YAMAHA TOWNMATE

79cc Petrol Class 1

#3557 of 5426 overall #234 of 409 YAMAHAs #98 of 734 commuter bikes

80.1%

first-time pass rate

13.7%

failed outright

15,248

median miles at test

750

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2017

The TOWNMATE's first-time pass rate has risen 14.7 points since 2006, 67.7% to 82.4%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the TOWNMATE's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage TOWNMATE passes first time 84.0% of the time; by 30k that's 81.8%.

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 TOWNMATE

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	121	44.3	2.0×
steering and suspension	43	15.8	1.3×
tyres and wheels	37	13.6	1.9×
brakes	28	10.3	0.6×
lamps and reflectors	22	8.1	1.1×
fuel and exhaust	6	2.2	1.1×
body and structure	5	1.8	1.4×
reg plates and vin	4	1.5	0.7×
suspension	4	1.5	0.7×
structure and attachments	3	1.1	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 TOWNMATE beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (HONDA C90, HONDA SCV100, YAMAHA YQ100).

HONDA C90 79.3% pass · 92.8k tests HONDA SCV100 70.7% pass · 31.3k tests YAMAHA YQ100 64.7% pass · 7,747 tests YAMAHA RXS100 68.0% pass · 6,955 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 TOWNMATE.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 1986 (90.5% pass). Weakest: 1994 (73.2%).

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 TOWNMATE FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA TOWNMATE reliable?

The YAMAHA TOWNMATE is more reliable than average for its class: 80.1% of its 750 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #3557 of 5426 models.

What does a TOWNMATE fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 44% of all defects recorded against failed TOWNMATE tests.

What is the best year of TOWNMATE to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1986-registered examples do best (90.5%) and 1994 worst (73.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TOWNMATE last?

The median TOWNMATE shows 15,248 miles at test, and examples around 30k miles still pass 81.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.