6% pass · 6,797 tests YAMAHA XT 660 Z TENERE 87.4% pass · 5,654 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 TENERE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2009 (87.2% pass). Weakest: 1995 (73.9%).

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 TENERE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA TENERE reliable?

The YAMAHA TENERE is less reliable than average for its class: 77.8% of its 731 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3940 of 5426 models.

What does a TENERE fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 28% of all defects recorded against failed TENERE tests.

What is the best year of TENERE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2009-registered examples do best (87.2%) and 1995 worst (73.9%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TENERE last?

The median TENERE shows 32,140 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 69.4% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.