YAMAHA TZR50

49cc Petrol Class 1

#5370 of 5426 overall #409 of 409 YAMAHAs #429 of 455 moped bikes

52.4%

first-time pass rate

34.6%

failed outright

9,748

median miles at test

2,051

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2023

The TZR50's first-time pass rate has risen 10.4 points since 2006, 56.3% to 66.7%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the TZR50's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 73.4%

A low-mileage TZR50 passes first time 54.9% of the time; by 20k that's 52.8%.

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 TZR50

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
steering and suspension	893	30.8	7.2×
lighting and signalling	857	29.6	5.5×
brakes	382	13.2	3.0×
drive system	239	8.2	11.8×
tyres and wheels	169	5.8	3.3×
body and structure	136	4.7	10.4×
fuel and exhaust	97	3.3	5.3×
lamps and reflectors	58	2	1.1×
suspension	34	1.2	1.4×
reg plates and vin	33	1.1	2.6×

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 TZR50 beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT, PIAGGIO ZIP, PIAGGIO NRG).

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT 65.2% pass · 83.7k tests PIAGGIO ZIP 71.3% pass · 79.0k tests PIAGGIO NRG 65.5% pass · 40.5k tests PEUGEOT VIVACITY 70.4% pass · 29.7k 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 TZR50.

Pass rate by registration year

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

Best year to buy used: 2004 (52.9% pass). Weakest: 2003 (49.8%).

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 TZR50 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the YAMAHA TZR50 reliable?

The YAMAHA TZR50 is less reliable than average for its class: 52.4% of its 2,051 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 73.4%. That ranks it #5370 of 5426 models.

What does a TZR50 fail its MOT on most?

steering and suspension — 31% of all defects recorded against failed TZR50 tests.

What is the best year of TZR50 to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 2004-registered examples do best (52.9%) and 2003 worst (49.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a TZR50 last?

The median TZR50 shows 9,748 miles at test, and examples around 20k miles still pass 52.8% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.